Jim Simpson (sportscaster)
A foundational voice of American sports broadcasting, whose calm authority and versatility set the standard for ESPN's early coverage.
1927–2016 (age 89)·American sportscaster·Birthday: December 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Jim Simpson's voice was one of the first sounds of big-time sports for a generation of American viewers. With a smooth, assured delivery that avoided hysterics, he became a trusted presence for NBC Sports, calling everything from AFL football and college basketball to golf and the Olympics. His true legacy, however, was cemented in 1979 when he joined a fledgling cable network called ESPN. Simpson was its first major hire, a veteran anchor who lent immediate credibility. He called the network's first live event—a slow-pitch softball game—and became the face of its flagship 'SportsCenter' program. His ability to gracefully pivot from tennis to boxing to football made him the prototype for the modern, all-sports broadcaster. Simpson didn't just report on the games; for many, he was the welcoming guide into the new, 24-hour world of televised sport.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Jim was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Died at 89
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Was the first major sportscaster hired by ESPN, anchoring its early coverage and helping establish its identity.
- Called a vast array of sports for NBC, including the 1972 Summer Olympics and numerous major golf tournaments.
- Inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2000.
Did You Know?
He called the very first live event ever broadcast on ESPN: a slow-pitch softball game in 1979.
Simpson served as a navigator in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He was the original play-by-play announcer for the Washington Senators baseball team when they moved to Texas to become the Rangers.
“The best broadcasters are the ones who know when to shut up and let the picture tell the story.”
