Best Luke Alfred Podcasts (2024)

1
The Future is Bright For The Springboks 25:21

2h ago25:21

25:21

Send us a Text Message. The 1984 Wallabies: A Historic Grand Slam In 1984, the Australian Wallabies embarked on an 18-match tour of Great Britain, a journey that would etch their names in rugby history. Under the leadership of captain Andrew Slack and coach Alan Jones, the Wallabies faced formidable opponents, losing to Cardiff, Llanelli, Ulster, a…

1
The Best South African Swimmer In A Generation: Tatjana Smith 24:51

8d ago24:51

24:51

Send us a Text Message. The Essence of Sitting Around Sitting around is a fundamental human activity. Before we could walk, we sat. This quiet, contemplative act is foundational, and in the context of the Olympics, it becomes a stage for profound human drama. The Origins of the Olympics: A Story of Tortoises and Hares The concept of the Olympics mi…

1
The Funniest Olympic Stories Ever 25:47

14d ago25:47

25:47

Send us a Text Message. Marathon Mishaps: Stockholm 1912 The Stockholm 1912 Olympics provided some of the most bizarre and tragicomical moments in Olympic history, particularly in the marathon event. Two marathoners, Shizo Kanakuri from Japan and Francisco Lázaro from Portugal, had extraordinary and ultimately heartbreaking journeys. Shizo Kanakuri…

1
Two Great African Olympic Stories 25:49

21d ago25:49

25:49

Send us a Text Message. Early Triumphs and Heroism When Abebe Bikila returned to Ethiopia after winning the men's marathon at the 1960 Rome Olympics, he was celebrated as a hero. Not only did Bikila break the world record, but he also became a symbol of the new African dawn. His victory captured the imagination of people across Africa and the world…

1
The Greatest Native American Runner Ever 22:38

1M ago22:38

22:38

Send us a Text Message. Donate to The Luke Alfred Show on Patreon. Get my book: Vuvuzela Dawn: 25 Sporting Stories that Shaped a New Nation. Get full written episodes of the show a day early on Substack. Check out The Luke Alfred Show on YouTube and Facebook.By Luke Alfred

1
How South African Rugby Started To Click 23:31

1M ago23:31

23:31

Send us a Text Message. Donate to The Luke Alfred Show on Patreon. Get my book: Vuvuzela Dawn: 25 Sporting Stories that Shaped a New Nation. Get full written episodes of the show a day early on Substack. Check out The Luke Alfred Show on YouTube and Facebook.By Luke Alfred

1
The Boy Who Won Wimbledon At 17: The Boris Becker Story 23:58

2M ago23:58

23:58

Send us a Text Message. Donate to The Luke Alfred Show on Patreon. Get my book: Vuvuzela Dawn: 25 Sporting Stories that Shaped a New Nation. Get full written episodes of the show a day early on Substack. Check out The Luke Alfred Show on YouTube and Facebook.By Luke Alfred

1
The Voice of the Durban July: The Story of Craig 'Eagle Eye' Peters 23:05

2M ago23:05

23:05

Send us a Text Message. Early Days in Racing Craig Peters, the iconic voice of South African horse racing, began his illustrious commentary career at just 17 years old. His debut took place in the mid-1970s at Gosforth Park, Germiston, a racetrack that has since faded into history. Young Peters was filled with anxiety, fearing mistakes and misident…

1
The Biggest Upset In Euros History 25:13

2M ago25:13

25:13

Send us a Text Message. Not Meant to Be There The 1992 Euros weren't the extravagant affairs they are today. Yugoslavia's disqualification due to war threw the tournament into disarray, with Denmark getting a last-minute call-up. Even their best player, Laudrup, skipped the Euros due to disagreements with the coach. Small is Beautiful Sweden hosted…

1
How South Africa Swimmers Stole America's Olympic Gold 31:13

3M ago31:13

31:13

Send us a Text Message. The Redemption Games: Ryk Neethling and the Athens Olympics 4x100m Relay This episode dives into the captivating story of Ryk Neethling and the South African 4x100m freestyle relay team at the 2004 Athens Olympics. It's a tale of redemption, teamwork, and overcoming adversity. Bruised by Sydney The 2000 Sydney Olympics were …

1
Can The Proteas Win The T20 World Cup? 22:50

3M ago22:50

22:50

Send us a Text Message. A Well-Deserved Selection The author praises the selection process, free from external pressures and focused on merit. Coach Rob Walter and Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe are commended for picking a team they believe can win the World Cup. Reasons for Optimism The team is fit (except Kagiso Rabada's minor injury) and experie…

1
The Lowest Point Ever In Springbok Rugby: Lions Tour 1974 23:29

3M ago23:29

23:29

Send us a Text Message. A Foul-Mouthed Parrot and The British Lions 1974 Tour of South Africa. In this episode, we delve into the fascinating and often brutal story of the 1974 British Lions tour of South Africa. Buckle up for tales of: A swearing parrot named Piet who heckled the Lions at their hotel breakfast. (Listen for this amusing anecdote at…

1
The Artist of Anfield: The Jürgen Klopp Story 24:02

3M ago24:02

24:02

Send us a Text Message. A Charismatic Leader Transforms Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool I dive into the remarkable career of Jürgen Klopp, a manager who wasn't just a superb tactician, but never lost sight of the human touch. From Humble Beginnings to the Brink of Ruin We start with Borussia Dortmund, a club on the verge of financial collapse. Befo…

1
The Incredible Feats Of Vaudeville Strongmen 23:37

4M ago23:37

23:37

Send us a Text Message. Exploring the Unconventional: From Marrow-Tossing to Nail-Bending. In the vast landscape of sports journalism, there's often a gravitational pull towards the grandeur of major events and superstar athletes. Yet, there's a hidden world waiting to be discovered in the sidelines, in the quirky, the obscure, and the borderline a…

1
The First Man To Ever Run A 4 Minute Mile: The Story Of Roger Bannister 24:10

4M ago24:10

24:10

Send us a Text Message. Breaking Barriers: Roger Bannister and the Four-Minute Mile. Step back in time to May 6, 1954, when history was made on the Iffley Road track in Oxford. Join me as I delve into the captivating story of Roger Bannister's legendary assault on the four-minute mile barrier, a feat that captured the world's imagination and foreve…

1
The United Rugby Championship Is Like A Netflix Drama 23:01

4M ago23:01

23:01

Send us a Text Message. United Rugby Championship: Season 3 - The Drama Heats Up! Forget Netflix, this is real-life drama unfolding! The United Rugby Championship's final stretch is packed with nail-biting contests as South African teams fight for a place in the playoffs. The Fallen Champions: The Stormers, victors of Season 1, haven't quite repeat…

1
How I Fell In Love With Sport Part 2 25:22

4M ago25:22

25:22

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, I take us on a trip down memory lane, exploring my life as a South African boy, with a love for cricket, during the 1970s and early 1980s. We delve into the joy of playing barefoot on the Wanderers outfield, the thrill of watching heroes like Graeme Pollock and Kevin McKenzie in action, and the camaraderie o…

1
The Inspiring History Of Women In The Boston Marathon 23:40

4M ago23:40

23:40

Send us a Text Message. Step back in time with me, Luke Alfred, as we trace the footsteps of relentless women who dared to disrupt the Boston Marathon's status quo. Discover how Bobbi Gibb and Kathrine Switzer's audacious strides ignited a revolution in women's sports, transforming a mere footrace into a symbol of gender equality. Gibb’s surreptiti…

1
A Horse Named Foinavon: The Greatest Upset In Grand National History 24:32

5M ago24:32

24:32

Send us a Text Message. This week we delve into the rich history and legendary moments of the Grand National steeplechase, and the remarkable victory of the horse Foinavon in 1967. From the historical significance of the race to the unexpected twists and turns, join us as we uncover the unforgettable story behind one of horseracing's most iconic mo…

1
The Lockdown Champs League: Remembering Bayern's Flawless 2020 23:46

5M ago23:46

23:46

Send us a Text Message. The 2019/20 Champions League season was a rollercoaster ride marked by unprecedented challenges, overshadowed by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite its surreal nature, being played in front of no fans, and swift conclusion, this season left an indelible mark on football history. Episode Highlights: The Pandemic's Gr…

1
How The Springboks Inspired A Boom In SA Club Rugby 23:02

5M ago23:02

23:02

Send us a Text Message. One of the spinoffs of the Springboks winning the Rugby World Cup in 2023, is that club rugby in the country is booming. Quietly, without fuss, and without much wider public or media attention, the numbers are climbing. They have done so for the last four or five months. And it’s good that they’re doing so now, because we st…

1
Why Cricket Has Lost It's Magic 23:32

5M ago23:32

23:32

Send us a Text Message. Who of us hasn’t driven past a cricket match glimpsed momentarily through a hedge, unable for some good reason to stop? Who of us hasn’t caught a train, the inter-city 9:15 to somewhere, and seen cricket thin-sliced through a speeding carriage window? Circumstances and countries might differ, but this is the cricket match we…

1
The Fan Who Infiltrated The Man United Team Photo: Karl Power 25:10

6M ago25:10

25:10

Send us a Text Message. Gary Neville also objected. He knew that Power wasn’t part of the United starting X1 and told Power so. Power told Neville that he was doing this all for Eric Cantona and Gary was to shut up, which seemed to buy him the time he needed to sneak into the photograph. Neville surely didn’t buy Power’s explanation, although he mi…

1
Cricket's Most Infamous Ball Tampering Scandal: The Full Sandpaper-Gate Story 19:51

6M ago19:51

19:51

Send us a Text Message. It emerged on day four that the ball-tampering plan had been hatched by senior players in the dressing room at lunchtime on the third day. Smith lost the captaincy and Warner the vice-captaincy, both banned by the ICC for one Test. In Australia, the shame and anger were widespread. Even the Aussie prime minister, Malcolm Tur…

1
Are Bafana Bafana Finally Good Again? 24:24

6M ago24:24

24:24

Send us a Text Message. I don’t think I’m saying anything controversial in admitting that, like a good friend from university, Bafana Bafana and I have lost touch over the last 10 or 12 years. It hasn’t been an active thing on my part. I haven’t turned my back on Bafana, at least I don’t think I have. Rather, it’s been a passive withdrawal into oth…

1
James Small: The Springbok Who Died In A Strip Club 22:33

6M ago22:33

22:33

Send us a Text Message. There was something darkly comic about World Cup winning Springbok James Small, losing his life in a strip joint. Some of us might have lost other things – our virginity, our wallets, our self-respect, we might even have lost our mates, or our marriage in a strip joint – but Small wasn’t a small gestures kind of guy. He was …

1
Why South Africa Overachieves In Sport 24:04

7M ago24:04

24:04

Send us a Text Message. In the year between February 2023 and February 2024, for instance, six South African teams either won or reached World Cup finals, reached World Cup or continental semi-finals or hustled out of the group stages of World Cups to make the round of 16. In order of success, the teams are as follows: the Springboks, who won the R…

1
Why Financial Fair Play Is Beginning To Bite 25:46

7M ago25:46

25:46

Send us a Text Message. City have been accused by the Premier League of 115 violations of Financial Fair Play regulations dating back 14 years. In the interests of time and brevity we can’t detail all 115 breaches here, but they can all be collapsed into the idea City have failed to provide the Premier League with information that “gives a true and…

1
How The First Ever Tied Test Match Came To Be 24:34

7M ago24:34

24:34

Send us a Text Message. The 1960/61 West Indies tour of Australia was one of the greatest test series ever played. On the eve of the first Test in Brisbane, Don Bradman, the chairman of the Australian board but really everything cricket in Australia, asked Richie Benaud, the home skipper, if he could have a few words with his side. Benaud was not o…

1
The People's Gaffer: The Ange Postecoglou Story 24:28

7M ago24:28

24:28

Send us a Text Message. In a comforting way, Ange Postecoglou is just the boy next-door. Pep left home early; Wenger is too haughtily academic, even in his relaxed moments. José’s been defeated by his grumpiness; Thomas Tuchel is fascinating but finally disqualified from boy-next-door status by a vague air of the nerd. Gareth Southgate is the boy-n…

1
The Last Springboks: How South Africa Beat Bill Lawry's Aussies 25:30

7M ago25:30

25:30

Send us a Text Message. The past, they say, is another country. South Africa in 1970 really was another country, a pre-democratic country lost in the mighty bluster of High Apartheid. It was so much another country that it was in another century, which makes the 1970 series against Australia look a little like a museum piece today. Donate to The Lu…

1
The Story Of Dean Elgar: Resolute Warrior 25:20

8M ago25:20

25:20

Send us a Text Message. Dean Elgar is a legend of South African cricket, and a regularly underrated opening batsman. This is the inside story of his rise to the pinnacle of the game, from humble beginnings in rural South Africa. Donate to The Luke Alfred Show on Patreon. Get my book: Vuvuzela Dawn: 25 Sporting Stories that Shaped a New Nation. Get …

1
How Newlands Disgraced Jacques Kallis 24:35

8M ago24:35

24:35

Send us a Text Message. There was once a kerfuffle about whether to name a grandstand at Newlands after Kallis. In their infinite wisdom the Western Province Cricket Association board decided not to, which is a little like failing to name a spacesuit after Neil Armstrong, or an auditorium after Louie. The cricket-loving public of the Western Cape h…

1
The Untold Handré Pollard Story 24:18

9M ago24:18

24:18

Send us a Text Message. Handré Pollard was built for World Cups. By the time he was 21, he’d already starred in 3 Junior World Cups for the Baby Boks. 5 years later, he scored 22 points in the World Cup final, as the Springboks romped to a third World Cup victory. 4 years after that, he wasn’t in the original squad to defend South Africa’s title in…

1
The Cult of Lance Armstrong: The Festina Affair and "The Tour of Renewal" 25:10

9M ago25:10

25:10

Send us a Text Message. Of 189 riders who started the Tour de France in 1998, only 96 finished the race at the Champs-Élysées. It was dubbed the so-called "Festina Affair", after the disqualified Festina team. Cycling has a long history of doping, deceit, and flagrant cheating. 1999 marked the beginning of Armstrong's web of lies, bullying, and rut…

1
A Farewell To Quinnie, A South African Legend 23:32

9M ago23:32

23:32

Send us a Text Message. Once again, the Proteas have bombed out of a World Cup. Not only did South Africa suffer a predictably bitter defeat to Australia, they lost something more – one of the finest ODI cricketers ever, Quinton de Kock. Although Quinton de Kock has announced his retirement from ODI cricket, you might be surprised to know that he’s…

1
Moneyball: The Most Influential Book in the History of Sport 23:01

9M ago23:01

23:01

Send us a Text Message. 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the book that changed sport's analytics forever. This is the story of Moneyball. Donate to The Luke Alfred Show on Patreon. Get my book: Vuvuzela Dawn: 25 Sporting Stories that Shaped a New Nation. Get full written episodes of the show a day early on Substack. Check out The Luke Alfred Show…

1
The 3 Unluckiest Sportsmen Ever 23:19

10M ago23:19

23:19

Send us a Text Message. More and more sport nowadays means there’s more and more sport to forget. Here are the stories of three forgotten sportsmen: the member of a travelling circus who had a tragically short England cricket career the big-game hunter who was recalled to kick for the Springboks and the ‘Bok eighthman who charged his bar tab to man…

1
We Love The Boks. But They Can’t Save South Africa 24:16

10M ago24:16

24:16

Send us a Text Message. While we are all immensely proud of the Springboks and their World Cup final win over the All Blacks in Paris, we should also not jettison our critical faculties completely. There has been much talk, in the media and elsewhere, of what the Boks can teach us. They, the pundits say, can teach us about planning, co-operation, o…

1
Pelé: The Story Of Football's GOAT 22:49

10M ago22:49

22:49

Send us a Text Message. This month is the anniversary of Pelé’s birth in 1940 in a small town in the state of São Paulo. Given that it would have been his birthday a couple of days ago, in this week’s podcast we have a good long look at Pelé and a good long look at Pelé’s Brazil, a land of spirits, coffee and military dictatorships. He was a man no…

1
Boks vs France — Rugby's Nervous Breakdown 24:01

10M ago24:01

24:01

Send us a Text Message. The Springbok consensus tells us that the national rugby team’s performances are good for the economy. They’re good for the economy because winning games like the quarter-final against France leads to productivity and social cohesion. But might the opposite not be the case? Might the Springboks not just exhaust us, causing u…

1
The Best Side To Never Win A World Cup 48:41

11M ago48:41

48:41

Send us a Text Message. With his heavy bat, Klusener hit thousands and thousands of balls in the 1999 World Cup in England. He was trying to achieve many things with this ritual, but mainly to groove his muscle memory and calm his nerves. ‘I needed to know how hard to hit it to get over the ropes – how much to get on it to get it to where it needed…

1
The Cricket World Cup Used To Be Pretty Weird 28:16

11M ago28:16

28:16

Send us a Text Message. The Cricket World Cup was once a far-smaller, protected and demure animal than the rampant commercial beast we know it as today. The first three World Cups – in 1975, 1979 and 1983 – were all hosted by England, with the first three finals being played at Lord’s. The qualifying events for the 1979 and 1983 World Cups were als…

1
The Day The Olympics Turned Bloody 25:20

11M ago25:20

25:20

Send us a Text Message. This week’s podcast is the first of several I’ll devote in the months ahead to sport in the 1970s. It was an age conspicuously different to our own. In some sports, like cricket and rugby union, an amateur dispensation prevailed. Football, although professional, was, as we shall see, still trying to wrap its collective mind …

1
In Praise of Keshav Maharaj 24:07

11M ago24:07

24:07

Send us a Text Message. He isn’t a power hitter and because his name isn’t Heinrich Klaasen or Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj tends not to get the plaudits he deserves in white ball cricket for the Proteas. Although a white ball novice, Maharaj is now 33. He’s canny, smart and very effective and he was one of the key players in the Proteas’ come-fro…

1
Billie Jean, Bobby And The 'Battle of the Sexes 2' 25:30

11M ago25:30

25:30

Send us a Text Message. Fifty years ago this month, then-tennis superstar, Billie Jean King, agreed to play in a highly-lucrative exhibition match against former Wimbledon champ, Bobby Riggs, a man nearly twice her age. The spiel was called “Battle of the Sexes 2” and, although light-hearted, was also in deadly earnest. It was a time when recently-…

1
Does The "Spirit Of The Game" Matter In Sport? 23:23

12M ago23:23

23:23

Send us a Text Message. There’s been great deal of talk about “spirit of the game” in recent months, some of it erudite, some of it hot air. Most recently we were told that a 7-1 forwards backs split on the Springbok bench for the Twickenham friendly against the All Blacks wasn’t the done thing. Before that we were told by certain sections of the E…

1
Can The Springboks Win The 2023 World Cup? 24:21

12M ago24:21

24:21

Send us a Text Message. World Cups hinge on small things, and the deeper you go in a competition, the smaller these small things become. The further you go in the competition, the bigger these small things become, too. Take what happened at the toss between Siya Kolisi and Owen Farrell in the final in Yokohama four years ago. These strange events a…

1
Johan Cruyff: The Man Who Turned Barcelona Upside Down 23:53

12M ago23:53

23:53

Send us a Text Message. In 1973, after much coming and going, an athletic striker from Amsterdam was sold to a club of under-achieving Catalans on the Mediterranean. At the time, fifty years ago almost to the day, Amsterdam was a fount of progressive ideas, in culture and politics as well as football. By contrast, the Catalans were locked in a long…

1
Wayde van Niekerk — Faster than the Camera 24:25

1y ago24:25

24:25

Send us a Text Message. The fastest man ever over 400 metres is running again. This is the story of how he broke the world record. Seven years ago in Rio there was a strange, intimate moment between a champion and an athlete in the act of becoming a champion. The occasion was the men’s 400 metres final at the Rio Olympics. South Africa’s Wayde van …

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