Rest in Peace
John Gledhill former Sports Editor at The Examiner pays tribute to Peter Muff.
Peter Muff, an Examiner sports writer for over 36 years, has died aged 92.
After living for many years at Almondbury, Peter passed away peacefully at a Lepton care home earlier this month. His devoted wife Judith died in June 2020 after 43 years happily married. Son of English amateur billiards champion Victor and Polly, Peter joined the Examiner as a news reporter in 1950 following national service with the intelligence corps in Egypt.
He moved to the sports department in 1958 for a career which blossomed as an accomplished wordsmith, with regular features penned in his Peter Muff column, A Touch of Nostalgia, Lunch with the Ladies – which he described as “better than a corned beef sandwich in the office” and Sportrait, for which he met many sporting personalities. Peter subsequently became the paper’s chief sports writer.
Horse racing and crown green bowling were his major interests. Champagne breakfasts at the Cheltenham Festival; visits to Southport sands to chat with trainer Ginger McCain ahead of the legendary Red Rum’s famous Aintree victories were complemented by race meetings nearer home.
He was introduced to HRH Princess Anne at a centenary lunch at Pontefract racecourse and explained that he “liked to write about the lighter, brighter side of sport” – and his columns frequently reflected that.
There were channel swimming adventures, too, for he was in the escort boats for Philip Kaye and Suzanne Lodge in their epic swims from France to England’s shores in 1966 and 1975 respectively.
Widely travelled, holidaying with Judith around the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, America and the West Indies, Brazil and Mexico were literally among their ports of call.
Peter wrote a Saturday bowling column in the Examiner for many years as he honed the paper’s extensive and unrivalled crown green coverage which included reporting on Yorkshire and Huddersfield Merit finals – national finals at the celebrated Waterloo BC in Blackpool – and, nearer home, events at the Griffin Inn Bowling Club at Crosland Moor.
Huddersfield League Subscription and Littlewood Cups coverage also featured, along with write-ups for the local Veterans’ League in which he played as a member of Slaithwaite C and BC.
When handing in his copy for publication – from the days when his early working tools included an Olivetti typewriter, then word processors, all ahead of today’s digital and social media websites – he described it as ‘more purple prose’. Peter’s impeccable shorthand note often prompted him to say ‘the shortest pencil is better than the longest memory.
He would frequently refer to his exploits and experiences ‘as part of the rich tapestry of life’. A consummate craftsman, Peter’s writings were woven into a long and distinguished career which enabled him to bring pleasure to so many readers.
A funeral service will be held at Huddersfield Crematorium, Fixby, on Friday, 25 March at 9.15am
More tributes coming in through our Facebook pages
Eileen Wooltorton: RIP Peter Muff happy memories at Fleetwood Bowling Festival x
Betty Moxon: Yes we had some good times x
Anne Walsh: RIP Peter
June Cooper: RIP he was a lovely man
Vee Foster: One of the nicest blokes you could ever meet. RIP Peter
Father Christmas (Peter Muff) on top of The Examiner building in December 1953.
