With Pushka's OK, here is my story from up-thread.
Dad was a Tas state cricketer and footballer post WW2. He went into sports TV in the 1960s-1980s and was a bit of a 'Eddie McGuire' figure locally. Very gregarious and he could mix effortlessly with the Great and the not-so-great. Through shared interests he became friends with Sir Robert Sangster, the Pools millionaire and horse breeder/racer (every year the Christmas card that took pride of place on the mantle piece was from 'Robert and Susan'
). Keith Miller was a great friend of his, along with Garfield Sobers and many more - they used to come for a BBQ at home whenever they were in town.
From the mid '70s to late '80s he and mum went to England every second year and dad caught up with his cricket cronies at the Lords Test; he was a MCC Member (egg and bacon tie) and got to know simply everyone at Lords, from the gate-keepers to barmen and the President.
At dad's funeral, Keith Miller gave a eulogy and told the story that he (Miller) was in the Long Room at Lords when a local member asked him: "The chap with the white hair over there is [name], but who's that he's talking to?"
Answer: Mike Smith, 25 match captain of England
