Jack Cristil

Jack Cristil
Born	Jacob Sanford Cristil (1925-12-10)December 10, 1925 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupation	radio sports broadcaster
Years active	1947–2011
Spouse(s)	Mavis Cristil (d. 1988)
Children	2

Jacob Sanford "Jack" Cristil (December 10, 1925 – September 7, 2014) was the long-time radio voice of Mississippi State University Bulldog men's basketball and football. Over his 58-year tenure (1953–2011), Cristil called 636 football games (or roughly 63% of all football games played by Mississippi State) and 1,538 basketball games (or roughly 55% of all basketball games played by Mississippi State).

Early life and career

Born in Memphis, Tennessee to Latvian and Russian Jewish immigrants, Cristil listened to radio stations from Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Chicago at a young age and knew then he wanted to be a radio broadcaster.

In 1947, Cristil studied Broadcast Journalism at the University of Minnesota before moving back home to Memphis. Shortly thereafter, Cristil began his radio play-by-play career calling Minor League Baseball in various places such as Jackson, Tennessee; Anniston, Alabama; and Memphis, Tennessee. He then moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to call Clarksdale High School football games.

Cristil submitted an audition tape to then MSU Athletic Director C.R. “Dudy” Noble in August 1953. In September 1953, Cristil began calling Mississippi State football games. His first play-by-play was a 34–6 Mississippi State win over the University of Memphis.

In 1957, Cristil began calling play-by-play for men's basketball. His first was a win over Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, the city where he began his broadcasting career.

Retirement

Cristil announced his retirement after the men's basketball game against University of Tennessee on February 23, 2011. Cristil cited health issues as his reason for stepping down after 58 years. He addressed the fans after the broadcast for almost two minutes, expressing thanks and appreciation to the Mississippi State fan base.

Cristil died September 7, 2014, at the age of 88 at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, Mississippi of complications from kidney disease and cancer.

Awards and achievements

• Southeastern Conference Broadcaster of the Year – 1988
• 21 times named Mississippi Broadcaster of the Year
• 1991 Inductee of Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
• Ronald Reagan Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1997 Chris Schenkel Award given by the College Football Hall of Fame