Johnny Most
Encyclopedia
John M. "Johnny" Most was an American
sports announcer
, known primarily as the raspy radio
voice of the Boston Celtics
of the National Basketball Association
from 1953
to 1990
.
He is most remembered for his excited call of “Havlicek
stole the ball!” during the final moments of Game 7 of the 1965 NBA Eastern Division Finals
. The play sealed the victory for the Boston Celtics
. The complete call for that play was
He was a legend to Boston Celtics
fans during the franchise's golden era from the 1950s through the 1980s. As identifiable a figure in New England
as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy
and Larry Bird
, Celtics fans learned at an early age when watching the team play on television
to turn the sound down on their television and pick up Most's radio broadcast on their local Celtics radio affiliate. He, along with Fred Cusick
(the play by play announcer for the Boston Bruins
of the National Hockey League
) are considered the two greatest announcers in Boston sports history.
, New York
, he was named after his paternal grandfather, the German
-American
Anarchist newspaper editor and orator Johann Most
. Johnny Most was one of the many successful graduates of DeWitt Clinton High School
in the Bronx. Most began his career in the 1940s as a protégé of Marty Glickman
. He was hired in 1953 by Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown
and coach Red Auerbach
to replace Curt Gowdy
as the team's radio play-by-play man on the Celtics Radio Network. He also served as sports director for WCOP Radio in Boston at that time.
In addition to his work with the Celtics, he served as host of a rudimentary Red Sox baseball post-game show on WHDH-TV
, sister station to WHDH radio which broadcast Celtics games. Sponsored by Wheaties, the scoreboard program consisted of Most reading the scores and rattling off pitching changes and home runs. It ended when WHDH-TV lost its license just before the 1972 season and the telecasts were moved to WBZ-TV.
In the early 1970s, Most hosted an evening sports talk show on WROL radio. The station's sports talk block lasted from 5–7 p.m., and WBZ, owner of the Celtics radio rights, would only allow Most to appear on the first hour of the program, which was broadcast live from a Boston nightspot, so as not to compete with WBZ's Calling All Sports broadcast.
, earning seven medals.
Shortly after VE Day
, as his unit broke camp in central Italy
, Johnny wandered up a nearby hillside to a graveyard filled with American flags, his final visit to fallen comrades before returning home to the Bronx. A prolific poet, he penned these lines:
(the Celtics' arena) as "high above courtside" at the opening of his broadcasts.
Broadcasts began with "Hi there once again, this is Johnny Most (high above/at) courtside from (venue), where the Boston Celtics and (foe) get set to do basketball battle." When sponsor tag lines did not get in the way, he ended broadcasts with "Johnny Most, bye for now."
Unlike his long-time contemporary, Chick Hearn
, who criticized his Los Angeles Lakers
when he felt warranted, Most rarely criticized the Celtics during gameplay. But he wasn't shy about criticizing other teams' players. For example, during the 1985 season, he nicknamed Magic Johnson
"Crybaby Johnson" after Johnson successfully challenged a referee
's call. He called Magic this negative nickname throughout the remainder of the 1980s, announcing lines like "Cry with the no-look pass!" and "Crybaby with the rebound!" He also nicknamed Washington Bullets players Rick Mahorn
and Jeff Ruland
as "McFilthy" and "McNasty", interchanging the two at his whim and was very critical of the Detroit Pistons
for their physical play during the late 1980s. He was especially tough on Bill Laimbeer
, Dennis Rodman
, Rick Mahorn
, and Isiah Thomas
, who he referred to as Little Lord Fauntleroy
.
, silver-plated and encased in a Celtic-green frame. The microphone was attached to the façade of the vantage point that Most always described as "high above courtside". On January 3, 1993, Most died at 69 of a heart attack
in Hyannis, Massachusetts
. He is buried in the Baker Street Jewish Cemeteries
, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Shortly after his death, Johnny Most was awarded the prestigious Curt Gowdy Media Award
by the Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame
for his contribution to basketball. On October 4, 2002, Most was inducted into the media category of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame at the University of Rhode Island
.
But Philadelphia was down 91-90 and had one more chance to win the game when...
The Celtics forced overtime following the miscommunication between Johnson and Worthy, and eventually, won the game to tie the series, going on to win the title in seven games. Gerald Henderson then commented:
His comments recall the John Havlicek
steal in 1965 and Most's best-known call.
Down 127-126, the Celtics have 0.2 seconds left on the clock in the 4th quarter. Dennis Johnson inbounds to Larry Bird when...
Detroit had a 107-106 lead with 5 seconds left and needed to inbound the ball to secure the victory and take a 3–2 series lead with Game 6 on their home court
. (Then, as now, the conference finals followed a 2-2-1-1-1 format.) Isiah Thomas
was inbounding the ball to Bill Laimbeer
, who was in the backcourt. But...
Johnny Most was also the track announcer at the now defunct Norwood (Mass.) Arena race track south of Boston. It was great fun hearing him call the races and take shots at some of the competitors . . . for example: "There's Bobby Melnick out there in the "Colt 45" car . . . nice new paint job on it . . . wonder how long it's going to last."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
, known primarily as the raspy radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
voice of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
from 1953
1953-54 NBA season
The 1953–54 NBA season was the 8th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Minneapolis Lakers winning their 5th NBA Championship in 6 years, beating the Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
to 1990
1989-90 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs*Defensive Player of the Year: Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons...
.
He is most remembered for his excited call of “Havlicek
John Havlicek
John J. "Hondo" Havlicek is a retired American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons....
stole the ball!” during the final moments of Game 7 of the 1965 NBA Eastern Division Finals
1965 NBA Playoffs
The 1965 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1964-1965 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers, four games to one in the NBA Finals.The Celtics won...
. The play sealed the victory for the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. The complete call for that play was
He was a legend to Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
fans during the franchise's golden era from the 1950s through the 1980s. As identifiable a figure in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy
Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
and Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Celtics fans learned at an early age when watching the team play on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
to turn the sound down on their television and pick up Most's radio broadcast on their local Celtics radio affiliate. He, along with Fred Cusick
Fred Cusick
Frederick Michael Cusick was an American ice hockey broadcaster who served as the Boston Bruins play-by-play announcer from 1971 until 1997 on WSBK-TV in Boston, and from 1984 until 1995 on NESN...
(the play by play announcer for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
) are considered the two greatest announcers in Boston sports history.
Early life and career
Born to Jewish parents in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, he was named after his paternal grandfather, the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Anarchist newspaper editor and orator Johann Most
Johann Most
Johann Joseph Most was a German-American politician, newspaper editor, and orator. He is credited with popularizing the concept of "Propaganda of the deed". His grandson was Boston Celtics radio play-by-play man Johnny Most...
. Johnny Most was one of the many successful graduates of DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School is an American high school located in the Bronx, New York City, New York.-History:Clinton opened in 1897 at 60 West 13th Street at the northern end of Greenwich Village under the name of Boys High School, although this Boys High School was not related to the one in Brooklyn...
in the Bronx. Most began his career in the 1940s as a protégé of Marty Glickman
Marty Glickman
Martin "Marty" Glickman was a Jewish American track and field athlete and sports announcer, born in The Bronx, New York. His parents, Harry and Molly Glickmann, immigrated to the United States from Jassy, Romania....
. He was hired in 1953 by Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown
Walter A. Brown
Walter A. Brown was the original owner of the Boston Celtics as well as an important figure in the development of ice hockey in the United States.-Life:...
and coach Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
to replace Curt Gowdy
Curt Gowdy
Curtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
as the team's radio play-by-play man on the Celtics Radio Network. He also served as sports director for WCOP Radio in Boston at that time.
In addition to his work with the Celtics, he served as host of a rudimentary Red Sox baseball post-game show on WHDH-TV
WHDH-TV (defunct)
WHDH-TV was the callsign of the first station to use channel 5 in Boston. The station ceased operations March 18, 1972, after the station lost its license. The channel, but not the license, was taken over by WCVB-TV the following morning: March 19, 1972. It is of no relation to either WCVB or...
, sister station to WHDH radio which broadcast Celtics games. Sponsored by Wheaties, the scoreboard program consisted of Most reading the scores and rattling off pitching changes and home runs. It ended when WHDH-TV lost its license just before the 1972 season and the telecasts were moved to WBZ-TV.
In the early 1970s, Most hosted an evening sports talk show on WROL radio. The station's sports talk block lasted from 5–7 p.m., and WBZ, owner of the Celtics radio rights, would only allow Most to appear on the first hour of the program, which was broadcast live from a Boston nightspot, so as not to compete with WBZ's Calling All Sports broadcast.
World War II
As an aerial gunner on a B-24 Liberator he flew 28 combat missions with the 15th Air Force in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, earning seven medals.
Shortly after VE Day
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
, as his unit broke camp in central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Johnny wandered up a nearby hillside to a graveyard filled with American flags, his final visit to fallen comrades before returning home to the Bronx. A prolific poet, he penned these lines:
- “I stood among the graves today and swept the scene with sight.
- “And the corps of men who lay beneath looked up to say goodnight.
- “The thunder still, the battle done, the fray has passed them by;
- “and as they rest forever more, they must be asking, ‘Why?’”
Commentating style
Most always referred to his perch or radio booth at the Boston GardenBoston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
(the Celtics' arena) as "high above courtside" at the opening of his broadcasts.
Broadcasts began with "Hi there once again, this is Johnny Most (high above/at) courtside from (venue), where the Boston Celtics and (foe) get set to do basketball battle." When sponsor tag lines did not get in the way, he ended broadcasts with "Johnny Most, bye for now."
Unlike his long-time contemporary, Chick Hearn
Chick Hearn
Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn was an American sportscaster. Known primarily as the long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, the legendary Hearn is remembered for his rapid fire, staccato broadcasting style, inventing colorful phrases such...
, who criticized his Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
when he felt warranted, Most rarely criticized the Celtics during gameplay. But he wasn't shy about criticizing other teams' players. For example, during the 1985 season, he nicknamed Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
"Crybaby Johnson" after Johnson successfully challenged a referee
Official (basketball)
In basketball, an official is a person who has the responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game...
's call. He called Magic this negative nickname throughout the remainder of the 1980s, announcing lines like "Cry with the no-look pass!" and "Crybaby with the rebound!" He also nicknamed Washington Bullets players Rick Mahorn
Rick Mahorn
Derrick Allen Mahorn is a retired American NBA basketball player who, at 6'10", played power forward and center...
and Jeff Ruland
Jeff Ruland
Jeffrey Alan Ruland is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He is the former head coach of the Iona Gaels men's college basketball team and current head coach of the UDC Firebirds men's college basketball team.-Early life and collegiate career:A 6'11", 280 lb center, Ruland...
as "McFilthy" and "McNasty", interchanging the two at his whim and was very critical of the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
for their physical play during the late 1980s. He was especially tough on Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
, Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
, Rick Mahorn
Rick Mahorn
Derrick Allen Mahorn is a retired American NBA basketball player who, at 6'10", played power forward and center...
, and Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
, who he referred to as Little Lord Fauntleroy
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Little Lord Fauntleroy is the first children's novel written by English playwright and author Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was originally published as a serial in the St. Nicholas Magazine between November 1885 and October 1886, then as a book by Scribner's in 1886...
.
Retirement, death and honors
On October 10, 1990, Johnny Most announced his retirement due to health concerns. On December 3 of that year, Most was honored with the permanent installation of his microphone at Boston GardenBoston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
, silver-plated and encased in a Celtic-green frame. The microphone was attached to the façade of the vantage point that Most always described as "high above courtside". On January 3, 1993, Most died at 69 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
. He is buried in the Baker Street Jewish Cemeteries
Baker Street Jewish Cemeteries
The Baker Street Jewish Cemeteries are a group of 42 Jewish cemeteries in use since the 1920s on Baker Street in the West Roxbury section of Boston...
, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Shortly after his death, Johnny Most was awarded the prestigious Curt Gowdy Media Award
Curt Gowdy Media Award
The Curt Gowdy Media Award is an annual award given by the Basketball Hall of Fame to outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters. It is named for American sportscaster Curt Gowdy, who was the Hall of Fame's president for seven years...
by the Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
for his contribution to basketball. On October 4, 2002, Most was inducted into the media category of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
.
Other well-known calls
Most is known for three other calls. As in the "Havlicek stole the ball!" call, these three were also in games played at the Boston Garden:- Game 7 of the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals1981 NBA PlayoffsThe 1981 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament which followed National Basketball Association's 1980–81 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics winning their 14th overall championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets in...
, saw the Celtics tied with the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
late in the 4th quarter, Darryl DawkinsDarryl DawkinsDarryl Dawkins is a retired American professional basketball player, most noted for his days with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career...
of the 76ers after being double teamed missed the shot, the Celics' Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
drove the length of the court and...
But Philadelphia was down 91-90 and had one more chance to win the game when...
- Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals1984 NBA FinalsThe 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111-102. Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of...
, had the CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
trail the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
113–111 with 15 seconds remaining.
The Celtics forced overtime following the miscommunication between Johnson and Worthy, and eventually, won the game to tie the series, going on to win the title in seven games. Gerald Henderson then commented:
His comments recall the John Havlicek
John Havlicek
John J. "Hondo" Havlicek is a retired American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons....
steal in 1965 and Most's best-known call.
- 1985 regular season game against the Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
.
Down 127-126, the Celtics have 0.2 seconds left on the clock in the 4th quarter. Dennis Johnson inbounds to Larry Bird when...
- Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals1987 NBA PlayoffsThe 1987 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1986-1987 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics four games to two in the Finals...
against the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, the series tied at 2.
Detroit had a 107-106 lead with 5 seconds left and needed to inbound the ball to secure the victory and take a 3–2 series lead with Game 6 on their home court
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
. (Then, as now, the conference finals followed a 2-2-1-1-1 format.) Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
was inbounding the ball to Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
, who was in the backcourt. But...
Johnny Most was also the track announcer at the now defunct Norwood (Mass.) Arena race track south of Boston. It was great fun hearing him call the races and take shots at some of the competitors . . . for example: "There's Bobby Melnick out there in the "Colt 45" car . . . nice new paint job on it . . . wonder how long it's going to last."