Jack Whitaker facts for kids

John Francis Whitaker (born May 18, 1924 – died August 18, 2019) was a well-known American sportscaster. He worked for major TV networks like CBS and ABC. Before his broadcasting career, Whitaker was a brave soldier in World War II. He fought in the Normandy Campaign and was injured by an artillery attack.

Jack Whitaker: A Sports Broadcasting Legend

Early Life and Starting His Career

Jack Whitaker was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He finished high school in 1941 and college in 1947. After college, he began his career in broadcasting at a radio station called WPAM.

In 1950, he moved to WCAU, a CBS station in Philadelphia. There, he reported on local weather and did other announcing jobs. He continued working for CBS in Philadelphia while also taking on assignments for the main CBS network.

Exciting Years at CBS Sports

Whitaker joined network sports at CBS in 1961. He became a play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. He also hosted a popular show called CBS Sports Spectacular.

He worked for CBS for over 20 years. Many people remember him best for his amazing coverage of golf and horse racing. He reported on major horse racing events like the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. He also covered golf's biggest championships.

Jack Whitaker was even part of the team for the very first Super Bowl. He also covered boxing, soccer leagues like the NPSL and NASL, and Major League Baseball. He was also a studio host for The NFL Today, CBS's pre-game football show.

Covering the Masters Golf Tournament

Jack Whitaker once faced a small issue while covering the Masters Tournament golf event for CBS. In 1966, he made a comment about the crowd arriving at the 18th hole. The tournament chairman misunderstood his words. Because of this, Whitaker was not asked to cover the Masters for a few years.

However, in 1972, he was invited back to watch the tournament. When another announcer became ill, Whitaker was asked to step in. He then continued to be a telecaster for the Masters in the years that followed.

Jack Whitaker was a unique voice in sports. After many other famous announcers passed away, he became the only living play-by-play announcer from the first 21 Super Bowls.

Moving to ABC Sports and News

In 1982, Jack Whitaker moved to ABC. He worked as a reporter for both their news and sports departments. He was part of ABC's sports team for big events like the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and the 1984 Winter and Summer Olympic Games. He also covered the 1990 Little League World Series.

Beyond sports, Whitaker reported for ABC's news shows. These included World News Tonight, Nightline, and 20/20. He left ABC around 2004, having officially retired from the network in 1993.

Awards and Special Honors

Jack Whitaker received many important awards for his work. He won three Emmy Awards. One was in 1979 for being an Outstanding Host or Commentator. Another was in 1990 for his writing. In 2012, he received a special Lifetime Achievement award.

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia honored Whitaker as their Person of the Year in 1981. They also added him to their Hall of Fame in 2003.

His Final Years

Jack Whitaker passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 18, 2019. He was in Devon, Pennsylvania.