The other day I was talking with some friends about how horrible it was that Hockey Night in Canada was no longer going to use their opening theme song that we all grew up listening to every Saturday night.

As we talked, we mentioned the voices of sports that we miss—Bruce Martyn, Sid Abel, George Kell, Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey. Abel passed away a few years back and the other four are enjoying their retirement while we still try to warm up to the new voices of the games.

Another voice, that was never mentioned, but was just as cherished during my childhood was Jim McKay. McKay passed away yesterday at 86.

McKay, of course, was the voice of ABC’s Wide World of Sports and was famous for the line “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” He also covered many Olympic games including the 1972 Munich games when Palestinian terrorists held hostage and eventually killed 11 Isreali athletes.

Unlike many of the play-by-play and studio talent of today, none of the guys mentioned above made themselves a part of the game. They simply but vividly told us exactly what was happening on the field. In an age where everyone sounds the same, they didn’t shout and they didn’t try to be funny, but when you heard their unique voices it was easy to focus and follow their call.