McKay: A Professional's Professional Is Gone

"If I said I was an objective reporter, I'd be lying through my teeth," he said during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. "I think when an American wins, you're excited. And why not?"

Still, unlike so many of the current generation of shamelessly self-promoting, look-at-me broadcasters, McKay worked with a far more humble, self-effacing approach that further endeared him to decades of viewers, some of whom used him as their role model while pursuing broadcasting careers of their own.

In his new book, "Always By My Side," CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz recalled being introduced to McKay by a college golf teammate who was working as teaching pro at McKay's club in Connecticut. Nantz, then working as a sports anchor in Houston and only a few years out of college, was invited by McKay to come north for a round of golf.

"After spending the day basking in Jim McKay's aura and quizzing him about the profession, my career aspirations suddenly seemed attainable," Nantz wrote. "That magical morning had exceeded anything that I could have reasonably hoped for. Here was my childhood idol -- the person I most wanted to emulate -- encouraging me to continue pursuing my dream and even graciously offering to help in any way he could. ¿ Immediately, I wrote McKay a thank-you note. ¿ Then, just about a week later, I received a package in the mail. Jim McKay had sent me a note saying how much he had enjoyed spending time with me."

The package also included a book of essays written by famous British golf writer and broadcaster, Henry Longhurst, with an inscription on the flyleaf from McKay that read, "To Jim Nantz, Remembering our day on the windy links of Fairfield." Nantz still considers it among his most treasured possessions.

Those of us who grew up watching McKay from around the world treasured all that quality time with him, as well. In my house, "Wide World" was must-see TV almost from the day it went on the air with the 1961 Penn Relays from Philadelphia. McKay actually helped write the show's famous "thrill of victory, agony of defeat" introduction.

Over the years, I also had the great pleasure of meeting McKay and interviewing him several times for this column. He could not have been more accommodating, more gracious or more forthcoming on every subject. That included the time I had to pose tough questions about the wisdom of him broadcasting the Preakness for ABC when he himself was so deeply involved in the racing business (he owned and bred thoroughbreds and was the originator of the Maryland Million series).

He told me he could understand the concern, but that he would never allow his love of the sport or his private interests to compromise anything that had to be said on the air, good or bad. We eventually agreed to disagree on the conflict-of-interest issue, and over the years, he always continued to accept my calls, more than willing to comment on the topic of that day.

McKay's son, Sean McManus, now president of CBS News and Sports, said in a statement that "because of the profession I'm in, not a day goes by when someone doesn't stop me and say 'we think of him all the time' and 'we admire him.' That tells you a lot about the kind of man he was."

That tells you everything you need to know about Jim McKay.

Leonard Shapiro can be reached at len.shapiro@washingtonpost.com