On November 18, 1963, the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, arrived in Tampa.  The President’s day-long visit thrilled local residents who lined his motorcade route, filled seats at Al Lopez ballpark to hear him speak, or stayed home and watched him via live broadcasts on Channel 8 and Channel 13.  It was an emotional, exciting day for Tampa and another triumph for the charismatic President.

Four days later, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

The shock of his death after so recent an appearance still resounds in the hearts of Kennedy's Tampa Bay area admirers.  This section of the BIG 13 web site is dedicated to the memory of President Kennedy, with stories told by former WTVT employee Tony Zappone, former WFLA reporters Tony Hamilton and Arch Deal, and former WEDU employee Terry Drymon, all first hand witnesses to his appearance.

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