RIP Jim McKay

[cherokeeprogressive]

One of my favorite sports announcers. I was only 11 when I watched his telecasts concerning the Jewish hostages during the 72 olympics. Until then, I had no idea how ugly and mean the world really is. His words on that terrible day:

"When I was a kid my father used to say our greatest hopes and our worst fears are seldom realized. Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said there were eleven hostages; two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone."

Rest in Peace, Jim.

[Berry Cool]

1. He did a great job on that day.

It was the first day I learned that the mere fact that a man is a sportscaster doesn't mean he's incapable of handling hard news when necessary.

RIP, Jim.

[PCIntern]

2. ...and buttressing against that shit Chris Shenkel

who kept trying to minimize the disaster all day. He didn't give a single crap about what was going on, it was getting in the way of his 'work'. McKay was the perfect newsman...remarkable.

I'll never forget a moment of that summer day...home from college.

[johnfunk]

3. On that awful day in September, 1972, McCay became a giant of journalism

I remember watching the coverage in shock with my Mom, the night before I began ninth grade. I will never forget those simple words: "They're all gone." As a sportscaster thrust by fate and horror into the role of journalist, McCay was simply without peer.

[Berry Cool]

9. I found out in the morning.

I was ten years old. There was a lot I didn't understand about the world then, and one of the things I didn't know was exactly what a "Jewish person" was (at least in the modern world, as opposed to Bible stories in Sunday school--I grew up in a small Ohio town and there were no Jewish people there) and that being Jewish meant being persecuted. I didn't really "get it" until that day.

Those were the first Olympics I really watched, night after night, day after day--which was easier before sixth grade started and I could no longer stay up late because those were school nights. I remember watching Mark Spitz win gold medal after gold medal, and being so excited for him because he got all seven.

Then this happened, and a pall went over the whole Olympics. And Jim McKay said Mark Spitz was being sent home, and I asked why, and my mother said "Because he's Jewish." It just stunned me. He was my hero, but to these terrorists, he was just another person they might want to kill.

I learned what being Jewish meant in the world, and what terrorism was.

I remember Jim McKay for that the same way some people are old enough to remember Walter Cronkite taking his glasses off and reporting that John F. Kennedy was dead. It sticks in your mind, to see this man you're used to seeing covering the sports to become solemn, serious, sad.

He never expected to have to do that kind of job. But he did it well.

[AlCzervik]

4. oh no! wow the past 2 weeks have totally sucked the fat one. "One day in September"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230591/combined

Will probably be on HBO soon.

[Subdivisions]

5. "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety in sports..."

Farewell, Mr. McKay. Your Wide World of Sports intro and your eloquent and informative communication of all sorts of sports are and always will be prominent in the memories of my life. Thank you and rest well.

[PCIntern]

7. I was getting ready to go back to college

and was soldering these 15" woofer speaker cables and burned myself with the iron a little right before he announced the deaths. Boy my college summers were eventful...the Watergate Hearings...the next summer, the impeachment...WOW!

[Booster]

6. RIP, Mr McKay - you were the best thing that ever happened to

the Olympics.

[ThatsMyBarack]

8. I was only a year and-a-half old in the Summer of 1972.

Another amazing '70s icon from my childhood is gone. RIP, Jim. O8)

[Bozita]

10. It is truly fitting that word of his passing reaches us on a Saturday.

He OWNED Saturdays.

RIP, Jim McKay..

[spanone]

11. he was only the best