Jim Karvellas (August 24, 1935[1][2]–January 1, 2007[3][4]) was a veteran play-by-play sportscaster whose career on radio and television spanned more than 30 years.
[1] He grew up among a close-knit extended family residing in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago near his father's grocery store.
"[8] Karvellas spent his high school years at St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, WI and later attended Northwestern University.
[8] Karvellas' radio and TV broadcasting career spanned basketball, soccer, football, baseball, golf, and even NASCAR.
He continued: "You learn how to open and close events, fill time during delays in auto races, so those were all really important in helping mold me as an announcer.
He did play-by-play for the Colts and became the third member of the Orioles' broadcast team that included Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell.
A year later, he called both the 1969 Super Bowl and World Series on national radio when both teams made appearances.
[8] While a sportscaster on WTTG (Channel 5),[13] Karvellas played a leading role in the third attempt to bring soccer to Washington, DC.
[16] Reported The New York Times, "The Washington Diplomats are working hard to establish themselves, both in the North American Soccer League, which they will join this season, and with the people of the capital.
"[17] It took Karvellas years to make Celebrity Golf a reality but it was finally picked up by NBC due to their loss of Major League Baseball.
It hosted players such as Michael Jordan, Ernie Banks, Mario Lemieux, Mike Schmidt, and Kenny Rogers to name a few.