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James Kenneth McManus, better known by his professional name Jim McKay, was an American television sports journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports and covering 12 Olympic Games, including the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis. McKay also covered a range of other sports events, including horse races, golf, and motor racing. He was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy Award and received numerous honours throughout his career. McKay passed away in 2008 at the age of 86, but his legacy in sports broadcasting continues to be remembered and celebrated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | James Kenneth McManus |
| Birth Name | James McManus |
| Nickname | Jim McKay |
| Profession | Television sports journalist |
| Birth Date | 24 September 1921 |
| Birth Place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Death Date | 7 June 2008 |
| Age at Death | 86 |
| Channels | CBS, ABC, NBC |
| Awards | Emmy Awards, Olympic Order, George Polk Memorial Award |
| Notable Coverage | Munich Olympics hostage crisis, 2006 FIFA World Cup, Indianapolis 500, British Open Golf Championship, Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown |
| Family | Sean McManus (son), Margaret (wife), Mary (daughter) |
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What You'll Learn
Jim McKay's death and legacy
James Kenneth McManus, better known professionally as Jim McKay, passed away on June 7, 2008, at the age of 86. He died of natural causes at his farm in Monkton, Maryland.
McKay was an American television sports journalist and sportscaster. He was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy Award and won 13 Emmys in his lifetime. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. McKay was best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports from 1961 to 1998. His introduction for that program has become part of American pop culture: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."
McKay is also known for his television coverage of 12 Olympic Games, including the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where he reported on the Munich massacre. He also covered a wide variety of special events, including horse races such as the Kentucky Derby, golf events such as the British Open, and the Indianapolis 500.
McKay's legacy lies in his groundbreaking sportscasting career. He was the first on-air television broadcaster in Baltimore and had a long association with CBS and ABC. He was also an avid horse racing enthusiast who founded Maryland Million Day to promote Maryland's horse breeding industry.
McKay's son, Sean McManus, followed in his father's footsteps and became the president of CBS News and Sports. In 2008, the NBC broadcast of the Summer Olympics opening ceremony was dedicated to McKay.
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McKay's career in sports broadcasting
James Kenneth McManus, better known by his professional name, Jim McKay, was an American television sports journalist. McKay had a long and illustrious career in sports broadcasting, spanning several decades and covering a wide variety of sports.
Throughout the 1950s, McKay continued to work for CBS, with sports commentary becoming his primary assignment. In 1956-57, he teamed up with Chris Schenkel to call CBS telecasts of New York Giants football games. He was also set to be the lead broadcaster for the 1960 Winter Olympics but had to be replaced due to a mental breakdown.
In 1961, McKay moved to ABC to host the "Wide World of Sports," which became his most famous role. His introduction for the program became iconic: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." He hosted this show for over 40 years, until 1998, and it introduced viewers to a wide range of sports events from around the world.
McKay also covered 12 Olympic Games during his career, including the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where he reported on the tragic Munich massacre. His coverage of the Munich Olympics won him both a news and sports Emmy Award, and he is universally respected for his sensitive and skilled handling of the tragic events.
In addition to his Olympic coverage, McKay also covered a range of other sporting events, including horse races such as the Kentucky Derby, golf events like the British Open, and motor racing events such as the Indianapolis 500. He was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy Award and received a total of 13 Emmys throughout his lifetime. He was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame and the Television Hall of Fame, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest and most influential sports broadcasters in history.
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McKay's work in golf broadcasting
James Kenneth McManus, known professionally as Jim McKay, was an American television sports journalist and commentator. McKay's work in golf broadcasting was extensive and influential.
McKay's career in sports broadcasting began in 1947 when he joined the television station WMAR-TV, becoming the first voice ever heard on television in Baltimore. In 1950, he moved to WCBS in New York, hosting a show called "The Real McKay", which led to sports commentary becoming his primary assignment. McKay's early career included covering the annual Master's Golf Tournament and the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
In 1961, McKay was offered a contract by ABC Sports executive Roone Arledge, impressed by his compelling style of description. He became the host of ABC's "Wide World of Sports", a role he held until 1998. The show introduced viewers to a variety of sports events from around the world, and McKay provided the famous voice-over for the opening sequence.
While McKay reduced his responsibilities in the late 1980s, he continued to be involved in ABC's coverage of major events, including the British Open Golf Championship. He was also an avid horse racing enthusiast, founding Maryland Million Day to promote Maryland's horse breeding industry.
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Notable moments in McKay's broadcasting career
Jim McKay had a long and illustrious career as a sports journalist and broadcaster. Here are some notable moments from his career:
McKay was the first voice ever heard on television in Baltimore, where he began his career in 1947 at WMAR-TV. In January and February 1950, he broadcast the first-ever televised network college basketball games for CBS, calling seven games featuring the Navy in Annapolis, Maryland.
In 1961, McKay moved to ABC to host Wide World of Sports, which introduced viewers to a variety of sports events from around the world. His introduction for the program became ingrained in American pop culture: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."
McKay is also known for his coverage of 12 Olympic Games, including the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he reported on the Munich massacre and the hostage crisis. He was on air for 14 hours without a break during the 16-hour broadcast, providing Americans with updates on the tragic events unfolding. For his coverage of the Munich Olympics, he won both a news and sports Emmy Award, as well as the prestigious George Polk Memorial Award.
Throughout his career, McKay covered a wide range of sports and events, including horse races such as the Kentucky Derby, golf events like the British Open, and the Indianapolis 500. He was an avid horse racing enthusiast and founded Maryland Million Day to promote Maryland's horse breeding industry.
McKay was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy Award and received a total of 13 Emmys throughout his lifetime. He was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Television Hall of Fame during its 11th induction. In 2002, he received the inaugural Dick Schaap Award for Outstanding Journalism and the International Olympic Committee's highest honour, the Olympic Order.
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McKay's early life and career
James Kenneth McManus, better known professionally as Jim McKay, was born on September 24, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in the Overbrook section of the city in an Irish American Catholic family. At the age of 14, he moved with his family to Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended Loyola High School (now Loyola Blakefield) and later Loyola College in Maryland, from which he graduated in 1943. During World War II, McKay served in the United States Navy as the captain of a minesweeper.
After the war, in 1946, McKay returned to Baltimore and began working as a police reporter for The Evening Sun. The following year, he transitioned to television, joining the new TV station WMAR-TV, where he became the first voice ever heard on television in Baltimore. In 1950, McKay broadcast the first-ever televised network college basketball games for CBS, using his birth name, Jim McManus. Later that year, he hosted a variety show called "The Real McKay" for CBS, which led to a change in his on-air surname to McKay. Through the 1950s, sports commentary became his primary assignment for CBS, and he covered various sporting events, including football and basketball.
In 1961, McKay moved to ABC to host the "Wide World of Sports," which became his breakthrough role. The show introduced viewers to a wide variety of sports events from around the world. McKay's famous introduction for the program became ingrained in American pop culture: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." He hosted this show for over 40 years, until 1998, and it solidified his status as a world-renowned sports broadcaster.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Jim McKay passed away in 2008 at the age of 86. He was a sportscaster and commentator, best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports from 1961 to 1998.
James Kenneth McManus, known professionally as Jim McKay.
Jim McKay was a sports journalist and broadcaster who covered a wide range of sports, including golf. He was the lead announcer for CBS's coverage of the Masters Golf Tournament and was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1987.
Yes, Jim McKay had numerous notable achievements in broadcasting. He was the first sportscaster to win an Emmy Award and won a total of thirteen Emmys throughout his career. He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and received the International Olympic Committee's highest honor, the Olympic Order, in 2002.
