In this video, ABC’s Wide World of Sports co-hosts Becky Dixon and Jim McKay provide the viewer with a complete rundown of the 1987 Kentucky Derby field along with their odds….and since we have many Jim McKay videos from which to write about him….so, we’ll just focus today’s post on his “partner in crime” Becky Dixon.
Rebecca “Becky” Dixon (born April 14, 1951) is an American television broadcaster….who is best known as the co-host of ABC’s Wide World of Sports alongside Frank Gifford and Jim McKay from 1987 to 1988. Dixon is currently the president and owner of AyerPlay Productions in Tulsa, Oklahoma….plus she has also served as a news and sports anchor for KTUL-TV….as well as being host of the Oklahomans program which profiled celebrated Oklahomans .
Dixon began her career in broadcasting in 1980 as a news and sports anchor for KTUL-TV….the local ABC affiliate in Tulsa. With several years of sports reporting under her belt….when she was approached by Dennis Swanson, the president of ABC Sports, upon seeing a tape of her work at KTUL. In 1986, Dixon became the first woman to anchor a network sports show when she became the co-host of ABC’s Wide World of Sports….which she co-hosted alongside Frank Gifford and Jim McKay….as seen in this video herewith. In addition to her role as co-host, Dixon served as a reporter, covering major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, Winter Olympics, Triple Crown, and World Gymnastics Championships. During an interview with Tulsa People magazine Dixon said, “I really enjoyed the sidelines, because it included a bit of everything – feature reports, injuries, interviews… You were the eyes and ears on the field.”
