Johnny Most
Microphone retired in his honor
High School:  Dewitt Clinton HS (NY)
Born:  6/15/1923
Died:  1/3/1993
Hall of Fame Inductee
Johnny Most called Boston Celtics games on the radio for 37 years. He was known for his trademark raspy voice. His most memorable call "Havlicek steals the ball" may be the most famous call in NBA history. Boston led by 1 point in the final seconds of Game 7 of the Eastern Division Finals vs Philadelphia. Philadelphia inbounded the ball. In full it goes: "Greer is putting the ball in play. He gets it out deep and Havlicek steals it! Over to Sam Jones... Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over? It's all over!"

Another of his most famous calls took place during the final seconds of Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals vs Detroit. Detroit was ahead by 1 when Isiah Thomas inbounded the ball. The call goes like this: "And, now there's a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ who lays it in! Right at one second left! What a play by Bird! Bird stole the inbounding pass, laid it up to DJ, and DJ laid it up and in, and Boston has a one-point lead with one second left! Oh, my! This place is going crazy!"

Biography (from IMDB.com)
Most began his career in the 1940s. Mentored by Marty Glickman, he called road games for baseball's New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, and football's New York Giants and Army. In 1953, Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown and head coach Red Auerbach tapped him to replace Curt Gowdy as the team's radio play-by-play man "high above court side" as Most always described his perch at Boston Garden.

Unlike his great contemporary Chick Hearn - who criticized his Los Angeles Lakers when he felt it warranted - Most never pretended to be objective; his Celtics were near-saints who could do no wrong (even when they did), and anyone who didn't wear the green were nothing less than the scum of the Earth (especially the Lakers). His praise of Michael Jordan's efforts against the Celtics in Game 2 of the first round of the 1986 playoffs was a rare exception -- all His Airness had to do was score 63 points! Critics blasted Most for being a "homer", but fans loved him for it. A life-long smoker, Most was forced to retire in 1990.

Trivia (from IMBD.com)
  • Postumously awarded the 1993 Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame for his contribution to basketball. Ironically, Most replaced Gowdy as the Celtics' play-by-play announcer.
  • Honored with the permanent installation at Boston Garden of his microphone, silver-plated and encased in a Celtic-green frame, to the facade of the radio booth, the vantage point Most always described as "high above courtside."
  • The radio voice of the NBA's Boston Celtics (1953-1990).
  • He and Red Auerbach were the only two people with the Celtics organization for its first 16 NBA titles.
  • Inducted into the media category of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame at the University of Rhode Island