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Legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson dies at 89

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty

Legendary sports broadcaster Keith Jackson died late Friday at the age of 89, his family told ESPN on Saturday.

Jackson, widely known for phrases such as "Whoa, Nellie!" and "Hold the phone!," called a wide array of sports over his decorated career that began at Washington State in 1952, but it was perhaps the world of college football in which he made his biggest mark.

Jackson provided the voice for numerous gridiron classics, including Paul "Bear" Bryant's record-setting 315th win for Alabama in 1981, the "Miracle at Michigan" between Michigan and Colorado, and Vince Young's last-minute touchdown run to lead Texas past USC in the 2006 national championship.

He was also credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl "The Grandaddy of Them All," and Michigan's football stadium "The Big House."

Along with college football, Jackson called MLB, NFL, and USFL games, as well as the Olympic Games, and auto racing events including The Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.

Jackson was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1994, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1995, and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1999, after which, the stadium's radio and television booths were renamed in his honor in 2015.

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