Jackson was considered the voice of college football having broadcast games for over half a century calling his last game in 2006.
But Jackson was so much more than college football. If you watched ABC Sports then you would have seen call the Olympics, college basketball with Dick Vitale or perhaps on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Jackson was also part of the original Monday Night Football crew.
Naturally, I remember Jackson best for baseball during the 1970's and 1980's. He was part of ABC's Monday Night Baseball crew. He covered five league championship series, three All-Star Games and three World Series.
Jackson was present for some of baseball's most seminal moments such as Bucky Dent's home run in the one game playoff between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for the AL East title in 1978, George Brett's three home run game in Game 3 of the 1978 ALCS between the Yankees and Kansas City Royals, Reggie Jackson's three home run game in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series which saw the Yankees triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the 16-inning marathon in Game 6 of the 1986 National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and Houston Astros.
But perhaps the zaniest call Jackson had to make was on Chris Chambliss' walk off home run in Game 5 of the 1976 ALCS in which the Yankees beat the Royals to win the AL pennant. The crazy part was Chambliss trying to circle the bases with 20,000 fans mobbing him. This scene could not happen today and has to be seen and heard to be believed. Although, we hear far more Howard Cosell than Jackson it is well worth looking at again.
I leave you with a voice over intro Jackson did at the beginning of a Monday Night Baseball telecast from Fenway Park on July 23, 1979 when the Red Sox faced the California Angels. The Red Sox lost that game 9-2 to the eventual AL West title winners. Win or lose, Keith Jackson was an ornament in any sport he covered. R.I.P.
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