Thursday, August 22, 2019

A Pair of Jacks

Former ABC and CBS Sports broadcaster Jack Whitaker died Saturday.  95.  He got his broadcasting start at the now defunct WPAM in Pottsville.  Whitaker did at all at CBS.  For the end of his time there, and later at ABC, he did commentaries and essays.  I really don't like people who have this whole reverential thing when it comes to sports.  If you don't know what I mean, listen to the Masters golf tournament on CBS for a few minutes every spring.  Tomm Looney, formerly of FOX Sports Radio used to call sports the "toy department of life."  As we have seen, especially some recent days, there are some awful people in sports-- from the owners on down.  Having said that, Jack Whitaker always struck the right tone.  He was an elegant writer and a classy broadcaster.

Jack Perkins died Monday.  85.  Perkins was an NBC News correspondent for many years.  He was also the face and voice of "Biography" on A&E.  Perkins could read the phone book aloud, and make it sound warm, charming, folksy and interesting.  I'm an old radio guy, so a good site of pipes and a strong delivery still blow me away.

We lost two major talents this week.