Reporting the tragedy of the 1972 Munich Olympics

[@newberley]

Not nearly enough has been said about the remarkable career of Jim McKay. He was a presence in our homes every weekend for 3+ decades. His rich descriptions made you feel as though you were at every event. Jim interviewed countless citizens and atheletes across the globe at the height of the Cold War. In so doing, he helped us all feel connected.

[@richmoves]

I remember this ... I was 12 when it happened. I was a huge Jim McKay fan, he did such a great job.

[@dolbra4]

I was 13, and remember it too. Jim McKay did do a great job.

[@girlfromthebronxbywayofelb7288]

McKay did a great job of covering this story, and my social studies teacher did an amazing job of explaining all of it to us. What a sad time.

[@RPlace-m5c]

I was 13 and remember it well. Jim McKay was amazing and I always considered ABC sports to be the best.

[@CindyKrueger]

I watched the story unfold with my high school classmates thanks to our history teacher who gathered us together so we could see it on television.

[@tubiephrank0707]

One of the Israeli athletes was an American -- David Berger. Jim McKay knew him. As the ABC coverage went along, McKay knew that Berger's family would be watching the news back in Cleveland Ohio, and that they would likely learn from McKay whether their son had survived or not. BTW -- there is a privately commissioned memorial to David in Cleveland, and also a memorial to all of the murdered athletes in Israel.

[@tomandaj1]

I grew up Cupertino CA. Our high school had members of the water polo team and one swimmer (John Henkin) at the games. They were directly across from the building that the hostages were taken. They watched the whole thing unfold.

[@guyfletcher45]

"They're all gone." Still chilling to hear.

[@dondoyle8474]

My great uncle was there and I remember his stories to this day.

[@gwenniegirl50]

IMO the telegram from Walter Cronkite…WOW, especially significant because Walter Cronkite was the anchor for the CBS network. What a great accolade for Jim McKay.

[@pandersonnike]

I remember watching a documentary about the Munich Olympics and Black September. It's really sad considering the goals of the Olympics, and how it was one of the first terrorist attacks that the Western world, especially Americans, first witnessed. How ABC handled that, and especially since it was something new for any US network then, did an amazing job.

[@nedwart]

A lot of that was thanks to Peter Jennings. He was the first full-time American journalist to cover the Middle East, and therefore he had a unique perspective and knowledge of the broader storylines. Was he 100% correct in reporting Munich? Perhaps not. But you can't deny that he brought viewers a new dimension to the reporting of the Arab world, and journalism as a profession benefitted from it. If he doesn't quit being an anchor man in the 60s, he probably doesn't get the Middle East assignment afterwards, and he certainly wouldn't have anchored for an entire day on 9/11.

[@lrc1259]

I remember this. I was seven years old. My mother just remarried. We traveled to Santa Barbara for their honeymoon. After a long day being typical tourists we would watch the Olympics at night in the hotel room. Clearly I was too young to understand what was going on other than mark spitz winning all those gold metals. What a complete evil example of what humans can do against each other. Horrible!!!

[@wotan10950]

As Bill Clinton said last week, “I tried to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He referenced failed peace talks that he convened in 2000 with the Palestinian leader at the time, Yasir Arafat, and the then-prime minister of Israel, Ehud Barak. Clinton blames Arafat for the deal falling apart, and he said that he tells young people today “what Arafat walked away from” and “they can’t believe it.” He added: I’ll go through all the stuff that was in the deal and it’s not on their radar or radar screen. They can’t even imagine that happening. You walk away from these once-in-a-lifetime peace opportunities, and you can’t complain 25 years later when the doors weren’t all still open and all the possibilities weren’t still there. You can’t do it.

[@vernonedmonds8596]

Jim did his job worthy of a true master,,,, RIP James Kenneth McManus aka Jim McKay 1921 - 2008

[@timbeckett6970]

I was 10 years old and still remember that horrible event.

[@MissT813]

I was almost 9. I remember this looking at the Olympics.

[@joseph7988]

Good, a movie that doesn't "both sides" the terror attack. There is no reason, excuse, explanation, whatever for being a murderer at the Olympics.

[@michaelmonthey5974]

Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film, Munich is by far the best movie based on the 1972 West German Olympics Massacre.

[@suzannerhinehart5845]

I would love to hear more about this story.

[@emjay2045]

I was SIX. And still remember this !!

[@Gray-goose]

Camera crews filmed the police officers' actions and broadcast them live on television. Media….

[@speerrituall1]

I remember when this happened 😢

[@steveconn]

This and Daniel co-starring film Munich meant alot more before Gaza.

[@TheMishpacha5]

While everyone in the industry is patting themselves on the back for the coverage we are over here in Israel defending ourselves not only against the same monstrous terror but from a media who has become a tool of the terrorists. Forgive me if I don’t share your jovial nostalgia.

[@ShirleyPotts-ud3nb]

I just love The CBS Olympics.

[@nikobatallones]

This was ABC, though.

[@jeffwright1722]

Why do father and son have different last names?

[@samanthab1923]

The dad’s real last name is McManus. McKay was his stage name

[@EmilioBello-q6k]

It was terrible

[@devongratrix4921]

Congratulations?

[@seniorguapo908]

Coverage

[@TheMishpacha5]

Agree, very poor judgment to express anything like this after such a horrific attack.

[@bbygrlpt2]

When have they not caused problems

[@genociderjill]

The Israelis? Since the beginning of time.

[@bbygrlpt2]

@ The other ones based on facts

[@barriesiemek6887]

Please give the host a hair cut and a tailor. Feel sorry for him.

[@MsNerdsRevenge]

The Olympics games which were to being peace? Jessie Owens won 4 gold medals in 1936, Berlin. Atlanta GA, 1996 experienced something similar. Jessie Owens wore Adidas first.

[@gregengel1616]

Atlanta experienced something similar? Are you talking about the bomb at the park?

[@MsNerdsRevenge]

@@gregengel1616 1996 Olympics. Alii meda was replaced under the name Ali when he completed under the name Cassius Clay. His 1960 replacement medal was presented when team USA played Yugoslavia at halftime. Yugoslavia is no more. How much land was lost to those of us in the South?

[@gregengel1616]

@MsNerdsRevenge WTF?

[@MsNerdsRevenge]

@gregengel1616 😊 Olympics time lines exist.

[@Fouloulle]

Free Palestine !

[@nh3028]

oh yeah seems to have worked well

[@Riskmangler]

And the Palestinians are still doing it today.

[@genociderjill]

Uh huhhh.. sure...

[@celieboo]

This isn't true. Please stop spreading lies.

[@Koushik_singha1222]

Their room of guilt is full, Now they have to atone for their sins.

[@maddiemizzi8964]

Dec 8 2024 is the day John Lennon died

[@JustinCase780]

Wrong year!

[@kevinjenner9502]

Netanyahu’s GNCD, Ethnic Cleaning, Lebensraum.

[@alexasmith2573]

עם ישראל חי

[@alexasmith2573]

Remember who started all of the wars, not Israel.

[@kevinjenner9502]

1948 Nakba

[@kevinjenner9502]

Under US law it is illegal to provide weapons to a country found to be in violation of International Humanitarian Law and the Leahy Act…Unless you’re Israel

[@celieboo]

Tbis is a very inaccurate statement. ​@@alexasmith2573

[@Dearthvader2]

MOSAD CIA ARAB BIOWEAPONS! DO WE LOOK STUPID?

[@alexasmith2573]

עם ישראל חי