ABC Ink

By Dawn Shurmaitis

Thousands of photos exist of Donna de Varona as a gangly 13-year-old, poised on the edge of an Olympic swimming pool, preparing to make a powerful leap into sports history. Much harder to capture are the innumerable leaps she’s made in the 37 years since.

Record breaker. Gold medal winner. First, and youngest, female sportscaster on network television. Co-founder of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Moving force in “Title IX Legislation.” Consultant to the 1984 Olympics. ABC sportscaster for six Olympics and newscaster for two. Read the rest…

ABC Ink
Byline: Dawn Shurmaitis

This time next year, Keith Jackson will be a hard man to find. He might be at his waterside get-away in British Columbia, reeling in a big one, or in California, sharing a quiet dinner with wife Turi Ann. There’s only one place you definitely won’t find Jackson, and that’s a cramped announcer’s booth atop a college football field.

This time next year, Jackson will be reveling in his retirement the way he’s always delighted in calling ball games. And that’s A-OK with Jackson, who’s been looking forward to retiring at age 70 for the last 40 years. Read the rest…