RGeeProductions
06-08-2008, 07:25 PM
Tributes from the motorsports community for Jim McKay joined those from
other sports and journalism circles since the McManus family announcement of the ABC-TV
announcer and writer's death June 7.
"Jim McKay was an icon, a legend in broadcasting," said Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO
Tony George June 7. "He helped build ABC Sports and the Indianapolis 500 through a true
partnership and always remained a friend and a fan."
"He was one on the nicest, down-to-earth and sincere sports guys I knew," said A.J. Foyt
during the IRL Indy Car Bombardier LearJet 550k at Texas Motor Speedway. "From when he
started doing the Indy 500 in the 1960s, he interviewed my many times and he was always a
real gentleman. They don't make him like that anymore."
CBS Sports President Sean McManus said his father, 87, had died of natural causes. No funeral
or memorial service arrangements were announced by 6 p.m. Sunday.
McManus added that McKay was looking forward to the June 7 running of the Belmont (N.Y.)
Stakes horse racing triple crown finale. Although McKay said that horse racing and golf were his
favorite sports, his auto racing coverage was extensive.
McKay, as ABC's "Wide World of Sports" host and reporter, covered the Indy 500, the FIA
Monaco GP, the ACO 24 Hours of Le Mans, USAC sprint cars at The Terre Haute (Ind.)
Action Track and the Demolition Derby and Figure-8 World Championships at Islip (N.Y.)
Speedway plus selected NASCAR now-Sprint Cup, NHRA drag and off-road events from
1961 into the 1980s.
"Wide World" first covered the Indy 500 in 1967, leading IMS to contract ABC to cover the 500
since 1971. McKay served as host or reporter 1971-74 and 1976-87. McKay earned the last of
his 11 sports and writing Emmy Awards for his opening essays of the 1987 500, Kentucky Derby
and golf's British Open.
McKay, in his 1973 "My Wide World" biography, devoted a chapter to the 1972 Indy 500, among
other sports experiences he covered that summer. The last nine chapters are devoted to the XX
Summer Olympiad at Munich - including what became the Munich Massacre.
McKay became the lead reporter of the Sept. 5, kidnapping of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches
by Black Septermber terrorists. The 11, plus five of the eight kidnappers and one German
policeman, were killed in an airport shootout.
That coveraged earned McKay first Emmy and the George Polk Memorial Award. McKay,
indeed, came from a newspaperman's background.
James Kenneth McManus, who was born Sept. 24, 1921 in Philadelphia, was a reporter for "The
Baltimore Sun." The newspaper owners recruited him to open CBS-affiliate WMAR in 1947. He
was the first voice heard on Baltimore television screens and covered The Preakness Stakes at
Pimlico the next year.
McKay and wife/former "Sun" columnist Margaret Dempsey followed a job offered by New York's
WCBS-TV in 1950. He became Jim Mckay of "The Real McKay" variety show. His beats at CBS,
WNBC and WABC became more sports oriented, catching the eye of "Wide World" producer
Roone Arledge.
Although McKay lived in Westport, Conn., in the 1970s, he always considered the Baltimore
area his adopted home. McKay's family moved there when he was 15 and retired to the
north of Baltimore farm to raise horses. He was a part-owner of the MBL Orioles.
McKay, as McManus, attended Our lady of Lourdes grade and St. Joseph's Preparatory
schools in Philadelphia's Overbrook section. The Loyola high and college graduate served
as a Navy minesweeper commander in World War Two, escorting convoys from Trinidad to
Brazil 1943-46.
McKay was the subject "My World in My Words" HBO documentary in 2002. He was also
included in two of his ABC Sports colleagues' autobiographies: Chris Econonomaki's 2006
"Let Them All Go!" and Howard Cosell's 1973 "Cosell."
Daughter Mary and three grandchildren are also among McKay's survivors.
Walter Elliot
other sports and journalism circles since the McManus family announcement of the ABC-TV
announcer and writer's death June 7.
"Jim McKay was an icon, a legend in broadcasting," said Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO
Tony George June 7. "He helped build ABC Sports and the Indianapolis 500 through a true
partnership and always remained a friend and a fan."
"He was one on the nicest, down-to-earth and sincere sports guys I knew," said A.J. Foyt
during the IRL Indy Car Bombardier LearJet 550k at Texas Motor Speedway. "From when he
started doing the Indy 500 in the 1960s, he interviewed my many times and he was always a
real gentleman. They don't make him like that anymore."
CBS Sports President Sean McManus said his father, 87, had died of natural causes. No funeral
or memorial service arrangements were announced by 6 p.m. Sunday.
McManus added that McKay was looking forward to the June 7 running of the Belmont (N.Y.)
Stakes horse racing triple crown finale. Although McKay said that horse racing and golf were his
favorite sports, his auto racing coverage was extensive.
McKay, as ABC's "Wide World of Sports" host and reporter, covered the Indy 500, the FIA
Monaco GP, the ACO 24 Hours of Le Mans, USAC sprint cars at The Terre Haute (Ind.)
Action Track and the Demolition Derby and Figure-8 World Championships at Islip (N.Y.)
Speedway plus selected NASCAR now-Sprint Cup, NHRA drag and off-road events from
1961 into the 1980s.
"Wide World" first covered the Indy 500 in 1967, leading IMS to contract ABC to cover the 500
since 1971. McKay served as host or reporter 1971-74 and 1976-87. McKay earned the last of
his 11 sports and writing Emmy Awards for his opening essays of the 1987 500, Kentucky Derby
and golf's British Open.
McKay, in his 1973 "My Wide World" biography, devoted a chapter to the 1972 Indy 500, among
other sports experiences he covered that summer. The last nine chapters are devoted to the XX
Summer Olympiad at Munich - including what became the Munich Massacre.
McKay became the lead reporter of the Sept. 5, kidnapping of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches
by Black Septermber terrorists. The 11, plus five of the eight kidnappers and one German
policeman, were killed in an airport shootout.
That coveraged earned McKay first Emmy and the George Polk Memorial Award. McKay,
indeed, came from a newspaperman's background.
James Kenneth McManus, who was born Sept. 24, 1921 in Philadelphia, was a reporter for "The
Baltimore Sun." The newspaper owners recruited him to open CBS-affiliate WMAR in 1947. He
was the first voice heard on Baltimore television screens and covered The Preakness Stakes at
Pimlico the next year.
McKay and wife/former "Sun" columnist Margaret Dempsey followed a job offered by New York's
WCBS-TV in 1950. He became Jim Mckay of "The Real McKay" variety show. His beats at CBS,
WNBC and WABC became more sports oriented, catching the eye of "Wide World" producer
Roone Arledge.
Although McKay lived in Westport, Conn., in the 1970s, he always considered the Baltimore
area his adopted home. McKay's family moved there when he was 15 and retired to the
north of Baltimore farm to raise horses. He was a part-owner of the MBL Orioles.
McKay, as McManus, attended Our lady of Lourdes grade and St. Joseph's Preparatory
schools in Philadelphia's Overbrook section. The Loyola high and college graduate served
as a Navy minesweeper commander in World War Two, escorting convoys from Trinidad to
Brazil 1943-46.
McKay was the subject "My World in My Words" HBO documentary in 2002. He was also
included in two of his ABC Sports colleagues' autobiographies: Chris Econonomaki's 2006
"Let Them All Go!" and Howard Cosell's 1973 "Cosell."
Daughter Mary and three grandchildren are also among McKay's survivors.
Walter Elliot