At the end of tonight's Countdown, Keith Olbermann announced the passing of his mother, Marie Olbermann (1929-2009) this Saturday from cancer.
This is a brief diary. Mostly, I wanted to present an opportunity for us to express our condolences to a fellow Kossack who means so much to this community.
Update: Kossack Scarce has provided the YouTube of Keith's entire Countdown segment tonight paying tribute to his mother in his comment below: In Memoriam: Marie Olbermann. Thank you from the bottom of my techno-illiterate heart, Scarce!
Losing a parent is never easy at any age. Keith shared that his mother's illness was brief, and her passing calm. He presented an affectionate tribute to her, emphasizing her role in turning him into a lifelong baseball fan. In his remembrance, he recalled:
It was my mother who was the fan in our family. My Dad likes the game enough, but the Yankees traded his favorite player and he's still mad at them. This happened late in 1948. But it was Mom who introduced me to the game, and in my teenaged years when we went nearly every day, it was she who trundled me and my sister to the ballpark. It was on her tv that I came to love the sport, and by her side that I began to understand it. And, sitting next to her, that I began to understand that I was not going to be any damn good playing it and if I wanted "in" - maybe I'd better try talking about it.
Keith also recapped her brush with fame when she was hit in the face by an errant Chuck Knoblauch throw, while sitting in the stands at a Yankee game. Knoblauch was mortified, Keith recalled, but Mrs. Olbermann apparently enjoyed her moment in baseball's spotlight: interviews, newspapers pictures and stories, and a quirky baseball anecdote that will live forever.
Keith also recounted one of the most unsung contributions moms make to career development: all that driving! She drove him to extracurricular activities, such as working on the school newspaper, where one kid's passion turned into his profession.
Keith mentioned two charities at the end of the broadcast: The Susan G. Komen Foundation and St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Marie is survived by her husband Ted, her son Keith and her daughter Jenna.
The text of Keith's tribute is now available here.
Keith, you have my sincerest condolences on the loss of your mother.