Jim McKay Dies

[cosworth151]

American sportscaster Jim McKay has passed away of natural causes at the age of 86. In 1961, he was the original host of "ABC's Wide World of Sports." It was supposed to be a 1 summer only program. McKay hosted it for over 40 years.

Wide World of Sports specialized in sports that weren't seen elsewhere on US TV. As such, it had the first US national coverage of both F1 and NASCAR. Races would be shown in edited form a week or two after they were run. McKay was the first person to do auto racing play-by-play on network TV.

I got my first exposure to F1 watching McKay. (I'll bet you did too, Dare) His specialty was "Up Close & Personal." He would do extended pieces on competitors. I remember features he did on drivers like Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart before anybody over here had heard of them. It's how I first became an F1 fan.

When I read the coverage of the 40th anniv. of Clark's death, I remebered I first heard of it when McKay announced it on Wide World of Sports.

His most remembered moment was at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. As ABC's man on the scene, he covered the entire hostage crisis. I doubt that anyone who was around then can ever forget when, announcing the massicre, he sadly looked us straight in the eyes and softly said, "They're all gone."

He was the best. I doubt we shall see his like again.

[Dare]

McKay was the best,period.His favorite sport was
horse racing and he died hours before Big Brown
would try to become the firt horse in 30 years to
win the Triple Crown[he didn't]

3 things that stick out in my mind od Wild World
of Sports are the 72 Olympics,Jim Clark's funeral,and
that poor ski jumper in the opening credis

[Dare]

opening credits from the early 70's

[cosworth151]

A tribute that ABC did during the Belmont yesterday.



Can you imagine a broadcaster today standing right behind the Armco as the cars race by like McKay is in the clip from Monaco in the early 60's?

[Dare]

very nice tribute Cos,I missed it yesterday

[Willy]

Very sad to hear about Jim McKay passing.
I too remember Wide World of Sports and those opening credits.
Jim was the voice of sports for me as a youngster and he introduced me to F1 and all other forms of racing. I never would have known who Jim Clarke was unless McKay talked
about him.
He was trully an American Sports icon.

His like will not be seen again.

[Mitch14]

i never heard of him but it sounds like he was famous

[Dare]

i never heard of him but it sounds like he was famous

Gee Mitch it seems you have a
comment for everything