'Whoa Nelly!' Keith Jackson  Voice Of College Football Dies At 89
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson  was one of sports' great voices  and one of its most popular play-by-play announcers.  He  was considered the voice of college football by several generations or watchers.
 Jackson  died Friday.  He  was 89.
 He  began calling college football games for ABC Sports when it acquired the broadcast rights for NCAA football in 1966.
 He  also worked NFL and NBA games  World Series  Winter and Summer Olympics and auto racing. For the job   he  traveled to 31 countries for ABC's Wide World of Sports.
 Jackson  announced  he  would retire from college football play-by-play after the 1998 season but ended up continuing with ABC Sports  in 1999.  He  retired for good in May 2006.
ESPN  which consolidated with ABC sports  announced  Jackson 's death Friday. The sports network highlighted  Jackson 's many broadcasting accomplishments:
 "Jackson  got  his  start on the radio in 1952  broadcasting Washington State games  but went on to provide the national television soundtrack for the biggest games in the most storied stadiums.  His  colorful expressions â 'Whoa  Nellie' and 'Big Uglies' among the many â became part of the college football lexicon. He was credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl 'The Granddaddy of Them All' and Michigan's stadium 'The Big House.'  Jackson  was the first play-by-play voice of Monday Night Football when the program debuted in 1970.  He  called Bucky Dent's home run against the Red Sox in 1978 as well as  Reggie Jackson 's three-homer game in the 1977 World Series.  He  covered the 1972 Olympics where Mark Spitz won seven gold medals. In 1999   Jackson  was awarded the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Gold Medal â its highest honor â and named to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame  the first broadcaster accorded those distinguished honors."
 Jackson 's death comes three weeks after another sportscasting legend  Dick Enberg  died at age 82.
[TGT] was one of sports' great voices  and one of its most popular play-by-play announcers.   [TGT]   was considered the voice of college football by several generations or watchers.
  [TGT] died Friday.   [TGT]   was 89.
  [TGT]   began calling college football games for ABC Sports when it acquired the broadcast rights for NCAA football in 1966.
  [TGT]   also worked NFL and NBA games  World Series  Winter and Summer Olympics and auto racing. For the job   he  traveled to 31 countries for ABC's Wide World of Sports.
  [TGT] announced   [TGT]   would retire from college football play-by-play after the 1998 season but ended up continuing with ABC Sports  in 1999.   [TGT]   retired for good in May 2006.
ESPN  which consolidated with ABC sports  announced   [TGT]  's death Friday. The sports network highlighted   [TGT]  's many broadcasting accomplishments:
 " [TGT] got   [TGT]   start on the radio in 1952  broadcasting Washington State games  but went on to provide the national television soundtrack for the biggest games in the most storied stadiums.   [TGT]   colorful expressions â 'Whoa  Nellie' and 'Big Uglies' among the many â became part of the college football lexicon. He was credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl 'The Granddaddy of Them All' and Michigan's stadium 'The Big House.'   [TGT] was the first play-by-play voice of Monday Night Football when the program debuted in 1970.   [TGT]   called Bucky Dent's home run against the Red Sox in 1978 as well as   [TGT]  three-homer game in the 1977 World Series.   [TGT]   covered the 1972 Olympics where Mark Spitz won seven gold medals. In 1999    [TGT] was awarded the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Gold Medal â its highest honor â and named to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame  the first broadcaster accorded those distinguished honors."
  [TGT]  's death comes three weeks after another sportscasting legend  Dick Enberg  died at age 82.