NEW YORK (AP) -- Jim McKay, the veteran and eloquent sportscaster thrust into the role of telling Americans about the tragedy at the 1972 Munich Olympics, has died. He was 86.

McKay died Saturday, said ABC, the network with which he was long affiliated. The cause of death was not immediately given.

McKay was host of ABC's Wide World of Sports for decades. The influential weekend series introduced viewers to all manners of strange, compelling and far-flung sports events.

But he was suddenly placed in the role of a newscaster in 1972 when Israeli athletes were kidnapped in Munich. As viewers followed the gripping story, McKay told how the hostages were killed in a commando raid.

McKay was the father of Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/06/07/obit.mckay.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

Another one gone..

I always loved listening to him!!

I never knew who his son was

I saw this today, as I was watching the women's final at the French Open on TV. Really sad. Truly the voice of a generation in sports. "The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat" {ABC Wide World Of Sports}. And then his broadcasting of the slaughter of Israel's Olympic team at the games in Munich in '72..."They're all gone"...... :( This is a great loss to the sporting community, and to all of us. :'(

I was a little surprised to hear this. I thought he had already passed away. When these guys drop out of the public eye,you kind of forget about them. But being the huge sports junkie that I am,I always remember Jim Mckay when I wa sgrowing up doing Wide World Of Sports. He had that classic voice and always had that cool calm demeanor about him. Espicially during the Munich Olympics. R.I.P. Jim.

They just did a nice tribute to Jim McKay on ABC to open their Belmont coverage. Very nice piece. McKay was a big horseman and did a lot to support horse racing in his home state of Maryland. Too bad he won't be around to witness another Triple Crown winner...Go Big Brown :willya

Good man Jim McKay.  I grew up with his voice. RIP.

sweetcharmedlife wrote on Jun 7^th, 2008 at 4:07pm:

They just did a nice tribute to Jim McKay on ABC to open their Belmont coverage. Very nice piece. McKay was a big horseman and did a lot to support horse racing in his home state of Maryland. Too bad he won't be around to witness another Triple Crown winner...Go Big Brown :willya

Yes, good tribute. But not even close to a Triple Crown win today.  :( Don't think it was the crack in his hoof---he just seemed tired, like he didn't want to run. Add to that the heat, the length of the Belmont {a mile and a half} and maybe the fact that he didn't have his monthly steroid shot....? I think they need to spread out those Triple Crown races! I don't remember them being so close together in the 60's...

They've always been the same length and dates Sioux. Theire has been much discussion about changing the format,but due to tradition they are reluctant to change. I think it might have been a combination of the heat,the fact that he was lightly raced and maybe he bled internally.

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6072901,00.jpg

http://www.emqb.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/bill-belichick-presser.jpg

sweetcharmedlife wrote on Jun 7^th, 2008 at 10:01pm:

They've always been the same length and dates Sioux. Theire has been much discussion about changing the format,but due to tradition they are reluctant to change. I think it might have been a combination of the heat,the fact that he was lightly raced and maybe he bled internally.

I did look it up and you are right about the dates. Don't know why I thought they were more spread out when I was a kid. But the length HAS changed over the years---but the mile and a half has been the official length since 1926 {WAY before my time, thankfully!  :P}

I am hoping there was no internal bleeding. I was wondering about a possible weakness in his lungs or his heart. I know they will run every test in the books. I didn't have a bad feeling about this race {like I did for the Derby}, but I just couldn't get excited about this race. I always stand when I watch---how can one sit?? lol So, I stood, but I just stood there. Didn't cheer, yell, pound anything. And I knew something was "off" even before he hit the last turn. So, I never said a word during the entire race. I still feel strange about it---let down, but also just unsettled. It was such a strange race.

Yeah he just didn't look right from the beginning when he got pinched a bit at the start. But internal bleeding isn't as serious as it sounds. It's fairly common in horses and they just give them lasix to control the bleeding.

sweetcharmedlife wrote on Jun 7^th, 2008 at 11:58pm:

Yeah he just didn't look right from the beginning when he got pinched a bit at the start. But internal bleeding isn't as serious as it sounds. It's fairly common in horses and they just give them lasix to control the bleeding.

Ahh, good info to know. Thanks.  :)