Arne Hegerfors

{{Infobox person

| name = Arne Hegerfors

| image = Arne Hegerfors in Jan 2014.jpg

| caption = Hegerfors in 2014

| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|07|04|df=y}}

| birth_place = Gothenburg, Sweden

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|01|29|1942|07|04|df=y}}

| death_place = Stockholm, Sweden

| occupation = {{hlist|Sports journalist|sports commentator|television presenter}}

| birth_name = Olof Arne Hegerfors

}}

Olof Arne Hegerfors ({{IPA|sv|ˈûːlɔf ˈɑ̂ːɳɛ ˈhêːɡɛrfɔʂ}}; 4 July 1942 – 29 January 2024) was a Swedish sports journalist and television presenter. He had a long career in television spanning from television presenter on Sveriges Television and to sports commentator on Canal Plus.

Early life

Hegerfors was born on 4 July 1942 in Gothenburg, Sweden, the son of Torsten Hegerfors, a university lecturer, and his wife Anna Maria ({{nee|Pettersson}}).{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/2001/0472.html |editor-last=Jönsson |editor-first=Lena |title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 2001 |trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 2001 |year=2000 |publisher=Norstedt |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=9172850426 |id={{SELIBR|8261515}} |page=472}} He was the brother of the journalist, cartoonist and author {{ill|Sture Hegerfors|sv|Sture Hegerfors|fr|Sture Hegerfors}}. He passed studentexamen in 1964 and completed university studies in Gothenburg between 1966 and 1967.

Career

Hegerfors began his career as an employee at Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning from 1964 to 1966 and at Kvällsposten in 1966. He worked at Sveriges Radio in Gothenburg from 1967 to 1969 and at the sports section of Sveriges Television (SVT) in Stockholm from 1969.

Hegerfors is mostly known as a sports commentator on SVT and Canal Plus from 1969 until 2011.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.femina.se/nostalgi/arne-hegerfors-svara-tid-efter-aren-i-tv/8527965|title=Arne Hegerfors svåra tid efter åren i tv: "Stroke, hjärtinfarkt och hjärntumör"|date=29 June 2022|magazine=Femina|accessdate=29 January 2024|language=sv|archive-date=29 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129153347/https://www.femina.se/nostalgi/arne-hegerfors-svara-tid-efter-aren-i-tv/8527965|url-status=live}} He was awarded the Stora Journalistpriset in 1992.{{cite AV media|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=3130&artikel=4764877|title=Moraltest: Arne Hegerfors|author=Sveriges Radio|work=Sveriges Radio |date=25 October 2011 |accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020320/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=3130&artikel=4764877|url-status=live |language=sv}}

Hegerfors had a promising career in football and had a contract offer from a French football club, OGC Nice.{{cite AV media|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2151&artikel=3504472|title=Dagens gäst – Arne Hegerfors|author=Sveriges Radio|work=Sveriges Radio|date=15 March 2010 |accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020324/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2151&artikel=3504472|url-status=live |language=sv}} But after a serious knee injury he could not play any more and moved on to a career in journalism. Lars-Gunnar Björklund started a sports department at SVT (known as Sveriges Radio-TV until 1979) in Gothenburg and recruited Hegerfors.{{cite web|url=http://www.expressen.se/sport/lars-gunnar-bjorklund-har-avlidit/|title=Lars-Gunnar Björklund har avlidit|work=Expressen|date=30 November 2012 |accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129013215/http://www.expressen.se/sport/lars-gunnar-bjorklund-har-avlidit/|url-status=live |language=sv}}

In 2000, Hegerfors appeared in Markoolio's music video for his song "Mera mål", where he acted as himself.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bokborsen.se/view/Markoolio-Feat-Arne-Hegerfors/Mera-M%C3%A5l/9796640?%2Fview%2FMarkoolio-Feat-Arne-Hegerfors%2FMera-M%C3%A5l%2F9796640|title=Mera mål! | Markoolio feat. Arne Hege... | 40 SEK |publisher=Bokbörsen AB |accessdate=29 January 2024 |language=sv}} He has also presented entertainment shows for SVT, like {{ill|Kryzz|lt=Kryzz|sv|Kryzz}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/vqpJp|title=Björn Skifs: "Jag älskar verkligen Arne"|date=21 July 2017|newspaper=Aftonbladet|accessdate=29 January 2024 |language=sv}} He won the Swedish television Kristallens Honour Award in 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/noje/har-ar-vinnarna-i-kristallen/|title=Här är vinnarna i "Kristallen"|newspaper=Expressen|accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129013211/http://www.expressen.se/noje/har-ar-vinnarna-i-kristallen/|url-status=live |language=sv}}

Hegerfors made several memorable commentaries in ice hockey and football matches. He was SVT's correspondent at the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 when 39 people died and 376 were injured during a UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and Juventus.{{cite news |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |url=http://www.svd.se/sport/svar-balansgang-for-laktarfolket_122947.svd |title=Svår balansgång för läktarfolket |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210050245/http://www.svd.se/sport/svar-balansgang-for-laktarfolket_122947.svd |date=10 February 2015 |archive-date=10 February 2015 |language=sv}} He also commentated on the basketball final between the Soviet Union and the United States at the 1972 Olympic Games which the Soviet Union won 50–49 after a disputed refereeing decision in the last seconds.{{cite web|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/os2008/tidernasos/article11477942.ab|title="En rent sagolik händelse"|work=Aftonbladet|date=24 June 2008 |accessdate=23 November 2014|archive-date=2 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202190646/http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/os2008/tidernasos/article11477942.ab|url-status=live |language=sv}}

Hegerfors was also known for making entertaining jokes as a commentator.{{cite web|url=http://nyheter24.se/sport/fotboll/allsvenskan/694588-stort-tack-hegerfors-har-ar-dina-basta-citat|title=Stort tack Hegerfors – här är dina tio bästa citat|date=21 May 2012 |publisher=Nyheter24.se|accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=26 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141126061354/http://nyheter24.se/sport/fotboll/allsvenskan/694588-stort-tack-hegerfors-har-ar-dina-basta-citat|url-status=live |language=sv}}{{cite AV media|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2151&artikel=5118528|title=Arne Hegerfors tackar för sig|author=Sveriges Radio|publisher=Sveriges Radio|date=22 May 2012 |accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020418/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2151&artikel=5118528|url-status=live |language=sv}} He retired in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/tv/article14140500.ab|title=Arne Hegerfors: Jag slutar med tv|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=29 December 2011 |accessdate=13 November 2014|archive-date=25 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141125143116/http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/tv/article14140500.ab|url-status=live |language=sv}}

Between 1993 and 1996, Hegerfors was the television presenter for the SVT show Det kommer mera, along with Martin Timell.{{Cite news|url=https://www.svd.se/a/y6WQ9g/arne-hegerfors-dod|title=Arne Hegerfors – de stora ögonblickens man|first=Mikael|last=Forsell |agency=TT|date=29 January 2024|accessdate=29 January 2024|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |language=sv}} Hegerfors also published one book, entitled Ralf: en gör så gôtt en kan! ("Ralf: he does his very best").{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5jOiNQAACAAJ&q=arne+hegerfors|title=Ralf|year=1973|publisher=Williams Förlags AB|isbn=9789131001810|accessdate=2 January 2015|archive-date=26 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426184214/https://books.google.com/books?id=5jOiNQAACAAJ&q=arne+hegerfors|url-status=live}}

Personal life

In 1983, he married Kerstin Johansson (born 1953), the daughter of district veterinarian Algot Johansson and nurse Ingrid (née Montelius). He had met his future wife in 1978. The couple had two children together.{{cite web|access-date=29 January 2024|archive-date=17 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217083932/https://www.allas.se/arne-hegerfors-kerstin-far-mitt-liv-att-fungera/ |format=web.archive.org |date=20 July 2017|website=Allas.se|title=Arne Hegerfors: "Kerstin får mitt liv att fungera"|url=https://www.allas.se/arne-hegerfors-kerstin-far-mitt-liv-att-fungera/ |language=sv}} Hegerfors also had a child from a previous marriage.{{cite web|access-date=29 January 2024|language=sv|newspaper=Expressen|title=Hon fick morfar och mamma att försonas|date=28 May 2012 |url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/hon-fick-morfar-och-mamma-att-forsonas/}}

Hegerfors died on 29 January 2024, at the age of 81 following a brain tumour. He had previously had both a heart attack and a stroke within a period of four years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.svt.se/sport/artikel/arne-hegerfors-dod|title=Sport: Arne Hegerfors är död|first1=William|last1=Grönlund|first2=Mats|last2=Nyström|date=29 January 2024|publisher=Sveriges Television |accessdate=29 January 2024 |language=sv}}