Sportscaster Jim McKay dies at 86

[Duane]

Total greatness as an announcer...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080607/..._ot/obit_mckay

NEW YORK - Jim McKay, the veteran and eloquent sportscaster thrust into the role of telling Americans about the tragedy at the 1972 Munich Olympics, has died. He was 86.

McKay died Saturday, said ABC, the network with which he was long affiliated. The cause of death was not immediately given.

McKay was host of ABC's "Wide World of Sports" for decades. The influential weekend series introduced viewers to all manners of strange, compelling and far-flung sports events.

But he was suddenly placed in the role of a newscaster in 1972 when Israeli athletes were kidnapped in Munich. As viewers followed the gripping story, McKay told how the hostages were killed in a commando raid.

McKay was the father of Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports.

[bbgun]

McKay was host of ABC's "Wide World of Sports" for decades.

That was pretty much appointment television if you were a child of the 70s. Remember when you could watch boxing for free? And it was McKay who voiced the "thrill of victory, agony of defeat" line. Thanks for entertaining us, Jim.

[PosterChild]

Well this sucks.

Somebody hastily put together a tribute on youtube.
Jim McKay 1921-2008

[DallasFanSince86]

He was a great Sportscaster.

He will be missed.

RIP Jim McKay.

[Yeagermeister]

Originally Posted by bbgun

That was pretty much appointment television if you were a child of the 70s. Remember when you could watch boxing for free? And it was McKay who voiced the "thrill of victory, agony of defeat" line. Thanks for entertaining us, Jim.

I always tuned in to see the Globetrotters

R.I.P. To a sportscasting legend

[Hostile]

Sports has not been the same since ABC's Wide World of Sports went belly up. It seems to have lost a lot of it's impact in a way. The constant variety of sports.

Superstars, the Harlem Gobetrotters, Evel Knieval, boxing back when it actually mattered, the footage of that poor ski jumper and Jim's voice. He truly did span the globe.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TFWt_Dt4ces

Adios Mr. Mckay and thank you so much for the memories.

[bbgun]

Originally Posted by Hostile

Sports has not been the same since ABC's Wide World of Sports went belly up. It seems to have lost a lot of it's impact in a way. The constant variety of sports.

Superstars, the Harlem Gobetrotters, Evel Knieval, boxing back when it actually mattered, the footage of that poor ski jumper and Jim's voice. He truly did span the globe.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TFWt_Dt4ces

Adios Mr. Mckay and thank you so much for the memories.

They always pitted the World Series champs against the Super Bowl champs. How bizarre it was to watch Tony Dorsett and Pete Rose in a bicycle race. Still, it was less cheesy than "Battle of the Network Stars."

[FanSince61]

RIP Jim

[jimmy40]

Originally Posted by bbgun

They always pitted the World Series champs against the Super Bowl champs. How bizarre it was to watch Tony Dorsett and Pete Rose in a bicycle race. Still, it was less cheesy than "Battle of the Network Stars."

Didn't they also have Dallas/Pittsburg in one of the Superstars team events?

[ConcordCowboy]

Jim McKay dying is like a piece of my childhood dying.

There was nothing like Wide World of Sports when I was a kid.

[DallasEast]

Brent Musburger (sp?) said it best when he was interviewed by CBS News today. Musburger said that (paraphrasing), "Jim McKay understood that the stories of the athletes were bigger than the broadcasters themselves".

A lot of these ESPN or ESPN wannabe sportscasters couldn't even begin to match the stature of Jim McKay. He was a professional. So many of the sportcasters of the last 20 years are amateurs in comparison.

R.I.P. Jim McKay. You will be missed by those of us who know the difference between so-so, good and true greatness.

[burmafrd]

Blame MTV and all the idiots who think it was so great. that is what started the whole mess with BSPN. Its been all downhill since. I find it hard to watch any sports program anymore because the announcers or the MTV blinded hacks that work the technical side just plain destroy it.