Dickie Bird has paid tribute to his “dearest friend” Sir Michael Parkinson following the chat show host’s death after a brief illness, aged 88.
The pair became friends when they opened the batting together for Barnsley Cricket Club as youngsters and they spoke on the phone earlier this week, just a few days before Parkinson’s death.
“I am stunned, I am really stunned. I only spoke to him on the other morning,” former Yorkshire batter and umpire Bird, himself 90, told the PA news agency.
“I could tell his voice was very, very weak. We said our goodbyes. His son had rung me a few days ago and he said it was a matter of time.
“We were so, so close. His friendship meant more to me than anything else. It meant so much to me. Our friendship, if I wanted any advice I would ring Parky up. He helped me in so many, many ways. Our friendship was so close.
“We were friends since we were youngsters, his father and my father worked down the mines together in Barnsley and we have been friends all of our lives. We opened the innings for Barnsley Cricket Club together before I went on to play for Yorkshire. Our fathers used to come and watch and argue about who was the best.
“I shall miss him, I’ll tell you that. Not only was he a friend but he was a dear friend and I just don’t know how I will cope, I will miss him so much. There will never be another Parky.”
Our friendship will always stand. To me he will always be my closest friend and my dearest friend— Dickie Bird
While Bird enjoyed the limelight through his cricketing exploits, Parkinson become one of the most recognisable faces in the country as a chat show host, interviewing some of the biggest names in the world.
Bird said that Parkinson was the best there will ever be and that fame did not change him.
“There will never be a chat show host like Michael Parkinson. He was the best,” a tearful Bird added. “There will never be anyone better than him in your lifetime, my lifetime or anyone else’s lifetime.
“He was the very best, like Garfield Sobers in cricket. He will go down as a legend, the best chat show there has ever been.
“In my book he never changed. We kept our friendship all of the time, we kept seeing each other. Our friendship will always stand. To me he will always be my closest friend and my dearest friend.”
Former England batter Sir Geoffrey Boycott also played at Barnsley alongside Parkinson and Bird and described Sir Michael as “the soul of Yorkshire”.
He told GB News: “He was the best chat show host because he listened to people. He not only asked questions but he listened to them and he actually liked them.
“In fact, he didn’t want them on his show unless he wanted to have them.
“He never lost his Yorkshire roots. Michael was Yorkshire in every way and he was the soul of Yorkshire. He understood how we think, how we talk and that’s why he was able to write about Yorkshire people like me.”
Sir Geoffrey recalled having dinner with Sir Michael and his wife Mary after a Lords Test match on a Saturday, adding: “Sunday mornings, we’d go cricket coaching in the fields with his kids.
“He was just a lovely man. He loved cricket, he loved laughter – he would laugh about himself with the emu.
“He never lost his humour, his warmth, his Yorkshire in him that made him great.”
In April, Parkinson attended the 90th birthday party of Bird at Headingley, and former England fast bowler Darren Gough paid tribute to the broadcaster he regarded as a close friend.
Gough, Yorkshire managing director of cricket, said: “He was a Barnsley boy, like myself, and it was an absolute pleasure to know him and his family.
“We are all devastated here at Yorkshire and thoughts of everyone at the Club are with Sir Michael’s family and friends at this sad time.”
Barnsley Football Club also paid their respects, saying on Twitter: “Barnsley Football Club is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Michael Parkinson CBE.
“The town has lost one of its favourite sons, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”
Parkinson interviewed a number of high-profile sportspeople, most notably former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali – widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all-time – with whom he had a couple of tense exchanges in the 1970s.
It was on Parkinson’s show in 2008 where Victoria Beckham – wife of former England captain David – revealed she referred to the ex-midfielder as ‘Golden Balls’, a nickname with which he would become synonymous.
David Beckham said on Instagram: “We say goodbye to the best… Waking up to the sad news of Michael Parkinson passing, I was so lucky to not just be interviewed by Michael but to be able to spend precious time talking about football and family our 2 passions plus the GoldenBalls moment… Sending love to Mary and the whole family.”
