The 40th Anniversary of John Lennon’s Death… and how did we learn about it?

It wasn't with a breaking news update.

West Bridgewater artist Ed Capeau, who lived in Taunton until recently, painted this portrait of John Lennon, ween here on Thursday, July 9, 2020, as part of a mural he created about a decade ago at the intersection of Second and Spring streets in Fall River. Taunton Gazette | Mike Gay ghows_gallery-WL-711009990-09a0ca82.jpg

Today, when a pop culture icon passes away, our phones immediately ding with alerts from TMZ, CNN, or your preferred local news outlet. But in 1980, the untimely death of John Lennon after he was killed outside his home in New York City was presented in a much different way: by Howard Cosell.

The Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots were in the middle of a fierce overtime match when the longtime ABC sports anchor passed along the sad news.

For those of us who weren’t old enough – or who weren’t born yet – to see it… here is that sad moment.