Jim McKay life and biography

James Kenneth McManus born September 24, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – died June 7, 2008 in Monkton, Maryland, United States, better known by his professional name of Jim McKay, was an American television sports journalist.

McKay is best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998). His introduction for that program has passed into American pop culture. He is also known for television coverage of 12 Olympic Games, and for his reporting on the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics.

"Sidelights"

As host for "ABC's Wide World of Sports", McKay traveled around the world visiting such places as the Lenin Stadium in Moscow, the Melbourne Cricket Grounds in Dublin, and covering such events as ski racing in the Alps and the mountains of Chile, Le Mans, and the Olympics. It was his coverage of the 1972 Olympic games in Munich that added a new dimension to McKay's career as a sports commentator. Following the Arab terrorist attack on the dormitory of Israeli athletes, McKay remained on location for fifteen hours providing Americans with on-the-spot commentary.

In his book, My Wide World, McKay discussed his feelings about that switch from sports coverage to news: "Reporting, I think, is simply the communication to someone not on the scene of a given event, a happening. The reporter's job is to tell as clearly and accurately as he can the facts of the situation and, in the case of television, to explain the meaning of the visual image on the screen. More subtly, I think the reporter must communicate the mood of the moment.

"Assuming a fairly wide range of interests on the part of the reporter, it does not really matter whether the subject matter is sports or news. If the event is given its proper perspective, if the facts and the feelings are reported accurately and promptly, then the reporter is doing his job."


PERSONAL INFORMATION

Began using professional name of Jim McKay in 1950; born September 24, 1921, in Philadelphia, PA; died June 7, 2008, in Monkton, MD; son of Joseph Francis (a real estate appraiser) and Florence McManus; married Margaret Dempsey (a syndicated newspaper feature writer), October 2, 1948; children: Mary Edwina, Sean Joseph. Education: Loyola College, Baltimore, MD, B.A., 1943. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Roman Catholic. Avocational Interests: Golf, tennis, skiing, photography, singing.

AWARDS

13 Emmy Awards from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (bestowed for sports and news broadcasting as well as writing); George Polk Memorial Award for journalism, 1972; Federal Republic of Germany's Officer's Cross Order of Merit, 1974; Olympic Medal, Austria, 1977; Thoroughbred Breeders of Kentucky Engelhard Award, 1978; Maryland Racing Writers Humphrey S. Finney Award, 1985; named to Sportscasters Hall of Fame, 1987; Peabody Award, 1989; U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, 1989; Television Academy Hall of Fame, 1995.

CAREER

Baltimore Evening Sun, Baltimore, MD, police and general assignment reporter and aviation editor, 1946-47; WMAR-TV, Baltimore, news and sports commentator, 1947-50; Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. (CBS), New York City, variety show host, weather and sports commentator, and radio interviewer, 1950-61; American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. (ABC), New York City, host of "ABC's Wide World of Sports" program, 1961-80. Sports commentator for many Olympics winter and summer games, beginning 1960; also host of such events as the Kentucky Derby, the Indianapolis 500, and golf tournaments.

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