BEST OF JIM MURRAY / MEMORIES

* Former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy: “We were deeply saddened to hear about Jim Murray’s death last night. Whenever something significant happened in the world of sports, we could hardly wait to read what Jim’s comments would be. His column was always full of humor and insight--he gave us a slant we couldn’t get anywhere else. He will be surely missed.

“Our heartfelt prayers and sympathy go out to his entire family.”

* Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan: “Jim Murray was a great intellect, a great wit and a crusty curmudgeon. But he was also a lovely, lovely human being. When I think of Jim Murray I think of his ability to use his pen to bring even the dullest of sporting events to life. He made sports interesting to people with no interest in sports and his writings introduced a new perspective to sports enthusiasts. . . . He was able to accomplish these things because he was a master at the game of life. This indeed is a sad day for Los Angeles. Jim Murray will be missed, and the sports pages of the Los Angeles Times will never be the same again. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, his loved ones and his readers.”

* California Gov. Pete Wilson: “Jim Murray leaves more than empty column space in the morning newspaper. He leaves a void in sports journalism--a void that may never be filled. Like Red Smith, Shirley Povich and a select legion of reporters, Jim didn’t merely cover games--he went between the lines, explaining to his readership the nuances and strategies that make sports such an integral part of the American experience.”

* Merv Griffin: “One of a kind. I could never wait to read his next column.”

* Kirk Douglas: “They don’t make them like that anymore.”

* Larry Elder: “Funny, witty and warm. I read every column. He was perhaps the greatest sportswriter L.A. ever had.”

* Jack Lemmon: “Millions of people are going to feel that they have lost a friend because of Jim Murray’s writings. He was the greatest of them all and not just because he was funny, but because he really knew sports and what he was writing about. He was a warm and loving person and he was loved in return. I feel privileged to have known him.”

* John Robinson: “I always got a little bit of a thrill when he came around and wanted to do a story on the Rams or USC. I always felt it was going to be something that gave a joy to sports. Never did it ever seem less than that.

“When you read a story by him, it was funny, and people were never looked down on. I always felt good when I read him. . . .

“I think for people who have been in Los Angeles a long time, he’s like Vin Scully, or any other person synonymous with L.A. He defined it, and he defined it in a good way.”