The Gurgler website doesn’t often do too many tributes to those that pass away, only when someone of significance moves on and is in our slender window of genuine admiration, can we be bothered. So the passing of Darrell Eastlake provide one of those rare moments.
Big Darrell Eastlake will always be synonymous to a lot of people for his his booming voice, genuine over the top enthusiasm, and the word Huge. And the tributes since his passing speak of one of sport’s nice guys.
For us, a long term F1 fans in Australia, the Big Man will always be remembered for his hosting of the F1 coverage, late on a Sunday or way too early on a Monday.
Back in the days where you were lucky if you got the race live, and the qualifyng result was announced on the pre race coverage, big Darrell sat there alongside the very cynical Alan Jones, and delivered the F1 news and views with a subtlety that is not often associated with him. Sadly for him, Channel Nine lost the coverage before his beloved Ferrari started winning Championships.
His love for F1 and the 500cc seemed so genuine, and he felt a part of many a late Sunday evening and beyond. He was so subdued and professional, perhaps it was the late night timeslot, but it showed he wasn’t always the loud mouth excitable man he is fondly remembered for.
But he didn’t always get the premium sports. Looking through his back catalogue he had to commentate on a lot of obscure, lesser known, lesser loved sports.
Not that they were lesser loved to Darrell.
He delivered commentary on Surf Lifesaving ,Weight Lifting, Winter Olympics, and other sports that rate even less, bit he did it with not only an infectiously enthusiastic style, but he seemed a genuine fan of whatever he called.
Not a modern day over the top for no good reason,and forced to get excited by producers looking to boost the LCD ratings, but a genuine love for his chosen sport that he just couldn’t help but nearly explode in excitement of whatever was playing out in front of him. Yes, we’re talking about you Slats, and your band of Jerks.
The fact that anyone is looking back and fondly remembering the Clean and Jerk, and Surfboat racing because of is voice is credit to him alone. Sure he had Dean Lukin, Guy Leeach and Trevor Hendy to get excited about, but his enthusiasm made you continue watching something that these days would be an automatic channel changer.
A lesser person could get bitter at receiving the rubbis sport, not Darrell Eastlake, he loved it, and given the amount of affection in the past few days after his death, so did plenty.
His demise due to Alzheimer’s disease was a sad story, bringing the once huge man to his knees.
Coincidentally his passing is just after the Commonwealth Games, the type of events where Darrell would have been like a kid in a candy store when it came to broadcasting. We’re sure he would have picked Weight Lifting.
He would have made it huge too.
As much as some try, Big Darrell and his huge voice and enthusiasm will probably never be matched.
We pay tribute and salute Darrell Eastlake. Wherever he is now, we’re sure it’ll be huge.
A FEW BITS AND PIECES OF BIG DARRELL EASTLAKE
