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George Michael of Sports Machine Fame Dead at 70

DC legend pioneered use of game highlights

By M. Morris,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 24, 2009 3:21 PM CST

(Newser) – George Michael, whose syndicated Sports Machine show helped introduce viewers to the magic of game highlights years before ESPN made it obsolete, died today in Washington. He was 70 and suffering from leukemia. At WRC in Washington from 1980 to 2008, Michael became a legend during the heyday of the local sports anchor, but it was in national syndication that he really made his mark, the Washington Post reports.

"George wasn't the first to make videotape the king—Warner Wolf did it before him—but his rise at Channel 4 coincided with better technology to provide the highlights, the greatest sports boom in US history and a profitable local news operation willing to spend time and money on its sports segments," said sports-TV expert Norman Chad. Writes Post columnist Mike Wise: "George was not so much in search of great athletic achievement as he was authentic human majesty."

Sportscaster George Michael, a mainstay on the Washington, DC, sports TV scene who reached a national audience with The George Michael Sports Machine highlights show, has died at 70.
Sportscaster George Michael, a mainstay on the Washington, DC, sports TV scene who reached a national audience with "The George Michael Sports Machine" highlights show, has died at 70.   (AP Photo/ WRC/NBC4, Bryan Blanken)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Enoughie
Dec 25, 2009 12:51 PM CST
It's hard to believe that game highlights had to be invented... "hmm.. we have 2 minutes to show a 90 minute game.. what do we do?!"
Unaffiliated
Dec 24, 2009 10:02 AM CST
He's been off the air here in DC for a couple years now, but he'll still be missed. Not that there's a good time for someone to pass away, but it always seems worse when it happens around Christmas. My uncle died 10 years ago on 12/23.
DontLikeYou___
Dec 24, 2009 9:55 AM CST
I was a sports fanatic as a kid. I used to watch George Michael before the era of ESPN> I'm sure many of your children have no idea who he is. I'll give you a hint-- he was all class, nothing like the sports journalists (used loosely) that we have today.

 
television • sports • ESPN • obituary • Washington, DC • sportscaster • George Michael (sportscaster) • George Michael Sports Machine • George Michael dead • George Michael obituary

 
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