EVA PAWLIK
die erste Kunstläuferin der Welt, die TV-Kommentatorin wurde
(der erste Kunstläufer der Welt, der TV-Kommentator wurde, war Dick Button)
the world´s first lady figure skater to be a sportscaster on TV
(the world´s first male figure skater to be a TV sportscaster was Dick Button)
die erste TV-Sportkommentatorin/Fernsehkommentatorin der Welt
the world´s first female figure-skating commentator on TV
Eva Pawlik - erste Sportkommentatorin des europäischen/weltweiten Fernsehens
Eva Pawlik´s commentary on TV:
"Perhaps they should go back to the old junk boxes the judges pulled their marks from. The old way has more atmosphere, and let the spectators get angry at the judges more easily."
1962 wurde Pawlik Mutter und begann ihre Karriere als erste Sportkommentatorin des europäischen Fernsehens oder möglicherweise sogar des weltweiten Fernsehens (beim ORF). Das „Rot-weiß-rote Sportarchiv“ würdigt Pawliks Kommentar als „sachlich, voll Wissen, gründlich und doch wieder so volkstümlich, dass es die breite Masse verstand. Auch in ihrer zweiten Eiskarriere wurde sie Spitze. Es gehörte zum guten Ton, die Pawlik zu hören. Ihr Wort zählte, ihr Kommentar hatte Gewicht." Es verstand sich von selbst, dass Pawlik die "guideline" unter den nicht englischsprachigen Kommentoren übernahm, für die es als fachfremde Reporter wichtig war zu hören, welche Figuren und welche Sprünge gerade gezeigt wurden.
Eva Pawlik was the first female sportscaster in Europe or perhaps even in the world (for the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF). Furthermore, she was the world´s first female figure-skating commentator. In the "Rot-weiß-rote Sportarchiv" (a book entitled "Austrian archive of sports") Pawlik´s commentary is characterized as "full of knowledge", systematic and sound but also as clear enough for everyone to understand her. Also in her career as a sportscaster she was brilliant. It went without saying to listen to Eva Pawlik. Her commentary was highly important". It went without saying that Pawlik´s voice was the guideline for the non English speaking sportscasters who had no idea of figure skating and who were glad to hear which element or which jump a certain skater was about to show. (For the English speaking community Dick Button´s voice was the guideline)
Radiointerview mit Eva Pawlik 1967
As a sportscaster, Eva Pawlik remained popular in Austria for one more decade (from 1963 to 1972). People in Austria were still interested in figure skating at that time as there were many Austrian skaters winning medals in international competetions (European Champion and Olympic runner-up Regine Heitzer, World Champion Emmerich Danzer, Olympic Champion Wolfgang Schwarz, Olympic Champion Trixi Schuba). The figure skating competitions with Pawlik´s commentary were often broadcast at prime time.
Pawlik´s commentary on TV was by no means euphemistic. She articulated her opinion and sometimes criticized the judges. At the 1968 Olympics, for example, she pointed out that Emmerich Danzer -- who had been far behind after the school figures and who finished 4th despite an extraordinary free programme -- should at any rate have won the Olympic bronze medal. Pawlik also expressed her opinion clearly when she was in favor of a non-Austrian skater. When Trixi Schuba of Austria won the 1971 and 1972 World Championships and the 1972 Olympics, Pawlik appreciated Trixi Schuba´s enormous abilities in the compulsory figures on the one hand, but pointed out Janet Lynn´s superiority in free skating again and again on the other. Some people in Austria were not happy with Pawlik´s proposition to push back (though not to eliminate) the value of the figures to avoid the disproportion between the final ranking and the ranking in the free programme in the future.
She also had the ability to familiarise the audience with the skaters´ emotions.
The ladies´ free skating at the 1970 Worlds with Eva Pawlik as the commentator:
Weltmeisterschaften 1970 - Damen - mit Eva Pawlik als Kommentatorin
Eva Pawlik interviewt die frischgebackene Europameisterin Trixi Schuba vor deren erstem WM-Gold
European Champion Trixi Schuba before her victory at the 1971 Worlds, being interviewed by Eva Pawlik