Legendary broadcaster KEITH JACKSON, who for the "better part of five decades established himself as one of college football's beloved characters," died Friday night at the age of 89 at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif., according to Theo Lawson of the Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW. His cause of death "wasn't specified." Jackson was "adored on a national spectrum," and his voice "accompanied the telecast of many of the country’s -- and world’s -- classic sporting events" over his 52-year career. He "worked 15 Rose Bowls, 16 Sugar Bowls, 10 different Olympic Games -- both Summer and Winter -- the World Series and Monday Night Football." Jackson’s "specialty was college football, but he possessed the rare gifts of range and breadth, so he didn’t limit his work to Saturday afternoons in the fall" (Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, 1/14). In Birmingham, Creg Stephenson noted Jackson had been in "failing health for several years, seldom venturing outside Southern California and rarely making public appearances." He "briefly joined CHRIS FOWLER and KIRK HERBSTREIT in the booth" during the '17 USC-Penn State Rose Bowl. Jackson was inducted into the American Sportcaster's HOF in '94 (AL.com, 1/13). Funeral services "are pending" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 1/14).
JACK OF ALL TRADES: In Tacoma, John McGrath wrote Jackson "defined versatility" throughout his career. He "had the call" for REGGIE JACKSON's three-home run in the '77 World Series and "was there" for MARK SPITZ' then-record seven Gold Medals at the '72 Munich Games. He "occupied a middle seat" between HOWARD COSELL and DON MEREDITH for the inaugural season of "MNF" in '70, and "did play-by-play for NBA games" with BILL RUSSELL (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 1/14). In L.A., Kupper & DiGiovanna noted Jackson "joined the ABC radio network" in '65, freelancing TV assignments before settling in permanently the net when former ABC Sports President ROONE ARLEDGE "needed someone to call a parachute-jumping segment for 'Wide World of Sports'" in '68 (L.A. TIMES, 1/14). Jackson did "everything professional broadcasters at the highest level were asked to do," but he became "absolutely synonymous with college football" as his career progressed (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 1/14). Jackson was "many things as an announcer, but mostly he was one thing" -- college football (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/14).
THE PERFECT FIT: On Long Island, Neil Best wrote never have a "sport and a play-by-play voice been better suited to one another than Jackson and college football" outside of baseball and VIN SCULLY (NEWSDAY, 1/14). ESPN's Herbstreit said, "For forty years he was that voice of that sport. ... He just had a vibe about him that was so unique to himself" ("Postseason NFL Countdown," ESPN, 1/13). Jackson's words were "woven into the fabric of college football, his passion into the DNA of the sport" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 1/14). ABC's 3:30pm ET college football games that Jackson called were "appointment viewing for many fans as it was traditionally the weekend's marquee game" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/13). The "frenzied, reassuring voice of Keith Jackson meant it must be Saturday" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/14). Few broadcasters have become "as identified with a single sport to a national audience as Jackson with college football." He was the play-by-play announcer of the "top games as college football soared to new heights in American popularity" (ESPN.com, 1/14). He had "no peer when it came to using that splendid, unmistakable voice, to make us understand what we were watching" (TMGCOLLEGESPORTS.com, 1/13).
SMOOTH OPERATOR: The AP's Jay Reeves noted Jackson "laid down the soundtrack to Saturday for a generation of college football fans." His "smooth baritone voice and use of phrases like 'big uglies' for linemen gave his game calls a familiar feel" (AP, 1/13). In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro wrote his voice, "laced with honey, always will be associated with Saturday afternoons" (N.Y. POST, 1/14). Jackson's style and perspectives "dominated and animated the soundtrack of our youth and love for sports" (K.C. STAR, 1/14). Jackson was the "voice every college football fan had in his ear" (Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, 1/14). No one's voice "is more associated with a sport than Keith's with college football." He was "often imitated but never matched" ("FNIA," NBC, 1/13). The better part of three generations of college football fans "have their own Keith Jackson phrase that triggers a flood of memories" (SI.com, 1/13).
SOUTHERN LIVING: In DC, Bryan Flaherty noted Jackson's "Southern drawl and rhapsodic, folksy delivery was synonymous with some of college football's most memorable moments" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/14). Jackson was a "national treasure" whose calls were "melodious, up and down the scale -- never losing the clippity-clop of his Southern upbringing" (L.A. TIMES, 1/14). He was "more partial to the lingo of his native rural South." Jackson’s “Whoa, Nellie!” punctuating an exciting play was his "best-remembered good ol’ boy touch, though he maintained that he didn’t use it all that often." Jackson "informally christened" the Univ. of Michigan’s cavernous stadium at Ann Arbor “the Big House”; he "relished broadcasting the Rose Bowl game, 'the granddaddy of ’em all'; and he admired the enormous linemen, who were 'the Big Uglies in the trenches'" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/14). When viewers "settled in for a college football game and heard the voice of Keith Jackson, you knew you were about to see a donnybrook with the ‘big uglies’ up front for two teams that ‘plain don’t like each other’ ("NFL GameDay Morning," NFL Network, 1/13).
TWO OF THE BEST: Jackson's death comes just weeks after fellow broadcasting legend DICK ENBERG died, and in Orlando, David Whitley wrote if there is a "football game in heaven, you know it's got a heck of an announcing crew" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/14). In L.A., Chris Erskine wrote, "All I can think: Now Dick Enberg has a drinking pal" (L.A. TIMES, 1/14).
