Thanks, for the Memories...

Mr. Jim McKay

1921-2008

'the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat'.... I swear, I will never forget Jim McKay's wonderfully emotive voice calling to me every, Saturday, I believe it was, as I glued myself to the old console t.v. in the living room to watch yet another thrilling installment of ABC's Wide World of Sports. I LOVED that sow, and watched the whole thing through , whatever the sport, be it wrestling, speed skating, track, ski jumping, I loved them all. And McKay just had such a way about him, was the consummate host/announcer, the way he seemed to grab you from your perch on the orange-y living room carpet and transport you to the dreaded East Germany, or some hot outpost in Spain, or some uber-chilly clime in a far off and intriguing Euro country. He was fabulous; he appeared to truly love what he did, and had a deep appreciation for all the facets of sports, and none was more evident than his coverage of the hostage killings in Munich in '72. I was only eight at the time, so didn't fully grasp all that was transpiring, but I do remember the timber of his voice, how it conveyed the total seriousness and utter sadness of it all. I was, and still am, a lover of the Olympics, both summer and winter, and manage to push my age-acquired jadedness aside long enought ot appreciate the Olympics for what they are; sports and athletes at their finest, and I have Jim McKay to thank in large part for that. When the Olympics roll around, I get to become that child again who reveled in the weightlifting feats of Mr. Alexyiov(sp), the skating prowess and beauty of Dorothy Hamill, the sheer wonder of Mark Spitz..... the memories and feelings become too jumbled to coherently put to words.

So just let me say thanks, Jim, thanks so much.