Posted on 08/03/2002 5:38:28 PM PDT by socal_parrot
Chick Hearn has probably called his last game, doctor says
By ANDREW BRIDGES
Associated Press Writer
August 3, 2002
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn has probably called his last game, his neurologist said Saturday after performing surgery for brain hemorrhaging.
``If he has a full recovery in terms of his motor functions he will very likely have speech difficulty, so I will foresee that he will have a difficulty to be announcing,'' the neurologist, Dr. Asher Taban, told reporters outside Northridge Hospital Medical Center.
Asked if the 85-year-old Hearn had called his last game, Dr. Taban said, ``unfortunately it's probable.''
Hearn was taken to the hospital from his San Fernando Home around 8 p.m. Friday after neighbors saw him fall in his backyard and called 911.
When he arrived at the hospital doctors found a hemorrhage inside his cranium, on top of the brain, Taban said.
He underwent surgery and when the operation was completed around 2 a.m. Hearn's condition appeared more stable.
But around 9 a.m. Saturday his neurological condition began to deteriorate and another blood clot was found, this one inside the brain, Taban said.
``This created a major brain shift, which is usually not compatible with survival,'' the doctor said.
Hearn underwent a second operation, which was completed around 3:30 p.m., shortly before Taban spoke to reporters.
Apparently, the second hemorrhaging was brought on by blood thinners that Hearn had been taking since undergoing heart surgery last year.
Taban said the pressure on the brain is under control but will be monitored. He was asked about Hearn's prognosis.
``It's not good,'' he said, shaking his head. ``I do have a major concern because of his age and because of the thinning of his blood.''
It wasn't clear what caused Hearn to fall, but doctors did not believe he suffered a stroke, according to Bob Steiner, a spokesman for Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
The voice of the Lakers since the team moved to Los Angeles four decades ago, Hearn is credited with adding such signature phrases as ``slam dunk'' and ``air ball'' to the NBA lexicon.
He called a record 3,338 consecutive Lakers games over 36 years, but saw his streak end last season when he had to undergo heart surgery to repair a blocked aortic valve. The broadcaster suffered a further setback when he fell during rehabilitation and broke a hip.
Still, Hearn was able to return to the Lakers in time to broadcast the team's run through the playoffs to its third consecutive NBA championship.
Hearn and his wife, Marge, are expecting to celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary on Aug. 13, Steiner said. Hearn's wife and a granddaughter were at his side Saturday, and Steiner said Marge was ``doing amazingly well, all things considered.''
``They're concerned but they're supporting each other,'' said Rev. Monsignor Carl Bell, pastor of St. Cyril of Jerusalem Church in Encino, whom Marge Hearn called to the hospital to pray with the family.
Lakers players and fans wished Hearn well.
``It's really unfortunate to hear bad news, especially with Chick because he's so spirited about being a part of the Lakers family and people don't identify the Lakers without Chick,'' Lakers guard Derek Fisher told KCAL-TV.
The only play-by-play announcer the Lakers have had since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season, Hearn peppers his rapid-fire delivery with such colorful terms as ``no harm, no foul,'' ``the mustard's off the hot dog,'' ``ticky-tack foul,'' and ``faked him into the popcorn machine.''
During his 42 seasons with the Lakers, his unique ``words-eye view'' has provided the soundtrack for nine NBA championships -- one with Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in the 1970s, five with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980s, and the last three with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Whenever he believes a Lakers victory is imminent, he is known to say, ``You can put this one in the refrigerator. The door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the Jell-O is jiggling.''
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updated at Sat Aug 3 16:50:56 2002 PT
alley oooop!!!
Four peat baby!
He had alot of hilarious phrases that everyone in LA knows.
"The eggs are coolin', the jello's jigglin', and the butter's gettin'hard. Close the door, cuz this game's in the refrigerator."
We love you Chick. Get well soon.
Man, it's been years since I heard Chick Hearn. But I remember many of these.
Popcorn machine goes more like "he faked him into the popcorn machine," as in way off the floor and into the stands.
Mustard off the hot dog refers to somebody who normally is hot but is now ice cold.
References to the fridge, as in "put the jello in the fridge," refer to the game being over (decided). He would tease a blowout game in the 3rd quarter by saying the fridge door is closing, but usually waited until mid-4th to actually close the door. I think this evolved from the idea of "turn out the lights, the party's over" and how closing the fridge door turns out the light.
Anybody remember any other, or wants to refute the above?
Yes! That's the fridge line. Thanks for the reminder.
And I blew it on the last post. Best wishes, Chick.
"He's on him like the run on your floor."
Chick also invented the term "sky hook" for a Kareem hook shot.
He referred to Jim Barnett, a lefty who would pop from far away with the term "fall back, baby." That meant the guy had to stay awake and immediately fall back on defense.
I agree. My thoughts are with Marge.
Maybe I will scan my picture of me and Chick at the Forum a couple years ago - what a great talent Chick is. My love of Basketball is due to Chick - he has announced my hometeam my whole life.
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