This Is Your Life: World of Sport

This Is Your Life regularly paid tribute to the sportsmen and women who reached the top of their particular game – whether that was football, cricket, boxing or rugby.

So, here, we tee off and serve up the top names of two more sports - tennis and golf – all of them winners with the Big Red Book treatment...

		Tony JACKLIN 18 February 1970 After becoming the first British player to win the British Open Championship for 18 years, the golfer was awarded the OBE - and Eamonn was waiting outside Buckingham Palace with a presentation of his own - the big red book! Tony's guests include American golfers Bert Yancey, who greets him in the studio, and Jack Nicklaus, who sends a recorded message.


		Virginia WADE 7 December 1977 Eamonn surprised the tennis star in the National Sports Stadium at London's Crystal Palace. Virginia had taken the women's title at that summer's Wimbledon – in the 100th anniversary of the Championships, in the Queen's Silver Jubilee year and in her own sixteenth year at the tournament. Guests include fellow tennis players Billie Jean King and Francoise Durr.


		Peter ALLISS 3 April 1985 Surprised by Eamonn outside the Royalty Theatre, the golfer, television presenter and commentator - regarded by many as the 'voice of British golf' - was greeted by names from both the sporting world and show business. Among those paying tribute are entertainers Jimmy Tarbuck, Eric Sykes and Bruce Forsyth and golfers Tony Jacklin and Arnold Palmer.


		Dan MASKELL 24 April 1985 The former tennis player - who became a well respected commentator on the sport, and was recognised as the BBC's 'voice of tennis' - was surprised by Eamonn at the Chelsea Wharf restaurant in London. Among those greeting Dan at the Royalty Theatre are the legendary tennis players Fred Perry and Rod Laver.


		Henry COTTON 5 February 1986 Eamonn surprised the former golfer - who had won three Open Championships between 1934 and 1948 - during the international golf show at the Barbican Centre in central London. A mix of sporting and show business names help Eamonn tell Henry's story – among them Sandy Gall, Florence Desmond, Bob Hope, and Sandy Lyle.


		Kitty GODFREE 6 January 1988 Eamonn bicycled down the main shopping street of London's East Sheen in order to surprise the former tennis player - in her local supermarket! Kitty won the Wimbledon singles title twice – in 1924 and 1926 - and her opponents in those finals, Helen Wills Moody and Lil de Alvarez are among the guests paying tribute.


		Sue BARKER 28 February 1996 The former professional tennis player - who became one of the main BBC sports presenters after retiring from the sport - was surprised by Michael during a radio interview with John Dunn at BBC Broadcasting House. Sue's guests include Pam Schreiber, Robin Cousins and Harry Carpenter.


		Sam TORRANCE 13 January 1997 Michael enlisted the Pride of Murray Pipe Band - and comedian Ronnie Corbett - to parade up the drive of Sam's Surrey home to help surprise him. The golfer - a member of the European Ryder Cup teams on eight occasions between 1981 and 1995 - is greeted by fellow golfers Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Colin Montgomery and Bernard Gallagher.


		Ian WOOSNAM 25 January 2002 The golfer nicknamed 'Woosie' or the 'Wee Welshman' - was surprised by Michael in a central London hotel. The worlds of comedy and sport join forces to pay tribute to Ian, with racing driver Nigel Mansell, footballer Kenny Dalglish and comedians Ronnie Corbett and Max Boyce among the guests.