Los Angeles adores their basketball team, and the famous colors of the Lakers are as common as mud in these parts. Staples Center, in downtown LA, is home turf, and it is on the outside plaza that officials have honored their greatest game caller, Chick Hearn. A chair sits next to Chick's likeness for fans to have a photo taken with him...although this time he wore the brown and gold.
Hearn passed away in the summer of 2002 at the age of 85, after calling an incredible 3,338 consecutive Lakers games, and creating many of the famous terms basketball supporters and broadcasters use today - "air ball, and "slam dunk" are universally attributed to him. Most of the games Hearn called for television were simulcast for radio, and so he used a strong "play-by-play" and highly descriptive style for the radio listeners. Here's a flash back...glory days of basketball in the 80's:
Just a few superstars in that side....
Get some Lakers magic, Hawks!
