Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn (November 27, 1916 – August 5, 2002) was an American sportscaster who was the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association for 41 years, as well as the team's assistant general manager for seven years beginning in 1972. Hearn was the first broadcaster named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Hearn is remembered for his rapid fire, staccato broadcasting style, associated with colorful phrases such as slam dunk, air ball, and no harm, no foul that have become common basketball vernacular. Hearn broadcast 3,338 consecutive Lakers games starting on November 21, 1965.Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn dies at 85. Associated Press, August 16, 2002. Most of Hearn's games in the television era were simulcast on both radio and television, even after most teams chose to use different announcers for the different media.
Life and career
Early life and nickname Hearn was born in Buda, Illinois and raised in Aurora, Illinois, in west suburban Chicago, and attended high school at Marmion Academy and college at Bradley University. He earned the nickname "Chick" while an Amateur Athletic Union basketball player at Bradley, when teammates played a prank on him: giving him a shoebox to see his surprised reaction when he opened it and found not sneakers inside, but instead a dead chicken.
He and his wife Marge were married August 13, 1938. They had two children, a son, Gary, and a daughter, Samantha aka Janice, both of whom predeceased Hearn. His granddaughter is Shannon. Marge Hearn died January 30, 2016, at the age of 98.Marge Hearn dies at 98; widow of former Lakers announcer Chick Hearn Los Angeles Times January 31, 2016.
Broadcasting streak Hearn's broadcasting streak began on November 21, 1965. Hearn missed the Lakers' game the previous night after having been stranded in Fayetteville, Arkansas, by inclement weather after having announced a game between Arkansas and Texas Tech. Even that was only Hearn's second missed assignment for the Lakers since he had become the team's broadcaster in March 1961. He would not miss another until December 16, 2001. Over the course of the streak, Hearn was paired with several different color commentators, including ”Hot” Rod Hundley, Pat Riley, Keith Erickson, Dick Schad, Lynn Shackelford and Stu Lantz.
Hearn's streak of 3,338 consecutive Lakers games came to an end on December 16, 2001, in order to undergo scheduled cardiac bypass surgery. Hearn recovered from his surgery, but in February 2002, he suffered a broken hip after falling at a gas station, which further delayed his expected return to the Lakers broadcast booth. Hearn recovered from both issues and resumed broadcasting on April 9, 2002, receiving a standing ovation from the Staples Center crowd upon his return.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: His final broadcast was for the Lakers' radio feed of Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Finals where the Lakers defeated the New Jersey Nets to win their third consecutive NBA championship. His final Lakers-affiliated appearance was as the emcee of the team's 2002 championship parade in June.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
Assistant general manager Hearn became assistant general manager of the Lakers in 1972, hired by Jack Kent Cooke, the team's owner at the time. Hearn advised management on personnel and trades, and helped negotiate player contracts as part of the role which he held for seven years. Hearn advised team owner Cooke to draft future hall of fame player Magic Johnson in 1979.
Non-Lakers work Hearn was the long-time host of Bowling for Dollars on KTLA (1972–1976); KHJ-TV (now KCAL-TV) (1978). He called the closed-circuit television broadcast of the first Ali-Frazier fight in 1971. He also did boxing commentary for Forum boxing fights in Inglewood in the 1980s, usually appearing alongside former featherweight contender Ruben Castillo. Hearn also contributed to KCAL-TV's coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament from 1957 to 1964. At the time, Hearn handled the sports desk of the local news program on Los Angeles' NBC affiliate, KRCA (now KNBC). Hearn announced USC football and basketball games from 1956 to 1961, and also served as the play-by-play broadcaster for USC football games on tape-delayed, syndicated telecasts during the 1973 season. Hearn called UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball games on KHJ/KCAL with Ross Porter from 1986 to 1990. During the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Hearn called the play-by-play for USA Men's Basketball games on the pay per view Olympics Triplecast "Red" channel.
Television and movie work The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh: Played a basketball announcer in a basketball version of The Bad News Bears though the players in the story were adults. The movie provided an acting turn for Julius Erving. Fletch: Plays himself interviewing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and while describing Fletch (Chevy Chase) in a dream points out "(Fletch) is actually 6'5" but with the afro 6'9", pretty good dribbler......this gritty kid from the streets of Harlem really creates excitement. $4 million a year, that's true, but he earns every nickel of it. Look how he shakes off four, five players with ease!" Garfield and Friends: Voiced an announcer in the episode Basket Brawl (season 2 episode 14). The episode involved Jon, Nermal, and Odie trying to get picnic food past Garfield. Hearn voiced a mouse announcer named "Chick Mouse" while the game's audience was mice. Gilligan's Island "Splashdown": The episode involved Hearn as a news commentator as an American crewed spacecraft was scheduled to splashdown near the island. "It's a Bird, It's a Plane": Hearn's voice is heard on the radio in this episode. The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island: He was the play-by-play for the game between the Globetrotters and the robot team they were playing. The Love Bug: Played a reporter during and following a race. Matlock: Played a professional wrestling announcer in the second-season episode "The Annihilator". Rugrats: Hearn voiced himself in the episode "Touchdown Tommy" while the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers contest the Ultra Bowl. The Simpsons: Voiced himself in the episode "Homer Defined" while calling a Lakers game. In the game, Magic Johnson pulls a "Homer" when he slips on the basketball court yet the ball ends up going into the basket. My Three Sons: Appeared as the announcer of a model airplane flight competition in the 1962 episode "Air Derby". The Fugitive: Season one, episode 30 Appeared as TV Newscaster Heaven Can Wait: Uncredited role as a radio announcer for the Rams-Steelers game. Sport Goofy in Soccermania: Voiced the announcer of the soccer game.
Music Hearn can be heard on the Pink Floyd album The Wall (at the 4:07 mark of the song "Don't Leave Me Now" as "Pink" flips through television channels just before destroying his television set leading into the song "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 3"). This clip of Hearn appears to have been taken from an actual game between the Lakers and Bulls which was probably recorded during the 1978–79 season. Before the playoffs in the 1986 season, Hearn released a 12-inch rap single "Rap-Around". The song features Hearn in the studio re-creating many of his most famous 'Chickisms' and was distributed by Macola Records (who distributed an early Dr. Dre/Ice Cube group "World Class Wreckin' Cru"). The song was played on Los Angeles television and radio stations, including the Lakers' televised games.
Death During the summer of 2002, Hearn suffered a fall at his home in Encino, Los Angeles, and struck his head causing serious injury. Three days later, on August 5, 2002, he died of his injury. He was 85. He was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California, next to his son Gary and his daughter Samantha. Chick and Marge would have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on August 13, 2002.
Honors
On May 9, 1991, Hearn became the third broadcaster to win the Gowdy Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. He later became the first broadcaster inducted into the Hall in 2003. In 1995, he was voted to be the 20th member of the American Sportscaster Hall of Fame by his fellow sportscasters. He was inducted by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1997.
In honor of his contributions to the Los Angeles Lakers, both the Lakers and the city of Los Angeles renamed a portion of West 11th Street between Figueroa Street and Georgia Street (now L.A. Live Way) to Chick Hearn Court. This street currently runs alongside Crypto.com Arena's main entrance. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority further honored the broadcaster by changing the name of the nearby A and E line station to "Pico/Chick Hearn". His name was later hung from the rafters of the Staples Center, alongside the retired numbers of past Lakers players, though with a microphone in place of a number.
Hearn also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in radio. Hearn's star is located at 6755 Hollywood Blvd.
On April 27, 2010, Hearn was honored with a bronze statue at Star Plaza outside Staples Center. A chair next to Hearn's statue behind the desk with the Lakers' logo is a part of the statue so his fans can sit down to have their pictures taken.
On-air style and demeanor Hearn was notable for his focus on calling play-by-play. He did not chitchat while the game was in motion. He was able to report clearly and rapidly, which he considered a gift. This style was especially well-suited for his notable simulcasts of Lakers games on television and radio, which were a tradition during his 40-plus year tenure. He was especially appreciated on radio because listening to the broadcast was almost like watching the game. Shortly after Hearn's departure, the simulcasts were ended, with some listeners complaining that his successor, Paul Sunderland, was difficult to follow for radio listeners. Sometimes this style made it difficult for his partners to get a word in edgewise; his seven-year color commentator, Keith Erickson, fondly reminisced at a ceremony commemorating Hearn: "Not being able to talk for eight years [as his partner], I thought this was a great opportunity to share a bit". He was formal, always referring to the Lakers' former owner as "Mr. Cooke" and the owner for much of his tenure, Jerry Buss by his full title – Dr. Jerry Buss or Dr. Buss.
Chickisms The particular phrases that Hearn used during his broadcasts were labeled "Chickisms". Many are staples of basketball. When a book of his memoirs was published in 2004, it included an audio CD with the calls as well as a Chick Hearn Rap-Around rap song created with the samples. 20 foot lay-up: A jump shot by Jamaal Wilkes. And that one came down wet: A very high arch "rainbow" shot is made, like the ball went through the clouds. (The) Bank is open: A poorly guarded bank shot from the side. (He sent that one back) Air-mail Special!: A strongly blocked shot, often sent high into the stands. Bloooows the layup! : Missed a very easy layup. Bloooows a cripple!: Missed an easy shot. Boo-birds: Fans who boo their own team when they play badly. (He did the) bunny hop in the pea patch: He was called for traveling. (You could) call it with Braille: An easy call for an official, e.g. a blatant foul. (He got) caught with his hand in the cookie jar: A reaching foul. (The) charity stripe: The free throw line. (That player is in) civilians: The player is not in uniform. (He's got 'em) covered like the rug on your floor: Really good one-on-one defense. (They) couldn't beat the Sisters of Mercy: The team is getting beat badly. (They) couldn't throw a pea into the ocean: The team's shooting is really awful.