CHICK HEARN IS DEAD

CBS ^ | 07/05/2002 | SELF

[kellynla]

CHICK HEARN IS DEAD. GOD BLESS THE BEST BASKETBALL ANNOUNCER THAT EVER LIVED.

[truthkeeper]

Not only was he a great announcer, but he was married to his wife for 64 years. That makes him even greater in my book. God bless the man.

[capitan_refugio]

Sorry, but Johnny Most was a notorious Celtic homer. He didn't contribute a fraction of what Hearn contributed to the basketball lexicon. Hearn was also honest to a fault. If a Laker was having a bad game, Hearn reported it. Most never criticized a Celtic in his career.

P.S. If you think I'm a Laker homer, my old man is from Danvers and he agrees with me.

[Dog Gone]

When a man has a hip fracture and a stroke in succession, he's done. The body is signalling that that it's done.

He was the greatest announcer the sport has ever known, and he will be missed.

[BluesDuke]

I agree that Jack Buck and Hank Stram were the best ever NFL commentators.

They were good. So was Marty Glickman, many years ago, doing the radio games of the New York Giants. I'm not much for football and haven't been for a long time, but it was a treat to hear announcers like that calling the football games when I was growing up. Glickman's old partner Al DeRogatis was an excellent play analyst, and I recall the old Giant star Kyle Rote working the booth with them and hosting a local New York City sports report in the morning. He was one of the few former football players I can recall who was a credible broadcaster.

[Mr. Mojo]

Great tribute, BD. I started listening to Chick during the Lakers' record-breaking, championship season of '72 (when his color man was Lynn Shackleford), and I haven't missed many of his broadcasts since. Never met the man, but felt I did. He'll be greatly missed by many. May he rest in peace, and may God bless his wife Marge and the rest of his family.

Before recently, Chick had an unbelievable streak of missing only 1 day of work in 36 years. But he had another streak that not many knew about. As far as I know, when he put a game "in the refrigerator," it always stayed there......except once. (It happened so long ago that I forgot the game). Ever since then, whenever he put a game in the fridge and the Lakers were on the losing end, I rooted like mad for a comeback --- not just because I wanted to see the Lakers win, but I wanted Chick to be wrong....just one more time. And I was always disappointed.

[Benrand]

I used to listen to Jack and Hank on my little AM radio when I should have been sleeping...they were great...Hank was unique in that he coached the game but didn't rely on cliches or condescension, like Parcells, Esiason, COllinsworth or Trumpy.

And it seemd they liked each other, good chemistry. It was the sound of football for me for many years...other than Myron Cope and Jack Fleming.

[Benrand]

I liked his voice...and his "homer-ness". The Celts were the last basketball team I gave a damn about.

[sonserae]

My fiance is a cameraman/producer and is currently at Staples Center working right now. He just called and was crying. He worked with Chick for a few years and said he was an incredible man. He inspired many, many people that came in contact with him and no one was unimportant to him...he'd go out of his way to talk and shake hands with his fans. May we all learn great lessons from this optimistic man.
May God welcome Chick to His Kingdom....

[Silas]

Why was your fiance crying if Chick is going to spend eternal bliss in God's kingdom? Why the sorrow?

[SevenofNine]

Kelly my dad met Chick Hearn at Forum once you know old LA Forum back in da day he was nicest gentlemen

My brother met him over betting table at Vegas

That dude taught me everything about Basketball

[Mr. Mojo]

Probably because he'll miss him.

[sonserae]

We all can mourn in sadness for losing a friend knowing they will be missed....even though they are in heaven....If your mom died and you knew she went to heaven, you wouldn't be sad that you would never be able to see or talk to her on this earth again?

[BluesDuke]

I guess asking Chick Hearn to be wrong about when the game was in the fridge was something along the line of asking Sandy Koufax to shrivel when he had to beat the one team his team most needed to beat to stay in the race and/or nail the flag.

It's enough to cause you to wish you were God for a moment - He has Chick Hearn...Jack Buck...Bob Prince...Red Barber...Russ Hodges...Mel Allen...Harry Caray...all those voices to bring Him the games. Lucky Him.

[Bella_Bru]

Bump for Chick.....basketball has just lost it's greatest announcer.

[socal_parrot]

One of my favorite Chick calls was in this year's Western Conference finals, game 5. With time running out and the Lakers trailing, Chick was going over the Lakers' options. The last option he mentioned was, "Watch out for my man Horry!" After two missed shots, the ball was swatted toward center court by Divac. Horry picked it up and.....you know the rest.

[ErnBatavia]

Too bad - indeed, too bad.....but gotta wonder if he's hooked up yet with Jim Healy up there; could be some celestial fisticuffs!!

[Mr. Mojo]

....along the line of asking Sandy Koufax to shrivel when he had to beat the one team his team most needed to beat to stay in the race and/or nail the flag.

Precisely....or asking Drysdale to not give you a little chin music when you're crowding the plate.

[BluesDuke]

God what that was a moment! And what was even nicer was Robert Horry (one of the genuine nice guys in the NBA) repaying the compliment at the Lakers' victory parade. Almost to a man the Lakers called Hearn their MVP but Horry was probably the most effusive next to Shaquille O'Neal in his praise of the man, as I recall.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Bowling for Dollars bump.

[A CA Guy]

God Bless Chick. I'm sure Bill Walton is already trying to put Chick in the ground and bury him so he can make a run at Chick's job. Bill sucks, he just doesn't believe it. Everybody else does.