It Happened!

A Uniquely Lucky Life in Sports Television

By: Art Chansky, Jim Lampley

Narrated by: Jim Lampley

From Jim Lampley, HBO’s ringside face and voice of boxing, comes a first-person, blow-by-blow account of the evolution of sports television chock full of famous names, history-making events, and never-before-told stories from the world of sports.

Jim Lampley’s story is a 50-year travelog of an unlikely career that catalogs the evolution of sports television—from his emergence as the first sideline reporter, through hosting and covering 14 Olympics, to working with all major sports networks.

It Happened! charts Jim’s notable career, with highlights including:

• Becoming the first live reporter on the sideline of a nationally televised college football game
• Following in the footsteps of Jim McKay as host on ABC’s Wide World of Sports and Howard Cosell as halftime host for ABC’s Monday Night Football
• Partnering with ABC, CBS, NBC, Turner, and HBO
• Ascending to host of HBO’s Wimbledon weekday telecasts
• Reaching “icon” status as the 30-year face and voice of HBO World Championship Boxing

Learn how Jim’s brilliance as an announcer and his revolutionary nature led to innovations in sportscasting, three sports Emmys, and induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Personal anecdotes and hard-earned lessons combine as Jim digs deep and shares celebrity stories from the upper echelons of superstar athletes and Hollywood hotshots, but also offers an introspective look at his personal life and trials. It Happened! tells it all.

©2025 Jim Lampley and Art Chansky (P)2025 Recorded Books

Not enough about boxing

It's a good book, but not nearly enough about boxing. I enjoyed the book, but if you're going into it for stories about boxing I wouldn't recommend it.

Lampley Shines In Bio Story

I'm 53 years of age, so I'm old enough to have heard Jim do college football and various studio shows before he reinvented himself on HBO. He had several great calls, but the Foreman fight and "it happened" was his finest hour - the Bowe-Golota riot and the miraculous Chavez win over Meldrick Taylor also stand out.

Great Book! Great man!

What a wonderful book, not only about sports, but also the human condition. I knew of Jim Lampley from boxing and the Olympics. I always considered him a top of the line broadcaster and a great narrator in the theater of the unexpected. His book allowed me to get to know him personally. What a magnificent man? Jim lays his faults right out for us to see, something few writers ever do. Overall, he is a winner in career, personal life and his struggles through the lucky and unlucky paths of life. I loved this book and I bet you will too. Btw, listen to the Audible book. He narrates it himself.

Legend behind the Mic

Jimbo lived a great life, appreciate the ego check lessons and wisdom in his story. As a millennial I only knew him as the voice of boxing from HBO. Jim resume is impeccable, legendary nonetheless my generations Cosell.
Except a greater man than Cosell, instilled by values from his mom of respect and integrity to all he crossed paths with in life.

A True Sports Story By The Greatest

The man has such a clear and unique talent to identify the story in an event-hearing him share his experience is such a treat. Mr Lampley reports on his highs, lows, tales of heartache, connection, failed relationships and love.., and in and around sports. Give it a listen… he reads! Wonderful