Jim "McKay" McManus

Loyola College in Maryland lost one of its most accomplished alumni on June 7 with the death of James K. McManus, ’43, better known as ABC sportscaster Jim McKay. He was 86.

“One of Loyola’s greatest strengths is the extraordinary character and achievements of its alumni, and I know of few individuals who represent the values and ideals of this institution as well as Jim “McKay” McManus,” said College President Brian Linnane, S.J. “From the television era’s earliest days, he brought a profound intelligence, dignity and humanity to sports coverage that those who have followed in his footsteps have long aimed to equal.”

Class President and sports editor of The Greyhound as a Loyola student, McKay continued his service to his alma mater long after his graduation. A former Trustee of the College, he lent his famous voice to Loyola’s promotional videos for many years.

McKay also served as a volunteer on Loyola’s Decade of Decision capital campaign as well as the Athletic Fund. He and his wife Margaret McManus also chaired the Triple Crown Ball held in honor of late Loyola President Joseph A. Sellinger, S.J. in 1993. Long-time members of the College’s John Early Society leadership giving organization, they also chaired the Society for a number of years.

McKay received several of Loyola’s highest honors, including an honorary degree in 1981, the year he delivered the Commencement Address; the Carroll Medal recognizing distinguished alumni in 2002; and the Andrew White Medal in 2005. He is also a member of Loyola’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Jim McKay was an extraordinarily erudite and gifted writer who brought a unique poetry to all of his work,” remembers Michael Goff, Loyola’s Vice President for Development and College Relations. “His Commencement Address in 1981 focused on the importance of brevity, and the power of the apt word. It was a mere six minutes long, and it was captivating. He maintained a powerful connection to Loyola throughout his life, and, along with his wife, was very dedicated to this institution.”

Perhaps best-known for his long tenure as host of ABC’s Wide World of Sports, McKay was also the “voice of the Olympics” for many, covering 12 Games throughout his career. Most notably, McKay remained on the air for 16 hours during the kidnapping and eventual murder of 11 Israeli athletes during the 1972 Games in Munich. The grace and empathy he demonstrated during this tragic episode cemented his place among America’s foremost broadcasters.

McKay earned 13 Emmys throughout his career—including the first ever awarded for sports and the first recognizing Lifetime Achievement in Sports. He also received the Peabody Award in 1989.

“In spite of all the fame he achieved, the thing that always struck me most about him was his humility,” says J. Frank Cashen, ’45, former general manager for the New York Mets and a former executive in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He and McKay knew each other from their student days, became better acquainted while both were writing for Baltimore dailies in the 1940s, and continued to cross paths throughout their lives.

“He just remained the same humble person he had always been.”

Joseph Kelly, ’39, a longtime horseracing writer, concurs.

“He was a gracious, caring person when we first met, and that never, ever changed,” says Kelly. “As far as his television work goes, he was a true original.”

A funeral Mass for McKay is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 10 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.

He is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.