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Legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson dies at age 89

Keith Jackson, who was widely regarded as the voice of college football by several generations, died late Friday night, his family said. He was 89.

Jackson spent some 50 years calling the action in a folksy, down-to-earth manner that made him one of the most popular play-by-play personalities in the business.

"Keith Jackson is a man of great character and a legendary broadcaster," George Bodenheimer, then the president of ESPN and ABC Sports, said when Jackson retired in 2006. "For decades, his unmistakable style defined college football for millions of fans."

Jackson got his start on the radio in 1952, broadcasting Washington State games, but went on to provide the national television soundtrack for the biggest games in the most storied stadiums.