There is an existing thread about headlines that we would like to see. This thread is about headlines that you have seen in newspapers and/or magazines.
One of my favourites involved Pedro Diniz after his Ligier-Mugen-Honda caught on fire during the 1996 Argentine Grand Prix. The "Sun" newspaper came up with the memorable headline "Diniz in the Oven".
Can other Nostalgia Forum members provide examples of other memorable/funny headlines?
Memorable newspaper headlines
Started by
Graham Clayton
, Jun 17 2011 07:15
50 replies to this topic
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#2
Eric Dunsdon
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 08:44
An early favorite of mine read 'It was BRM 1, BRM 2, BRM 3 at the finish- The rest, nowhere!'. Which appeared in one of the sunday papers the day after the 1952 September Goodwood international meeting.
'Peter's the boy for my new wonder car, says millionaire owner' which described Peter Collins signing to drive for Tony Vandervell in 1954 was another.
'Peter's the boy for my new wonder car, says millionaire owner' which described Peter Collins signing to drive for Tony Vandervell in 1954 was another.
#3
john winfield
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 08:49
Away from the world of Formula One, DCN and MCS reminded us of a Motoring News masterpiece:
'.....Best 'MN' headline I recall - credited to a departing disgruntled staffer - was that for a sun-soaked VSCC Oulton Park classic. It read "Hot Sticky Seaman at Oulton"......'
'.....Best 'MN' headline I recall - credited to a departing disgruntled staffer - was that for a sun-soaked VSCC Oulton Park classic. It read "Hot Sticky Seaman at Oulton"......'
Edited by john winfield, 17 June 2011 - 08:50.
#4
ronmac
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 08:58
Headline in a New Zealand motor sport magazine ..(Might be one of Davids GEMS..)ICKX CLICKS NICKS PRIX..
#5
David McKinney
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 09:51
No, I wouldn't have stooped so low ;)
I'm pretty sure it was the work of the late Jack Inwood, who was looking after Motorman while editor Donn Anderson was overseas
I'm pretty sure it was the work of the late Jack Inwood, who was looking after Motorman while editor Donn Anderson was overseas
#6
Doug Nye
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 11:18
There are a couple of what might be read today as unacceptably 'homophobic' headlines alluding to BRM in the 1950s - both dreamed-up, I was assured, by Roy Pearl of 'Motor Racing' magazine.
Pearl famously detested Raymond Mays and his 'gay' friends. One of his headlines read 'Backs to the Wall at BRM' - the other 'Queer Goings on at Bourne'.
Ray would have merely sighed and said 'Oh Roy Pearl - when will he ever grow up...?', while team owner Sir Alfred Owen would never have spotted any double-entendre until his PRO Rivers Fletcher - under pressure to explain the laughter of more worldly-wise paddock residents - would almost literally have to draw him a diagram.
DCN
Pearl famously detested Raymond Mays and his 'gay' friends. One of his headlines read 'Backs to the Wall at BRM' - the other 'Queer Goings on at Bourne'.
Ray would have merely sighed and said 'Oh Roy Pearl - when will he ever grow up...?', while team owner Sir Alfred Owen would never have spotted any double-entendre until his PRO Rivers Fletcher - under pressure to explain the laughter of more worldly-wise paddock residents - would almost literally have to draw him a diagram.
DCN
#7
GD66
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 11:47
One of my favourites involved Pedro Diniz after his Ligier-Mugen-Honda caught on fire during the 1996 Argentine Grand Prix. The "Sun" newspaper came up with the memorable headline "Diniz in the Oven".
Not one-upping or horse-flogging, but that memorable occasion caused a caption down here of "Diniz Ready"....
...wasn't it in the Prost, though ?
#8
cpbell
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 11:58
Not one-upping or horse-flogging, but that memorable occasion caused a caption down here of "Diniz Ready"....
The car became a Prost the following season, IIRC.
#9
B Squared
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 12:02
Spin and Win - Danny Sullivan & Team Penske, 1985 Indianapolis 500.
#10
Ray Bell
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 15:20
Max used to be on the lookout for this sort of thing...
Apart from endless alliteration, there were some other good ones. Trouble is I can't think of one right now... other than "Brock the Bearded Bombshell".
Apart from endless alliteration, there were some other good ones. Trouble is I can't think of one right now... other than "Brock the Bearded Bombshell".
#11
Collombin
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 17:23
"Will Overhead Wins 500"
If memory serves me right, it featured in a San Diego newspaper from 1933 - has anyone got a scan of the page? I've heard about it many times, but never actually seen it.
If memory serves me right, it featured in a San Diego newspaper from 1933 - has anyone got a scan of the page? I've heard about it many times, but never actually seen it.
#12
Vitesse2
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 17:47
I've previously mentioned this somewhat insensitive one from the May 26th 1940 edition of the St Petersburg Times (Florida), reporting the forthcoming appearance of René Dreyfus and René Le Bègue at Indianapolis:
French “Blitzkrieg” May Occur in 500-Mile Race
To put it in perspective, on May 26th the Royal Navy were beginning Operation Dynamo to evacuate the BEF from Dunkirk. On the 25th, fifteen French generals had been sacked and the Allied forces defending Calais - among them Lt APR Rolt, who would win his first MC there before being taken prisoner - had refused surrender terms.
French “Blitzkrieg” May Occur in 500-Mile Race
To put it in perspective, on May 26th the Royal Navy were beginning Operation Dynamo to evacuate the BEF from Dunkirk. On the 25th, fifteen French generals had been sacked and the Allied forces defending Calais - among them Lt APR Rolt, who would win his first MC there before being taken prisoner - had refused surrender terms.
#13
lotuspoweredbyford
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Posted 17 June 2011 - 21:58
"Will Overhead Wins 500"
If memory serves me right, it featured in a San Diego newspaper from 1933 - has anyone got a scan of the page? I've heard about it many times, but never actually seen it.
It wasn't San Diego, it was in Colorado.
I actually do have a scan of the headline.
#14
RA Historian
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 01:26
Headline in On Track magazine sometime in the early 1980s after Jacques Laffite won a race"
"LAFFITE, DON'T FAIL ME NOW!"
Tom
"LAFFITE, DON'T FAIL ME NOW!"
Tom
#15
Graham Gauld
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 07:01
Though it had nothting to do with motor racing. Henry Manney once wrote a touring article for me about the Canton of Vaux in Switzerland. His headline was
"VD Without Pain"
#16
john medley
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 07:08
NOW you've done it Graham! You have let the dogs out....
Suicidal female leapt off the cliff at a fashionable location for such action in Sydney Australia called The Gap but was grabbed by her long flowing hair by an onlooker. The headline next day shouted " Woman saved by Hair Over Gap"
Suicidal female leapt off the cliff at a fashionable location for such action in Sydney Australia called The Gap but was grabbed by her long flowing hair by an onlooker. The headline next day shouted " Woman saved by Hair Over Gap"
#17
Dallas84
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 07:21
One that comes to mind is when John Cleland first won using Yokohama tyres, the Autonews headline was "John on Yokos"
#18
Tim Murray
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 07:27
On similar lines, the banner headline on the front of Motoring News after René Arnoux had won his first Grand Prix, Brazil 1980, read:Headline in On Track magazine sometime in the early 1980s after Jacques Laffite won a race"
"LAFFITE, DON'T FAIL ME NOW!"
Tom
WALK AWAY RENÉ!
#19
opplock
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 09:00
I have always liked the Motoring News headline "Brave Beltoise Bounces Back for BRM".
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#20
Graham Gauld
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 11:20
Though it had nothting to do with motor racing. Henry Manney once wrote a touring article for me about the Canton of Vaux in Switzerland. His headline was
"VD Without Pain"
Sory that obviously should have been Canton of Vaud. The fact that I had Vaux Breweries as a PR account many years ago had nothing to do with it.
#21
elansprint72
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 16:34
Elvis winks at a Texan mourner.
#22
Collombin
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 16:57
It wasn't San Diego, it was in Colorado.
I actually do have a scan of the headline.
Thanks - is there an article underneath it, describing this unheralded driver's shock victory?
Despite being assured that this gaffe really happened, I did begin to question if the story was apocryphal (although the word I actually used may have been "bollocks").
#23
byrkus
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 19:13
Not motorsport connected, but still VERY memorable.
There is this Chech soccer player called Milan Fukal, and his surname has a--- let's say 'interesting' meaning in Slovenian.
Quite vulgar meaning, really. And so it happened one day that poor Milan got injured in a match, and had to go to hospital for a surgery.
And the next day in our local papers, on sports pages, there it was, headline with big fat letters.
"FUKAL ON THE OPERATION TABLE"
Sorry for potential OT.
There is this Chech soccer player called Milan Fukal, and his surname has a--- let's say 'interesting' meaning in Slovenian.
Quite vulgar meaning, really. And so it happened one day that poor Milan got injured in a match, and had to go to hospital for a surgery.And the next day in our local papers, on sports pages, there it was, headline with big fat letters.
"FUKAL ON THE OPERATION TABLE"
Sorry for potential OT.
#24
Geoff E
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 19:21
"Will Overhead Wins 500"
For anyone (else) who doesn't understand, see http://oilpressure.w...n-the-indy-500/
#25
Tim Murray
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 19:29
Thanks Geoff - all becomes clear now.
#26
D-Type
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 19:45
Seconded. I didn't want to admit I didn't understand it!Thanks Geoff - all becomes clear now.
#27
E1pix
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 19:53
Walsenburg is about 150 miles from here, a really nice and sleepy little town."Will Overhead Wins 500"
Apparently, a bit too sleepy in this case
.... what a great story!
#28
RS2000
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 20:34
Walsenburg is about 150 miles from here, a really nice and sleepy little town.
So C.W McCall in "Four Wheel Cowboy" was making it up?
(Something along the lines of: "There's a loada wild wimmin in Walsenburg an' they all make love like a buffalo herd")
Edited by RS2000, 18 June 2011 - 20:36.
#29
Bloggsworth
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 20:42
For me, no motor-racing headline, alliterative or punning approaches the bon mots dropped from the lips of Test Match Special commentators, a sample:
"The batsman's Holding the bowler's Willey"
"Botham didn't quite get his leg over"
"The batsman's Holding the bowler's Willey"
"Botham didn't quite get his leg over"
Edited by Bloggsworth, 18 June 2011 - 20:42.
#30
D-Type
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 21:12
Well, cricket commentators have the time to think them up
#31
elansprint72
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Posted 18 June 2011 - 22:05
For me, no motor-racing headline, alliterative or punning approaches the bon mots dropped from the lips of Test Match Special commentators, a sample:
"The batsman's Holding the bowler's Willey"
A case for the apostrophe police, Shirley?
#32
David McKinney
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 06:07
No - the apostrophe could be indicating either the possessive or a missing letter (the 'i' of 'is')
No police intervention required
No police intervention required
#33
john medley
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 08:08
.. and dont call me Shirley
#34
Paul Parker
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 08:25
.. and dont call me Shirley
Shirley Knot
#35
ronmac
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 08:32
Shirley Knot...?? I,M a FRAYED KNOT....
#37
Ross Stonefeld
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 08:41
After Anthony Davidson won the Elf Masters F3 race at a popular Belgian track.
'Davidson in good Elf after Spa therapy'
'Davidson in good Elf after Spa therapy'
#38
elansprint72
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 17:16
No - the apostrophe could be indicating either the possessive or a missing letter (the 'i' of 'is')
No police intervention required
I am most obliged to my venereal friend for the correction.
#39
Collombin
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 17:30
Thanks Geoff - all becomes clear now.
Seconded. I didn't want to admit I didn't understand it!
Apologies - hopefully the story behind it made up for the confusion though!
Although still keen to see the article, I'm now at least as keen to see the following edition's retraction and excuses......
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#40
john winfield
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Posted 31 March 2020 - 09:56
Autosport, July 16 1987, Lydden Hill report.
Main races were for Jaguars.
'Cats scrap'
#41
moffspeed
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Posted 31 March 2020 - 10:03
More observational than humorous, when the British F1 Championship was in its infancy I remember Autosport ran a headline to one meeting reading "Formula 1 with overtaking".
Seemingly not just a modern problem then...
#42
Mallory Dan
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Posted 31 March 2020 - 14:10
From early '78 I think, Moffspeed. The brilliant Mallory race perhaps?
#43
nexfast
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Posted 31 March 2020 - 17:58
Can't remember the exact year (1980?) when the Autosport headline for the Argentine GP report borrowed from the musical Evita to underline that once again Carlos Reutemann was unable to win his country's GP: "Don't Cry for me, Argentina"
#44
Sterzo
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Posted 31 March 2020 - 21:37
As usual I'm too incompetent to find the right magazine, but I'm sure there's a headline in a sixties Autosport approximating to: "Processional Racing at Wet Snetterton."
Clickbait, anyone?
#45
moffspeed
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Posted 01 April 2020 - 08:40
That memorable bill-board headline from 1976 - depicting the London Rubber Company's sponsorship of Surtees in F1 - "The Small Family Car".
#46
john winfield
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Posted 01 April 2020 - 09:15
As usual I'm too incompetent to find the right magazine, but I'm sure there's a headline in a sixties Autosport approximating to: "Processional Racing at Wet Snetterton."
Clickbait, anyone?
Ah, but that was deep in the magazine! The cover probably showed a P3 Ferrari on the limit at Spa, or Surtees' Honda outfumbling Brabham at a sunny Monza. Something fractionally more appealing than 'wet Snetterton' anyway...
The other day I think I was leafing through the Autosport you remember. The UK weather was awful that weekend and the meeting report headers were accurate but, by today's standards, laughably honest and uninspiring. 'Damp Mallory'. 'Non-starters blight soaking Silverstone'. 'Miserable Combe'. 'Spectators thoroughly drenched at...(That's enough - Ed)
#47
Mallory Dan
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Posted 01 April 2020 - 18:46
"Hot Sticky Seaman" anybody?
#48
Michael Ferner
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Posted 02 April 2020 - 09:01
No thanks, I'll have a tea.
#49
john winfield
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Posted 02 April 2020 - 09:26
No thanks, I'll have a tea.
I can't remember that headline. Must have been used for DSJ's report on the 1971 'Garden Party' British GP.........
#50
brucemoxon
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Posted 05 April 2020 - 10:18
When BMW ran a pair of women in the WTCC race at Mt Panorama, one of them, Mercedes Stermitiz, well over her head it would seem, pranged the car in practice. That bastion of fine journalism, the Sydney Daily Telegraph ran the story with the head 'Mercedes Bends BMW.'
Possibly I'm just annoyed I didn't think it up.
BRM
