Jack Cristil Remembered

The Voice of the Bulldogs for 58 years, Jack Cristil truly lived a life wrapped in maroon and white. Thanks, Jack.


Audio Transcription: 
Jack Cristil: Mississippi State is going to gamble all the way. It's 28 to 27. They're going to go for the two point conversion attempt. Belter calls his play, rolls to the right. Belter gets a block. Belter to the goal line. He did it!

Speaker 2: [inaudible 00:00:14]

Jack Cristil: Belter into the end zone. First and four and goal to go for Alabama. Jacobs goes up underneath. Goes to the fullback. Fumble! Fumbles the ball. Bulldogs recover! Bulldogs recover! Bulldogs recover! Bulldogs give it to Norwood, who breaks it inside the 30 to the 25, to the 20. He's racing to the 10! To the 5! Touchdown Norwood! Unbelievable, there's a flag down in the end zone. If they call a celebration penalty on this, I'll shoot them. Three, two, one. Bingo. Mississippi State 17, Alabama 16. The eighth ranked team in the country has just gone down to defeat and goal posts are going down on both ends of the field.

This basketball game is over. Mississippi State going the way of the Final Four with a 10 point win over the Cincinnati Bearcats. Matkin gets to the end zone. Scores! Matkin-

Speaker 2: Ballgame!

Jack Cristil: ... scores and the Bulldogs win the ballgame in overtime, winning it 43 to 41. Wrap this one in Mississippi State maroon and white. Three, two, one, bingo! The Bulldogs officially are the Western Division SEC champions and will head for the championship ballgame. It's time for the Sonic Drive of the Game. And perhaps, as far as I'm concerned, the drive of the game may be my drive home from Starkville to Tupelo. I have been privileged and blessed for the past 58 years to have had the opportunity to represent Mississippi State University as their broadcaster of football and basketball. All good things, as they say in the trade, have to come to an end sooner or later. Please accept my sincere, my genuine, my honest and heartfelt thank you for all the kindnesses that you have displayed to me over these past 58 years. It has been one genuine pleasure to be associated with such a magnificent university as this, with its administration, its faculty, its students, and the Mississippi State family. The Mississippi State University family is second to none, and as family I know you understand. Thank you very much and may God [inaudible 00:02:34] blessings be upon you and your family. Thank you.