By Alin K. Gregorian
Mirror-Spectator Staff
WATERTOWN, Mass. — The Armenian Mirror-Spectator is marking its 78th anniversary on December 9 at 7:30 p.m. with a program featuring local and national journalists at the elegant Taj Boston Hotel.
The program, titled “Celebrating 78 Years and Beyond” will feature as keynote speaker Tim Kurkjian of ESPN. Kurkjian is a baseball analyst and reporter for ESPN TV and the Emmy award-winning ESPN productions’ “Baseball Tonight” and “SportsCenter.” He is also a senior writer for ESPN magazine and ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to baseball discussions on Tony Kornheiser’s “Pardon the Interruption,” ESPN radio and numerous other radio baseball programs, including NPR’s “Only a Game.” He has been covering major league baseball for 30 years, including eight years writing for Sports Illustrated before joining ESPN in 1998. He wrote his first book, America’s Game, in 2000. His second book, Is This a Great Game or What?, was released in 2007.
Kurkjian grew up in Bethesda, Md. And attended Walter Johnson High School, named for the great Washington Senators pitcher. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in journalism in 1978. He currently resides in Darnestown, Md. with his wife, Kathy, and two children, Kelly and Jeffrey.
Kurkjian said he was thrilled to help out with the Mirror-Spectator celebration, especially because it’s an Armenian organization and “an Armenian called me and asked me to help.” He noted that helping out fellow Armenians is a part of the ethos of the community.
“I travel across the country and meet people. Some come up to me and say hello only because they’re Armenian,” he said.
