The award is a major honour for me for a couple reasons. First off, it is for $1000 and I have no money right now so thats a huge help but more importantly, I get to recieve an award named after a real hero of the sports broadcasting industry.
My grandpa said he met Don Wittman in Saskatchewan back in the 60's just before Wittman came to Winnipeg to work for CBC.
Through the years, I can remember him having the mic for a number of really famous events in Canadian sports history. He worked on Hockey Night in Canada and did a lot of football but he was probably best known for his work on Track and Field at the Olympics.
Wittman's best call was, without a doubt, his famed "Saturday nights in Georgia" line after Donovan Bailey won the 100m dash at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Bailey shattered the world record and Wittman did an almost perfect job at encapsulating the joy being felt across our country.
Watching the video still gives me chills and it will be with great honour and also a heavy heart that I accept his award tonight.
Have a look.
I remember watching the Bailey race and Whittman called it perfectly. I especially remember his calls of CFL games for the CBC. He's a broadcasting legend.
ReplyDeleteWell deserved Keith!
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