Pete Jacques

I really cannot remember how many years I have know Pete but it is well in excess of 25 years.  When Pauline asked me if I would say something today on behalf of the Basketball community I warned her that I might burst into tears…she said that wouldn’t matter.

Today I want to celebrate the life of Pete Jacques.

I can just imagine Pete looking down and wondering what all this fuss is about.  Well Pete it’s all about you and what you‘ve done for the sport of basketball in the UK.

Now I want to say this right at the top so that no one ever forgets it.  Pete Jacques loved British Basketball.  Let me repeat that, Pete Jacques loved British Basketball. And what is equally important British Basketball, at all levels, loved Pete Jacques.

We worked together on a number of occasions because Pete was a great commentator.

I have to be honest and say that there are not many basketball commentators that I really like, but I thought Pete was brilliant.  When I moved away from the north east back to Manchester and couldn’t continue doing games at the Eagles he was the only person I recommended to take over.

We spent numerous hours working together at Cosford on the RAF Junior Finals over the years and you know what, even when he wasn’t working Pete was always there.

I can remember Pete bringing Lucy to games in her cot when Pauline was working.

Heaven only knows what Lucy aged 18 months thought about all that was going on.

Last weekend was the England Basketball Final 4s in Manchester and I said to Pauline that this was probably the first time in over 30 years that Pete was missing the event.

For those of you who were there you will know that we had a very moving tribute to Pete led by the Head Coach of Durham Wildcats Dave Elderkin.  Pete was their commentator up until the end of his life.

No disrespect to Northumbria but I really wanted Durham to win this one for Pete and they did.

I remember Pauline calling me to say that Pete wanted me to do the game between Durham and Northumbria because he was not going to be available.  I was very moved.

I am sure that we will be doing something special at the BBL Finals in Birmingham next week.

Now let me declare a bit of an interest here as some of you may know I do a bit of basketball commentary as well and according to some of the posters on What’s Bev, us commentators are some of the best paid people in basketball.

Well you know what, I can well remember going up and down the country doing games and getting paid the princely sum of £10, or £25 or on a great night £50.  I know it was the same for Pete.

The thing is as I said he was always there even when he wasn’t working.  I do not know how much he spent on petrol.  I know what it costs me.

I remember once doing the finals for England Basketball at Cranwell in deepest Lincolnshire.  Now I had never heard of Cranwell and I had no idea where it was.  I spent hours getting there and finally arrived after getting lost a couple of times.  As I opened the door there was Pete bright and breezy telling me about all that had gone on the day before, and who I should be looking out for in the final.

He was everywhere in basketball from the top games in the BBL to the under 14s and under16s etc.

Nobody in basketball had or has a bad word to say about Pete and it is there for all to see on What’s Bev, Facebook, the Durham Wildcats site and elsewhere.

Now onto to Pawprint magazine and website!  Now if you read my tribute to Pete on my website you’ll know that I love them both but I also hated the lack of design on both of them.

In case you haven’t read my tribute, I once suggested to Pete that I would design the website for him he said he didn’t want it redesigned as he was very happy with the way it was.

The truth is that Pete didn’t give a monkeys what Mike Shaft or anybody else thought.

He did things the Pete Jacques way and that was how it was.  For over 10 years, his web site has been the best portal for every aspect of British Basketball at every level in the UK.  I often wondered how he found the time to keep it up to date.  When I wanted to check something about basketball I always knew I could find it there.

I still don’t know how he managed to get the results of D3 and D4 games so quickly.  I hope that some how it can continue.

Back in the day when I made a mistake in my commentary I would dread opening up the next Pawprint or logging on to the website in recent years because Pete would have his say and he didn’t care who read it … he told it as it was.

I cannot imagine what Pete would have said about the elbow thrown in the D2 Men’s Final on Sunday.  Not only did the Wildcats player who was recipient of the elbow not get the call, he was the one who was penalized.

Pete Jacques would have had that referee for breakfast on the Pawprint site.

One of the things I really liked about his commentaries was his ability to have a go on the microphone and get away with it.  He had a way with words and fortunately people often didn’t realize exactly what he was saying. He was a gem.

One of the other commentators whose work I really like is Simon MATTICK.  Simon has been out of basketball for a few years now but last week I got a wonderful e-mail from him.  I want to read you a part of it…

Although I have not been very active with basketball over the last few years, I have still retained a keen interest – after such an enjoyable involvement over so many years, the sport will always be in my blood ! – and regularly accessed the Pawprint website to keep in touch with things.

I was obviously very concerned and saddened when I read the “headline” on Pawprint re Pete’s body giving up. Obviously I was not aware of his circumstances and of what may well have been a quick “demise”. I did send him an email in the middle of last week but didn’t get a reply – now I know why! So many thanks. Suffice to say that I agree with the essence of the comments you have made on your website especially with regards to the great contribution he made to British Basketball. A wonderful photograph of him, too, may I say.

I will always have good memories of my relationship and times with Pete.

Another one of our colleagues [Mark Woods] runs the BRITBALL website and this is what he had to say about Pete Jacques

For over a decade, the former teacher edited Pawprint online, and before that as a fanzine, while juggling myriad commitments behind the scenes and front of house at Doncaster Panthers, Durham Wildcats and assorted other basketball events.

Always full of good humour, infectious enthusiasm and a deep passion for the sport, he will be much missed by all those who knew him whether through listening to him on a microphone or reading his words.

Fittingly, his last words online declared: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of the last ten years, Hope you have.” The answer, resoundingly, is yes.

I hope that one day England Basketball and or the BBL will name a competition or a Cup or something in the name of Pete Jacques.  He gave his life to basketball and touched the hundreds of thousands who have loved the game of basketball over all those years.

Maybe one day many years into the future some 15 year old will ask who Pete Jacques was and why is the Cup named after him?

I hope that whoever answers the question tells that person that Pete Jacques was one in a million and, in my opinion, there will never be another one like him.

REST IN PEACE Pete JACQUES

You deserve it.