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17 Facts About Jimmy Magee

1.

Jimmy Magee was an American born-Irish sports broadcaster, known as "The Memory Man", he spent over half a century in sports broadcasting, and presented radio and television coverage of the Olympic Games since 1968 and the FIFA World Cup since 1966.

2.

Jimmy Magee was born in 1935 in New York City in the United States, to Patrick Magee and his wife Rose.

3.

Jimmy Magee recalls commentating as a seven-year-old for his next-door neighbour on a variety of imaginary games that the young Magee was playing in.

4.

Jimmy Magee has spoken of making up his own radio commentary in a field at a young age.

5.

Jimmy Magee died on 20 September 2017 after falling ill during the previous days.

6.

Jimmy Magee started out as a reporter for the Radio Eireann programme Junior Sports Magazine.

7.

On leaving his Railway job, Jimmy Magee presented a number of sponsored radio programmes before concentrating on sport.

8.

Jimmy Magee was a producer, presenter and script writer for Radio Eireann's sponsored programmes in the 1950s and 1960s.

9.

In 1966 Jimmy Magee covered his first World Cup for RTE Radio.

10.

Jimmy Magee did likewise for the 1970 FIFA World Cup before transferring to television for the 1974 FIFA World Cup finals.

11.

Jimmy Magee has been a staple of RTE's coverage of the Olympic Games.

12.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Jimmy Magee provided commentary on the football.

13.

From 1987 to 1998 Jimmy Magee hosted Know Your Sport, a sports-themed quiz show, along with George Hamilton.

14.

Jimmy Magee's broadcasting career saw him provide commentary for over 200 international football games, 30 European Cup finals, multiple Tour de France cycle races, World Athletic Championships and boxing.

15.

Jimmy Magee narrated numerous videos on Sport in general such as The purple and Gold, Meath return to Glory, etc.

16.

Jimmy Magee commentated on three finals in both hurling and football.

17.

In 1972 Jimmy Magee won a Jacob's Award for his radio sports commentaries.