Honoring A Sportscasting Legend
Jim McKay, Pioneering TV Broadcaster With Five-Decade Career, Is Laid To Rest
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Play CBS Video Video Sportscaster McKay Remembered Friends and family said goodbye to broadcasting legend Jim McKay, whose illustrious career spanned over five decades and helped define sports journalism for today's audiences. Armen Keteyian reports.
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Video Remembering Jim McKay "CBS News RAW": Loved ones, friends and associates paid their final respects to legendary sportscaster Jim McKay, who died at 86 at his farm in Maryland.
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The body of veteran sportscaster Jim McKay is led out of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen following a funeral Mass, Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at the in Baltimore. McKay died Saturday at age 86. (AP)
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Sean McManus give the thumbs up sign after telling a story about his father, Jim McKay, during a funeral mass for the veteran sportscaster on Tuesday. (AP)
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Broadcaster Jim McKay (CBS/AP)
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McKay at work in 1964. (AP Photo)
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McKay stayed on the air 16 hours during the terroirst attack at the Munich Olympic games in 1972. (CBS)
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Photo Essay Jim McKay Pioneer sportscaster remembered as family man, exemplary broadcaster
"His legacy is something that transcends the world of sports television," Jim Nantz of CBS Sports said of legendary sportscaster Jim McKay, who died earlier this week at the age of 86.
He was a pioneering TV broadcaster lauded as the poet laureate of sport, reports CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.
"He was the best storyteller the business has ever seen and may ever see," said Disney CEO Robert Iger.
In a majestic mass inside a soaring Baltimore cathedral, famous faces, friends and family mourned the loss and celebrated the life of Jim McKay, praising his humor and humanity.
"He carried a dignity with him, in style and manner," said racecar driver Jackie Stewart.
They all circled back to his singular gift for words.
"We were all living under the reflected glory of Jim McKay's words," said Doug Wilson, the producer-director of ABC Sports.
Jim McKay, born James Kenneth McManus, died on Saturday.
His legendary five-decade career highlighted by his work as the globe-trotting host of ABC's "Wide World of Sports" and 12 Olympic games.
His finest moment: Sixteen straight hours anchoring ABC's coverage of the terrorist attack at the '72 Summer Games in Munich that took the lives of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team.
For all of McKay's achievements - including 13 Emmys - his most cherished were his beloved wife Margaret, daughter Mary, and son Sean, who is now president of CBS News and Sports.
"Of all the places that he went and all the things that he did in his life and all he accomplished, there's one thing that he liked more than anything else," Sean McManus said. "And that was coming home."
Back home for one final farewell, leaving behind a hole in the heart of journalism that will never be filled.
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More From CBS Evening News
- I salute you one final time Jim McKay.Thank-You again for all the memories from the sporting world that you shared with us fo so many years.
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