Kim King, a Tech legend on and off the football field, died at age 59 on Oct. 12 after a hard-fought battle against cancer.

Just 10 days before his death, Mr. King rode out onto the football field at Bobby Dodd Stadium in the rumble seat of the Ramblin' Wreck. He was saluted with a standing ovation during a ceremony in which Tech dedicated the Kim King Football Locker Room.

Mr. King, IM 68, was an icon of Georgia Tech football for more than 40 years, from a standout playing career for coach Bobby Dodd to service to the Institute as a supporter and benefactor of athletics and as a radio color analyst.

Nicknamed "the young left-hander" by play-by-play announcer Al Ciraldo, Mr. King was a three-year starting quarterback from 1965 to 1967 and led the Yellow Jackets to wins in the Gator and Orange bowls. One of the highlights of his career came when he helped the Jackets defeat eighth-ranked Tennessee in 1966 and was named "National Back of the Week" by Sports Illustrated. By the end of his gridiron reign, Mr. King had become Tech's all-time leading passer.

"Kim truly loved Georgia Tech and especially Tech football," said Director of Athletics Dave Braine. "He was a tremendous ambassador for the program and he was loved by so many people. To say that he will be missed is an understatement."

Mr. King chaired the feasibility study for what ultimately became the Arthur B. Edge Center, which houses Tech's athletics offices. At the time of its completion in 1982, the Edge Center was a significant move by the Institute toward a commitment to intercollegiate athletics.

"I think when you talk about great names at Georgia Tech, you always hear Heisman, Alexander and Dodd. I always put Homer Rice in there because he did so much for the program. When you talk about Homer, you have to talk about Kim because at one time this program was almost ready to go downhill. If it weren't for Kim and Homer getting Coach Dodd back in the program to raise the money for the Edge Center, we might not be where we are today," Braine said.

In 1988 Mr. King was a driving force behind the agreement between the State Board of Regents and the Grant family heirs to add the name of Bobby Dodd to Tech's home field.

Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1999, Mr. King underwent extensive treatment and beat the disease, but in May was diagnosed with secondary acute myelogenous leukemia.

Braine said the dedication of the locker room was a great thrill for Mr. King.

"We take a lot of things for granted but he had never been in the Ramblin' Wreck. He had never gone out on the field to lead the team out," Braine said. "He said when he came off the field that day that it was a great highlight. In some small way I am glad we got to do what we did at the time we did it."

Mr. King was admired by generations of Yellow Jackets fans for his role as the color analyst on Tech's radio broadcasts. He joined the broadcast team in 1974 as the partner of play-by-play man Ciraldo.

Wes Durham, Tech's current play-by-play voice, began working with Mr. King in 1995.

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