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'God bless and good night' Keith Jackson signs off on historic career
Posted: Tuesday January 05, 1999 12:58 AM
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- There was no 'Whoa Nellie' at the end of Keith Jackson's final broadcast. The veteran announcer, whose booming voice and down-home sayings have made him synonymous with college football for the past 26 years, ended his career on Monday night at the Fiesta Bowl. "Tennessee 23, Florida State 16. And so it is done. I say goodbye to all of you. God bless and good night," were the 70-year-old Jackson's final words as he signed off for the last time a little past midnight EST. Jackson joined ABC in 1962 and has covered the big events -- the NBA, the NFL, baseball and the Olympics (10 of them in total) -- and the obscure ones -- like wrist wrestling on "Wide World of Sports." But it is the 32 years of calling college games from small towns like Tuscaloosa, Ala., and State College, Pa., that he will be remembered most for. In his final telecast, he tried to divert the attention away from himself and onto the field for most of the game, but it wasn't easy. Bob Griese, his partner of 12 years, brought it up on numerous occasions during the first half and dumped a Gatorade container full of confetti on Jackson's head near the conclusion of the game. During halftime, ABC aired a four-minute clip of Jackson's career highlights. And even Jackson brought up his retirement late in the fourth quarter, despite his insistence before the game that he would not talk about himself. He thanked Griese, sideline reporter Lynn Swann and the production staff at ABC for their help through the years. At halftime, Griese informed Jackson that ABC and Washington State, his alma mater, have established a Keith Jackson Distinguished Presidential Scholarship, a $100,000 scholarship that will be given to the top WSU student in recognition of Jackson's career. "Is that right? Wow," Jackson said when informed of the scholarship on the air by partner Bob Griese. "That's wonderful." Washington State provided $50,000 and ABC Inc. added $50,000 to establish the scholarship. The award "honors Keith's outstanding career and pursuit of excellence while benefiting outstanding students who also seek excellence," said WSU President Sam Smith. The money will provide scholarships for outstanding students. Jackson was a police science major at WSU when he became interested in broadcasting. He is a charter member of the WSU Foundation, provided scholarship money to the Edward R. Murrow School of Communications and chaired the fund-raising drive for the school's alumni center. Jackson will also receive the 1999 Gold Medal Award from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame on Dec. 7 at the annual awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The award, its highest honor, is presented to individuals who have demonstrated integrity, achieved success, and have carried the basic values taught in amateur sport into their professional life. Past recipients of the award include former baseball great Jackie Robinson, President John Kennedy, and actor John Wayne.
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