Jim McKay R.I.P.

[OldRightHander]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3430672

Jim McKay, Olympic and ABC announcer, dies at age 86

ESPN.com news services

Updated: June 7, 2008, 10:23 AM ET

Jim McKay, 86, a longtime television sports journalist, has died of natural causes in Maryland, according to a statement from the McKay family.

McKay is best known for hosting ABC's "Wide World of Sports" and 12 Olympic Games.

McKay won numerous awards for journalism, including two Emmys and the George Polk Award for his sports and news coverage of the 1972 Munich Olympics.

In 1988, McKay was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.


I grew up listening to this guy.

[westofyou]

There goes another piece of my childhood.

[SunDeck]

McKay and Chris Schenkel. Kubek and Garagiola.
I can still hear their voices on Saturdays. And if people will pardon me for sounding crotchety for a moment, the culture of sports today pales in comparison to those days.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by westofyou

There goes another piece of my childhood.

Mine too. When I think of Jim McKay, I think of the Olympics and ABC's Wide World of Sports. I loved how WW of S could cover the Hahnenkamm Downhill race one week and the next week feature Evel Knievel jumping over something. McKay always treated the event itself as the focal point of the broadcast and brought the same professionalism every week. And even though I was only 1 1/2 when the tragedy at the Munich Olympics occurred, hearing him say "They're all gone," even years after the fact, gives me a lump in my throat.

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by SunDeck

McKay and Chris Schenkel. Kubek and Garagiola.
I can still hear their voices on Saturdays. And if people will pardon me for sounding crotchety for a moment, the culture of sports today pales in comparison to those days.

When watching sports was an event.

[vaticanplum]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Mine too. When I think of Jim McKay, I think of the Olympics and ABC's Wide World of Sports. I loved how WW of S could cover the Hahnenkamm Downhill race one week and the next week feature Evel Knievel jumping over something. McKay always treated the event itself as the focal point of the broadcast and brought the same professionalism every week. And even though I was only 1 1/2 when the tragedy at the Munich Olympics occurred, hearing him say "They're all gone," even years after the fact, gives me a lump in my throat.

Mine three. This makes me really sad.

[durl]

Originally Posted by SunDeck

McKay and Chris Schenkel. Kubek and Garagiola.
I can still hear their voices on Saturdays. And if people will pardon me for sounding crotchety for a moment, the culture of sports today pales in comparison to those days.

+1

I'm right there with you. I grew up listening to those guys. I'm afraid those gentlemen represent an era we'll never see again. Sad.

[cumberlandreds]

When I think of the Olympics I think of McKay. He was as professional an announcer as you could have. We didn't start getting an ABC channel until 1975 so I didn't completely grow up with him. But did get see him hosting many Wide World of Sports on Saturday afternoons. He always did it in a professional and classy manner. RIP Mr. McKay.

[RedFanAlways1966]

"Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition… This is ABC's Wide World of Sports."

Spoken by Jim McKay... I'll always remember it. Grew up with it and looked forward to it every weekend before ESPN and Fox Sports existed. RIP, Jim.

[NJReds]

Jim McKay was a journalist, writer and an eloquent sports announcer.

I find it hilarious that ESPN was canonizing him yesterday when truth be told, they'd never hire a guy like that because he didn't speak in slang or have a cool catch phrase. Ethics? Knowledge of sports, history or **gasp** current world events? Not necessary for ESPN, thanks mostly to Keith Olberman and Dan Patrick.

Let's face it. If ESPN revived The Wide World of Sports, instead of "The Thrill of Victory" it would start with "winner winner chicken dinner"

Booyah.

[gilpdawg]

He was also the TV voice of the Indianapolis 500 for years, and growing up in the heart of Hoosierland, that's where I knew him from.
McKay calling the finish of the 1982 Indy race.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wmX08S5Pc2c

[Kingspoint]

Thank you for bringing the world together through sports, Mr. McKay.

[HeatherC1212]

Boy will he be missed by SO many people. I grew up listening to him too. He was the voice of the Olympics for me as well and no one does it like he did back then. Jim was also part owner of the Orioles and the team all wore black armbands earlier this week to remember him during their first game after his death. RIP Jim and thanks for the memories.