Profile of Jim McKay on Famous Like Me

James Kenneth McManus, better known by his professional name of Jim McKay (born September 24, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), is an American television sports journalist. McKay is best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998), and television coverage of twelve Olympic Games. McKay has 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 has won numerous awards for journalism, including two Emmys and the George Polk Award just for his sports and news coverage of the 1972 Munich Olympics. In 1988, McKay was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

While covering the Munich Massacre in 1972, McKay had taken on the job of reporting the events as Roone Arledge fed them into his earpiece. After the botched rescue attempt, he came on the air with this statement

"Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They've now said that there were 11 hostages; 2 were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, 9 were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone."

In 2002, ABC "loaned" McKay to NBC to serve as a special correspondent during the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Jim McKay's son Sean McManus, has made a name for himself as he currently serves as the president of CBS Sports.

See also

• Roone Arledge.

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