Jack Whitaker

Born 18 May 1924 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

​Born in Philadelphia, Whitaker joined WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, where he broadcast weather and sports. His colleagues included Ed McMahon and John Facenda. Whitaker also did color commentary for the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 50s. He also became a play-by-play broadcaster in 1960, when the Eagles won the NFL Championship.​

In 1961, Whitaker joined CBS Sports, where he covered the first Super Bowl, Secretariat’s Triple Crown, golf’s majors, and boxing. He also served as a studio host for The NFL Today. Of all the sports Whitaker covered, golf was the sport he enjoyed the most. Whitaker did get in a bit of trouble at the 1966 Masters when he offended the Masters chairman, Clifford Roberts, by referring to the gallery at the 18th hole as a “mob.”

​Whitaker covered Ruffian’s life-threatening injury and fatal breakdown in 1975. It inspired a passage Whitaker commented on. “A false step here and the years of planning and breeding and training and loving came to an end. A horse with speed, stamina, and heart. A horse, like the Bible says, ‘whose neck is clothed in thunder.’”

​Whitaker moved to ABC in 1982. Whitaker participated in the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988. He also covered sports for World News Tonight, 20/20, and Nightline. He provided historical imagery while broadcasting, including what he said during the 1982 British Open in Scotland: “Playing in the British Open …