Who is the best sports broadcaster of all time, and why?
Well, I am giving away my age a bit by saying this, but to me the greatest is Jim McKay. It simply was not an Olympics unless McKay's voice was attached to it for a very long period of time. From Wikipedia: (Jim McKay)McKay is best known for hosting ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961–1998). His introduction for that program has passed into American pop culture. He is also known for television coverage of 12 Olympic Games, and is universally respected for his memorable reporting on the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics.McKay 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.Wikipedia article talks about how he is perhaps best remember for his coverage of the 1972 Olympic Massacre. McKay was on air for 14 straight hours, broadcasting live as those events unfolded. It was he who told us that all of the Israeli athletes had been murdered -When I was a kid my father used to say "Our greatest hopes and our worst fears are seldom realized." Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said there were 11 hostages; two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone.—McKay, 1972The Wide World of Sports opening is one of those that has passed into popular culture. That of course was Jim McKay's voice talking of the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat".To me Jim McKay was TV sports at its best.