Verne Lundquist (Photo by Joel Reichenberger)

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Bud Werner Memorial Library presents an evening with Verne Lundquist, one of America’s most beloved sportscasters, as he turns the spotlight on his own life in a new memoir, “Play by Play” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 in Library Hall.

“Play by Play” chronicles some of the most iconic moments in sports history over the last five decades. Lundquist’s broadcasting career has placed him at the center of major sporting events in America for more than 50 years, from Jack Nicklaus’ final victory at the 1986 Masters to Tonya Harding’s attack on Nancy Kerrigan at the 1994 Olympics, to the Auburn-Alabama shocker of 2013.

In his first memoir, he replays highlights from his career, taking sports fans behind the scenes of some of the most dramatic moments in modern sports history.

Lundquist, who lives in Steamboat Springs, goes back to the early days of his broadcasting career, recalling his time as a producer and radio show host in Dallas when President John F. Kennedy was shot. He reminisces about Tom Landry and the great Dallas Cowboy teams of the 1970s, recalls the most unbelievable moments in Masters Tournament history and relives the excitement of Christian Laettner’s buzzer beater in the NCAA tournament and a host of other memorable thrills.

One of the defining voices of Saturday afternoon football for the SEC, Lundquist offers an in-depth look at the fans, the schools and the game, recounting never-before-told stories about some of college football’s biggest personalities. He also speaks honestly about his friendships with Terry Bradshaw, John Madden and other greats, and his difficult relationship with legendary colleague Pat Summerall.

This community talk is free. Books will be available for sale and author signing courtesy of Off the Beaten Path Bookstore. Visit SteamboatLibrary.org/events for more information.