Vadim Sinyavsky's radio and television broadcasts (partially found sports and wartime commentaries of Soviet journalist; 1929-1971)

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Vadim Sinyavsky during one of over 1,000 football matches he provided commentary for during his career.

Status: Partially Found

Vadim Svyatoslavovich Sinyavsky was a Soviet journalist who became one of Russia's pioneer radio commentators. With a career lasting from 1929 to 1971, Sinyavsky primarily provided commentary for major sporting events and also trained the next generation of announcers. During the Second World War, he conducted crucial reports on key battles on the Soviet front, including the battles of Smolensk, Moscow, Sevastopol, Stalingrad, and Kursk. He also embarked on a brief television career, which saw him provide commentary for the first football matches to be aired live in the Soviet Union. However, the majority of Sinyavsky's commentaries are no longer present within any known archives, after having not been recorded or were ultimately destroyed by the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting in 1970.

Background

Sinyavsky was born on 10th August 1906 in the Russian city of Smolensk.[1][2][3][4] Raised primarily by his father (and later his stepmother), Sinyavsky initially showed promise as a pianist.[5][3][1][4] But after becoming a "taper" for silent films displayed within Moscow theatres, Sinyavsky soon pursued a career in sports, where he studied at the Institute of Physical Education.[2][4][1][3][5] A dedicated football fan, Sinyavsky became a striker for the Zamoskvoretsky Physical Education Club of Printers, with his favourite club being the Soviet Top League giants Dynamo Moscow.[1][4][5] In 1929, he graduated from the Institute of Physical Education, which attracted the attention of All-Union Radio.[1][3][4] Five years prior, All-Union Radio began its first broadcasts; though its propaganda coverage proved influential, its sports output was limited.[6] Noting the young Soviet's charisma and his considerable knowledge of a variety of sports, the organisation realised Sinyavsky would be a key asset to expand its reach.[2] They therefore offered Sinyavsky a place on the radio committee, which he readily accepted.[4][1][3]

Sinyavsky was assigned to conduct commentaries at the Comintern radio station.[1] He worked alongside future People's Artist of the USSR and Soviet radio's first female announcer, Olga Sergeevna, on producing gymnastics lessons for the "Morning Exercises" block.[2][1][3][4] His first broadcast occurred on 16th July 1929.[2] In contrast to what many sources claim, Sinyavsky was not present for the first live Soviet radio coverage of a football match on 26th May 1929, between Moscow and Ukrainian SSR.[7][8] However, it did not take long before the ambitious commentator branched out into other sports, including athletics, basketball, and swimming.[2][3][1][4] One of his early success stories was chess.[9][3][2] In 1933, Sinyavsky convinced All-Union Radio to let him cover a key chess match between grandmaster Salo Flor and Mikhail Botvinnik.[2][3] His commentary approach saw the game be considered a serious yet compelling sport, which triggered an explosion in chess' popularity throughout the Soviet Union.[9][3][2] Sinyavsky held extensive chess knowledge by being the son of the Moscow Chess Society's treasurer.[2][3]

Yet his biggest influence was on football.[10][1][3][2] According to journalist Maxim Ginden, Sinyavsky's effectiveness as an enthusiastic and precise storyteller produced the presence effect for many listeners, where they were able to essentially "view" the match unfolding as his commentary meant they could put themselves in the shoes of spectators.[5][1][10][2] Sinyavsky also remained objective in his coverage.[1][3] Under no circumstances would he take sides, which even meant his support for Dynamo remained a closely guarded secret for many years.[1][3] He would later tell his daughter Marina that during matches, he would root for the game itself.[1] By the mid-1930s, Sinyavsky was already highly recognised for his sports coverage.[3][10][2] Thus, when Soviet athletes travelled to Turkey in 1935, Sinyavsky joined them, covering events like fencing and wrestling.[2] His coverage of the Turkey-Soviet Union games became the first Soviet radio commentaries of overseas football matches.[2][1][4][5] What helped him convey his insights was a strong rapport with both the players and their coaches, who almost universally respected him.[1] In 1938, he convinced prominent composer Matvey Blanter to create "The Football March", which opened the coverage of every football broadcast and ended up being iconic to even non-listeners of sports radio.[1][10]

His early career was also affected by some memorable incidents, which only endeared him further with the listener base.[2][10][3] In 1938, breaststroke swimmers Sergei Boychenko and Leonid Meshkov were neck-and-neck in a race.[2][10] Situated on a tower ten metres above the pool was Sinyavsky, wearing only swimming trunks and a doctor's robe.[2][10] According to Literature Day journalist Vladimir Stog, he planned to remove his robe and jump into the pool so he could promptly interview the winner.[2][3] However, in the ensuing excitement surrounding the finish, Sinyavsky forgot to take his robe off during the dive.[2] Yet, to the bemusement of the swimmers, it was the commentator who got cheered at the end for his "swallow"-like dive.[2] A year later, Sinyavsky was assigned to commentate on a match held in the Sokolniki district of Moscow.[3][2][10] The problem was that the ground lacked a commentary box, so the announcer was forced to create a makeshift one by attaching a microphone to a branch of a spruce tree.[3][2][10] As the match picked up midway through the first half, Sinyavsky accidentally fell off the branch.[3][2][10] He was able to climb back on the spruce with the microphone still in place, where he informed listeners "Dear friends, don’t worry, it seems you and I have fallen from the tree..."[3][2][10]

Wartime Coverage and Enemy of Joseph Goebbels

On 22nd June 1941, Sinyavsky travelled to Kyiv, where a new ground called the Republican Stadium was to host a Soviet Top League season game between Dynamo Kyiv and CDKA Moscow.[11][3][1][4] Little did he and other Soviets realise, the event would never materialise.[11][3][1] That day, Nazi Germany blindsided the Soviet Union when it covertly launched Operation Barbarossa, which saw the city of Kyiv be subject to a bombing campaign.[12][13][11][3] Naturally, Sinyavsky would inform listeners that not only was the match cancelled, but that the Soviet Union had officially joined World War 2.[4] All-Union Radio swiftly ordered its personnel to retreat from the city; Sinyavsky returned to Moscow two days later.[3] Whereas the evacuation of other reporters like Sergeevna emerged, Sinyavsky was given a new assignment: he would now become a daily wartime correspondent.[4][3][2][1] Soon after his return, he joined the Western Front as a Major to cover the Red Army's resistance efforts.[3][4][1]

His first major assignment occurred in his birth city.[3] The Battle of Smolensk began on 14th July 1941 as part of Germany's campaign to conquer Moscow.[14][12][3] Amidst a Nazi bombing campaign and confusion within its ranks, the Western Front, led by Marshal Semyon Timoshenko, aimed to establish a temporary barrier to give Moscow adequate time to prepare for a seemingly inevitable invasion.[14] Sinyavsky frequently informed listeners about the latest developments even as the city fell under Nazi occupation.[3] Just over two weeks into the battle, all armies were ordered to retreat with Sinyavsky staying alongside the fractured units.[3][14] The Battle of Smolensk officially concluded on 10th September, with the Germans having also captured Stalin's son, Senior Lieutenant Yakov Dzhugashvili.[14][12] Sinyavsky remained dedicated to covering the battle until the bitter end.[3]

With Smolensk captured and Leningrad subject to a long-term blockade,[15] Moscow was next on Germany's agenda.[16][12] Thus, the Battle of Moscow soon commenced under Operation Typhoon, with Sinyavsky again assigned to cover the action at the front line.[12][3] He linked up with the Mozhaisk Defensive Zone, which intended to defend the nearby town of Maloyaroslavets.[3][16] Alas, all the commentator could do was report on the crumbling situation, which eventually saw Germany conquer the town on 18th October.[3][16] Sinyavsky nevertheless avoided capture; a few weeks later, he was selected to report on the 7th November 1941 parade.[3][2][1] Under normal circumstances, the annual parade would simply memorialise the October Revolution of 1917.[17] However, the 1941 edition gained further meaning as it provided motivation and pride for the Red Army, even as Moscow was under attack.[17][3] Sinyavsky covered the event as the participants made their way to the front lines.[3][2][1][4][10] Other notable broadcasts he made included the arrival of reserve forces at Moscow's train stations, to joining a Latvian army as it advanced "boldly and decisively" to Narofominsk on 16th December.[3]

The Battle of Moscow concluded in January 1942 with the Soviets successfully defending the city.[16][12] However, other strategic Soviet lands remained locked in combat.[12] Among them included Sevastopol, which had been under attack since October 1941, being a critical target if the Axis wanted to gain control of the Crimean Peninsula.[18][4] A crucial aspect was the city's Malakhov Kurgan; whichever side gained control of it would enjoy a tactical height advantage.[19] Sinyavsky and his sound engineer Nathan Rosenberg reached Sevastopol by late February and planned to make a report at the Malakhov Kurgan.[1][4][3][2] Standing not far from Soviet artillerymen who struggled to withstand constant German bombardment, the broadcast ended abruptly under tragic circumstances.[1][3][2][4] Just as Sinyavsky announced "Besieged Sevastopol speaks!", a mine exploded.[1][3][2][4][5] The blast instantly killed Rosenberg and Sinyavsky suffered horrific eye damage, the latter subsequently shielded by infantry from subsequent mortar attacks.[1][3] Sinyavsky was taken to a Moscow hospital; his left eye was beyond repair thanks to shrapnel damage.[3][2][4][5] Some stone chips embedded themselves within his right eye, but ophthalmologists managed to salvage it.[3][2][1][5]

Amazingly, in June 1942, Sinyavsky completed his reports at the Malakhov Kurgan, emphasising the city's strength and courage even as it eventually fell under Nazi occupation.[1][3][4][18] The Major's return saw him gain major respect among the trench armies, with them declaring him a "front line correspondent".[1] It was perhaps this growing admiration that led to him being selected to cover the Battle of Stalingrad, something he took with great pride.[3] Stalingrad had suffered badly since the battle began in August 1942.[20][21] Constant bombardment and other attacks had taken out its radio station, but makeshift solutions enabled Sinyavsky's commentaries to reach Moscow.[3] These broadcasts contributed towards breaking the resolve of an overly arrogant German force.[3][2] Notably, the Sixth Army led by Friedrich Paulus was reported by Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels to have conquered the city, with Hitler supposedly having ordered a celebration within the ruined city.[2][3][1][4] In actuality, as Sinyavsky noted in counter-radio reports, the Sixth Army was now far from the conquering force it had once been, and the city was no closer to surrender.[5][2][3][4] By producing the presence effect, the Red Army morale was maintained.[5][1] Unable to counter Sinyavsky's commentaries, Goebbels bitterly declared the announcer as one of his personal and Germany's overall enemies.[1][5][4][3]

Sinyavsky's broadcasts also reminded listeners that 1942 marked a quarter-century since the October Revolution occurred, making it imperative to defend the city from outsiders at all costs.[2] The Soviet Union needed the extra spirit and motivation, as Stalingrad became infamous for being the deadliest battle in the Second World War.[20][21] Yet, thanks to Operation Uranus, the nation was able to entrap the Sixth Army, preventing it from receiving sufficient supplies.[20][21] On 31st January 1943, Paulus announced his army would surrender to General Konstantin Rokossovsky's troops.[21][2][3][10] That day, Sinyavsky and fellow journalist Nikolai Stor were invited to attend Paulus' subsequent interrogation.[2][3][10] Upon learning why Sinyavsky and Stor were in attendance, an angered Paulus demanded they leave the room, a request that was granted.[2][10] Still, the two correspondents were able to listen in via a microphone placed in the interrogation room.[2][10] Sinyavsky reported the key details of the interrogation and allowed the Sovinformburo to transmit it nationwide.[2][3][10] Sinyavsky and Stor are therefore credited for breaking the news of Paulus' capture, an event that contributed towards the Second World War turning in the Allies' favour.[1][3][2][4]

Six months later, Sinyavsky covered the Battle of Kursk, which became notable for its extensive tank warfare, particularly at Prokhorovka.[22][2][4] Sources conflict regarding another famous Sinyavsky moment; according to Literature Day and Stream Park, the commentator had at one point provided a broadcast while inside a tank engaged in combat.[2][4] However, Radio Mohovaya 9 attributed this event to have happened at Stalingrad.[3] Regardless, considering Sinyavsky among other journalists were typically forbidden to put themselves in such danger, his tank coverage is deemed unique for World War 2.[4][2] The Soviets were victorious in this battle, which further drove Germany out of the country.[22] Among other notable events Sinyavsky covered were the liberation of Kyiv, the Baltic states and Leningrad, to the inaugural bombing campaign of Berlin.[2][1] Throughout his broadcasts, Sinyavsky also interviewed numerous soldiers about their experiences on the front lines.[1][4] These valuable Soviet accounts of the War were known to have been recorded via a shorinophone.[1][4]

On 10th August 1944, Sinyavsky observed his 38th birthday in the recently liberated Kaunas.[1][3] Amidst the celebrations, he was informed by a telegram that since Moscow and Stalingrad were now safe from Axis invasion, the 1944 Soviet Cup had commenced.[23][1][4] The Semi-Finals were fast approaching and Soviet officials wanted the matches to be broadcast on the radio, with the experienced Sinyavsky as the commentator.[4][3][1][5] He was reluctant to do this, feeling he required more time before he could leave the front lines.[4] He was ultimately convinced by All-Union Radio management that peace was forthcoming and that a broadcast would lift Soviet spirits.[4][5] As a warm-up, Sinyavsky provided commentary for a game between Traktor Stalingrad and Spartak Moscow in Stalingrad.[4][3][1] He later recalled how the match considerably changed him, stating "For me, that game became a turning point in my life. I was becoming a football commentator - do you understand what that means? - a football commentator... after seeing so much death and grief... it was, eh! if only I could say what it was... Sometimes it’s so difficult to find one single word that expresses everything."[1]

While not 100% confident of his state of mind, he would soon cover the Soviet Cup Semi-Final matches between CDKA and Torpedo Moscow, and Spartak vs Zenit Leningrad.[4][23] On 27th August 1944, he announced the Final between CDKA and Zenit, which the latter won 2-1.[4][1][5][23] During this broadcast, Sinyavsky finally revealed to listeners he was a Dynamo fan, a revelation that stunned many such was his insistence on being objective during games.[1] After this, an adamant Sinyavsky went back to covering the war effort.[3] After the War in Europe ended on 8th May 1945 following Germany's surrender, Sinyavsky returned to providing regular sports coverage.[4][2][3] But one month later, he fulfilled his final War-related assignment by covering the Moscow Victory Parade on 24th June.[3][1][2][4][5] During his four-year stint as a wartime correspondent, Sinyavsky conducted reports on ten different fronts.[1] For his role in what the Soviet Union declared as the Great Patriotic War, he earned medals for courage in the battles of Moscow, Sevastopol, and Stalingrad.[4][1][3] In 1947, he obtained the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of the Red Star, and he received the Badge of Honor a decade later.[4][1][3]

Post-War Broadcasts and Brief Television Career

Not long following World War 2, Soviet Top League champions Dynamo Moscow travelled to the United Kingdom to play a series of friendlies.[24][25][2][1] The matches, conducted between 13th-28th November, saw Dynamo play Chelsea, Cardiff City, Arsenal, and Rangers.[24][25] Sensing the value of four matches against what the Soviets considered among the best teams worldwide, Sinyavsky was assigned to cover them.[3][2][1][10] He considered the Chelsea game, where Dynamo came from a 3-1 deficit at half time to draw 3-3, as his most memorable commentary, since it was the first to occur in the place where football was born.[10][24][25]

Yet, following Dynamo's 10-1 victory over Third Division side Cardiff, it was the Arsenal match that became the most famous.[2][3][1][24] The encounter was affected by severe fog that blanketed the playing field, making it impossible for the crowd - and especially Sinyavsky - to witness what was transpiring.[2][24] After hearing celebrations within the stands, Sinyavsky approached the sideline to enquire with manager Mikhail Yakushin about what had occurred.[2][1][10] Upon hearing "Khoma took it!", Sinyavsky reported that goalkeeper Alexei Khomich had made a stunning save that impressed even the opposing English audience, a claim that proved unfounded as Arsenal had actually scored an equaliser to make it 3-3.[2][1][10][25] Allegedly, Sinyavsky was instructed to spin the matches' narratives in a positive light, regardless of the actual results.[2] Nevertheless, Dynamo won 4-3 in a result that remained completely unknown to most in attendance until the following day's newspapers reported it.[25][24] Following, a 2-2 draw against Rangers,[24] Dynamo and Sinyavsky returned to Moscow satisfied after a successful campaign.[2][3][1][25] While he did talk about some of his British coverage, particularly the Chelsea and Arsenal games, an agreement he forged with KGB officials post-trip prevented him from elaborating on certain details.[2]

Four years later, Dynamo and Sinyavsky broke new ground, this time within the world of television.[1][4][2] In 1933, the Soviets became the first to televise football courtesy of Aleksandr Razumny's film.[26][27][2][8] However, that match was pre-recorded and the Soviet Union had yet to transmit one live as the War effort curtailed its television experiments.[2][8] By 1949, using RCA cameras, the Soviet Union was now ready to make this leap forward.[26] On 2nd May, Dynamo's 3-1 victory against CDKA was televised live, with Sinyavsky fulfilling announcing duties.[26][1][4][27] CDKA's subsequent 4-1 win over Dynamo Minsk on 29th June was the third to be aired and is considered the first "official" broadcast.[26][1][2][27] But during this coverage, Sinyavsky openly admitted he was bored.[2] Indeed, Sinyavsky never really adapted to the television commentary style.[1][4][2] Since viewers could now see the action, his storytelling and overly positive commentary often failed to reflect the game, particularly when they featured dreary periods.[1][4][2] By the 1950s, after no longer being interested or confident in television, Sinyavsky committed to radio full-time.[3][2][4]

By 1950, Sinyavsky had regularly conducted commentaries alongside Viktor Dubinin.[28] But after Dubinin accepted an offer to manage Dynamo in the summer of that year, a clear problem soon emerged.[28] If Sinyavsky was unable to commentate for whatever reason, there would be no sports broadcasts on Russian radio, something that was naturally deemed unacceptable.[28] To combat this - and secure sports radio's future - Sinyavsky formed the first Soviet educational institution dedicated towards sports radio reports.[1][28] His first student was none other than Nikolai Nikolaevich Ozerov.[28][2][1] Ozerov's inaugural commentary was not transmitted, to allow Sinyavsky to review the coverage and determine whether Ozerov was fit to conduct live games.[28] Sinyavsky was pleased with the broadcast's quality, thus letting Ozerov provide commentary on the upcoming Dynamo-CDKA match on 29th August 1950.[28][2] The broadcast received mostly positive reception from listeners.[28] Soon, the pair provided joint and separate sports commentaries, including for the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics, all of which allowed Ozerov to enjoy an illustrious 40-year career.[28][2] Sinyavsky trained other individuals who became the next generation of Soviet sports radio reporters.[2][1] Crucially, he taught them the fundamentals but encouraged them all to incorporate their personalities into the broadcasts.[2] His students' overall success meant Sinyavsky proved himself wrong, as he once believed the art of radio journalism could not be taught.[3]

Like his pre-War commentaries, a few other memorable incidents transpired.[1][10][2] On 24th September 1948, CDKA's Vsevolod Bobrov scored the winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Dynamo,[29] in a championship-winning strike that led to Sinyavsky to proclaim Bobrov had golden legs.[30][1][10] This then-unknown phrase landed the commentator in hot water with All-Union Radio officials, who demanded to know where Sinyavsky had sourced this phrase from.[30][1] Sinyavsky satisfied concerned officials by noting that since "golden hands" had been commonly uttered in sporting events, golden legs was no significant stretch.[30][1] In 1949, a cat invaded the Dynamo Stadium, forcing a match to be halted.[10][2] For the next ten minutes, Sinyavsky detailed the attempts to capture the cat, which eventually ran towards Dynamo goalkeeper Khomich.[10][2] Khomich ended up getting his finger bit by the frightened feline while trying to remove it from the pitch.[10][2] 1963 witnessed Sinyavsky utter a rare blunder, where during a chess match held at the Variety Theatre, he misplaced the position of a key bishop.[2][10] The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was inundated with numerous complaints, which certainly dented Sinyavsky's otherwise secure reputation.[2][10]

The 1960s saw a decline in Sinyavsky's radio prominence, not helped by his 1963 chess faux pas.[2][10] Some close acquaintances, including former player Vladimir Pereturin, recalled how unhappy the commentator was in his later years, especially as he received considerably less work in the radio industry.[10] According to Sinyavsky, All-Union Radio began to reduce his role; by the end of the decade, he was restricted to lower-tier events held exclusively in the Soviet Union.[2] Worse still, Sergey Georgiyevich Lapin became the new Chairman of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting in 1970.[2][10] A firm Sinyavsky critic, Lapin played a role in Sinyavsky's fall from prominence, having also claimed that it was he - not Sinyavsky - who encouraged Blanter to write The Football March.[10][2]

On 2nd May 1971, Sinyavsky made his final report, detailing an annual relay race that transpired in the Garden Ring.[2][10][4] A year later, on 3rd July 1972, Sinyavsky passed away following an illness, aged 65.[2][4] Three days later, a minute's silence was conducted in his memory at the Dynamo Stadium.[2] Notably, his home was erected close by to the Dynamo Stadium, another indication of his love for football.[3] A track and field relay race was renamed in his honour, albeit eventually after Lapin proved reluctant to sign the required documents.[10][2] Additionally, a prestigious award known as the Master of Radio Reporting was also dedicated to him.[1][4]

Availability

Most of Sinyavsky's earliest commentaries were likely not recorded in any capacity.[31][32] Back in the 1920s to the early 1930s, preservation of radio transmissions proved cost prohibitive, with primitive and often impractical recording devices making outside broadcasts especially difficult to save.[31][32] However, the mid-1930s saw the expansion of radio's popularity, and with it, technological advances that made routine recordings viable.[31] It is unclear which Sinyavsky commentary was the first to be recorded, but regular preservation of his wartime broadcasts did commence.[3][2][1] This included Sinyavsky capturing his correspondence with Red Army soldiers on a shorinophone.[1]

By the time Sinyavsky's career finished in 1971, he had surpassed the 1,000-mark in terms of football broadcasts.[1] However, whereas this may have been remarkable for media enthusiasts, it did little to change the stance of Lapin, who was reportedly jealous of Sinyavsky's accomplishments.[2][10] Thus, as soon as he became the Chairman of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting, Lapin ordered the destruction of the majority of his recordings, having decided that they had no historical or artistic merit for them to be preserved.[2][10] In an instant, hundreds if not thousands of artefacts from Soviet radio's fledgling years became lost forever.[2][3][10] Among the confirmed casualties included Sinyavsky's Stalingrad/Kursk coverage while situated in a tank engaged in combat, to almost all of his shorinophone tapes.[3][1] Just five of these shorinophone recordings are known to exist, permanently wiping out the majority of Soviet wartime accounts.[1]

Other surviving military broadcasts include a report of the Maloyaroslavets situation during the Battle of Moscow, as well as one of Sinyavsky's 1945 reports.[3] Meanwhile, hardly any of his sports commentaries were saved from destruction.[3][10] The oldest consisted of a second-half report from the Chelsea-Dynamo match.[10][3] Aside from this, an ice hockey game between the Soviet Union and Canada in 1960; a football match against Wales at the Luzhniki Stadium in 1961; a basketball game versus Brazil in 1967; and a 1971 encounter between Dynamo and Swiss team Grasshopper Club Zürich, also have surviving coverage.[3] Excerpts from these can be listened to via Radio Mohovaya 9's website.[3]

Finally, Sinyavsky's brief television career commenced from 1949 to the 1950s.[3][2][4] This period saw content mainly be transmitted live, with recordings seldom occurring until videotape became widely utilised in the mid-to-late 1950s.[33] If any were recorded, they were likely subject to the same fate as their radio counterparts.[2][10] Some footage of the Dynamo-CDKA game has survived, but it contains no Sinyavsky commentary and is quite possibly sourced from a newsreel rather than the television broadcast.[34] No television coverage from the CDKA-Dynamo Minsk game, nor from any other sporting events Sinyvasky may have provided commentary for, is known to have survived. Nevertheless, some newsreels featuring Sinyavsky's commentary, including the 1956 Winters Olympics Ice Hockey Tournament Final between the Soviet Union and Canada, and the 1956 Summer Olympics Football Tournament Final between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, do still exist.

Gallery

Videos

The Voice of Football: Vadim Sinyavsky documentary as detailed by Alexander Nilin (video in Russian).

Football of our Childhood which provided footage of Sinyavsky conducting some of his commentaries (video in Russian).

The 1956 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey Final between the Soviet Union and Canada, featuring commentary from Sinyavsky.

See Also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.53 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.57 1.58 1.59 1.60 1.61 1.62 1.63 1.64 1.65 1.66 1.67 1.68 1.69 1.70 1.71 International United Biographical Center page on Sinyavsky (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 2.42 2.43 2.44 2.45 2.46 2.47 2.48 2.49 2.50 2.51 2.52 2.53 2.54 2.55 2.56 2.57 2.58 2.59 2.60 2.61 2.62 2.63 2.64 2.65 2.66 2.67 2.68 2.69 2.70 2.71 2.72 2.73 2.74 2.75 2.76 2.77 2.78 2.79 2.80 2.81 2.82 2.83 2.84 2.85 2.86 2.87 2.88 2.89 2.90 Literature Day detailing the life of Sinyavsky, his rise and fall and the destruction of most recordings in 1970 (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 3.40 3.41 3.42 3.43 3.44 3.45 3.46 3.47 3.48 3.49 3.50 3.51 3.52 3.53 3.54 3.55 3.56 3.57 3.58 3.59 3.60 3.61 3.62 3.63 3.64 3.65 3.66 3.67 3.68 3.69 3.70 3.71 3.72 3.73 3.74 3.75 3.76 3.77 3.78 3.79 Radio Mohovaya 9 summarising Sinyavsky's career and providing some of his few surviving recordings (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 4.35 4.36 4.37 4.38 4.39 4.40 4.41 4.42 4.43 4.44 4.45 4.46 4.47 4.48 Streampark summarising the career of Sinyavksy (article in Russian) Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 Russian Seven's Dzen post summarising Sinyavsky's career and how he became an enemy of Joseph Goebbels (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  6. ↑ Computer-Museum detailing the launch of regular radio coverage in the Soviet Union (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  7. ↑ Rambler debunking the claim that Sinyavsky announced the first game to receive live Soviet radio coverage (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Football USSR Nostalgia VK post detailing influential football radio and television broadcasts in the Soviet Union (post in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Smyslov, Bronstein, Geller, Taimanov and Averbakh noting how Sinyavsky's chess commentaries caused the game to explode in popularity. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 10.20 10.21 10.22 10.23 10.24 10.25 10.26 10.27 10.28 10.29 10.30 10.31 10.32 10.33 10.34 10.35 10.36 10.37 10.38 10.39 Sport-Archive detailing the most memorable moments of Sinyavsky's sport and wartime career and noting most recordings were deemed to have no historical value (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Futbolgrad summarising how the Dynamo Kyiv-CDKA Moscow game on 22nd June 1941 was abandoned because of Operation Barbarossa. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 International War Museum summarising Operation Barbarossa, including the Battles of Kyiv and Moscow. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  13. ↑ Hoover Institution summarising the Battle of Kyiv. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Warfare History Network detailing the Battle of Smolensk and key outcomes like the capture of Senior Lieutenant Yakov Dzhugashvili. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  15. ↑ History documenting the Leningrad blockade. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Warefare History Network detailing the Battle of Moscow, including the siege of Maloyaroslavets. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Russia Beyond summarising the 7th November 1941 parade. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 History Defined summarising the Battle of Sevcastopol. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  19. ↑ RestExpert summarising the Malakhov Kurgan and is importance in World War 2. Retrieved 8th Dec '23
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 History summarising the Battle of Stalingrad. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 The History Press summarising the Battle of Stalingrad and the surrender of Friedrich Paulus. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 History summarising the Battle of Kursk. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 RSSSF detailing the results of the 1944 Soviet Cup. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 BBC Sport documenting Dynamo Moscow's 1945 Tour of Britain. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 These Football Times summarising Dynamo's 1945 Tour of Britain and the results of each match. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Gazeta documenting the first matches to be televised live in the Soviet Union (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Football USSR Nostalgia's VK post listing the first football television broadcasts by year and country. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 28.7 28.8 Sports.ru summarising Ozerov's career and his training under Sinyavsky (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  29. ↑ RSSSF detailing the result of the 24th September 1948 match between CDKA and Dynamo, which featured Bobrov's "golden legs" goal. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Pravda summarising the controversy over Sinyavsky's "golden legs" comment. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Library of Congress detailing how radio recordings became more common in the mid-1930s as practicality and cost-effectiveness improved. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Archived Ngā Taonga noting most early-1920s sports airings were never recorded. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  33. ↑ Web Archive article discussing how most early television programming is missing due to the lack of directly recording television output. Retrieved 6th Dec '23
  34. ↑ Championat providing footage of the Dynamo-CDKA match from 2nd May 1949 (article in Russian). Retrieved 6th Dec '23
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