Ralph Lawler
Encyclopedia
Ralph Lawler is the television and radio voice of the National Basketball Association
's Los Angeles Clippers
. Going back to the franchise's six-year stint in San Diego
(1978-84), Lawler has broadcast virtually every Clippers game, whether it be radio and/or television. There were only 2 seasons when Lawler did not serve as the team's primary play-by-play broadcaster-1981-82 (Jerry Gross) and 1984-85 (Eddie Doucette
)- before becoming the full-time voice once again in 1985-86. Although the team's performance has been among the worst NBA franchises, Lawler has continued to provide Clippers fans with his award-winning enthusiastic commentary, which has made him a fan favorite. He has broadcast more than 2,500 Clippers games, including more than 1,600 consecutive games. He reached the 2,500-game milestone in a game versus the Boston Celtics
, on February 26, 2011.
. His broadcasting career began in the 1960s, after graduating from Bradley University
in his hometown, where he worked as an on-air personality on a Riverside, California
radio station. From there, Lawler went on to work in Philadelphia, where he broadcast games of the NHL
's Flyers
, NBA
's 76ers, and Major League Baseball
's Phillies
, as well as calling games for the San Diego Conquistadors
of the American Basketball Association
and the San Diego Chargers
of the National Football League
. He also worked as a sports reporter for then-CBS station WCAU-TV, before returning to Southern California for good in the late 1970s.
Lawler has worked with Basketball Hall of Famer and current ESPN
/ABC
commentator Bill Walton
, on locally televised Clippers broadcasts. Their broadcasts were wildly popular among Clippers (and many NBA) fans, because of their witty banter. Walton left the Clippers to work exclusively with ABC/ESPN when the two networks acquired the NBA broadcasts in 2002. Lawler's biggest broadcasting influences included Irv Kaze, a former sports executive (who had a stint as a San Diego Clippers general manager and hired Lawler in 1978) and long-time Los Angeles-area sports talk show host, before he died in 2003; and late legendary Los Angeles Lakers
voice, Chick Hearn
, who like Lawler, grew up in Illinois before moving on to Southern California. Lawler and former Clippers guard Shaun Livingston
are alumni of Peoria (Central) High School. Lawler currently does Clippers telecasts on Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West along side former Clipper player and current color analyst, Mike Smith.
Unlike other announcers who use headsets while calling the game, Lawler relies exclusively on a microphone
during game days.
Lawler and his wife, Jo, have a family that includes 3 grown children and 6 grandchildren.
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...
's Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. Going back to the franchise's six-year stint in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
(1978-84), Lawler has broadcast virtually every Clippers game, whether it be radio and/or television. There were only 2 seasons when Lawler did not serve as the team's primary play-by-play broadcaster-1981-82 (Jerry Gross) and 1984-85 (Eddie Doucette
Eddie Doucette
Eddie Doucette is the president of Doucette Promotions Inc. He is a former television and radio announcer. He was the original radio voice of the Milwaukee Bucks where he broadcast games for 16 years. He also broadcast games for Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland...
)- before becoming the full-time voice once again in 1985-86. Although the team's performance has been among the worst NBA franchises, Lawler has continued to provide Clippers fans with his award-winning enthusiastic commentary, which has made him a fan favorite. He has broadcast more than 2,500 Clippers games, including more than 1,600 consecutive games. He reached the 2,500-game milestone in a game versus 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...
, on February 26, 2011.
Life and career
Lawler was born in Peoria, IllinoisPeoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. His broadcasting career began in the 1960s, after graduating from Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
in his hometown, where he worked as an on-air personality on a Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
radio station. From there, Lawler went on to work in Philadelphia, where he broadcast games of the NHL
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...
's Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, NBA
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...
's 76ers, and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, as well as calling games for the San Diego Conquistadors
San Diego Conquistadors
The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
and the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He also worked as a sports reporter for then-CBS station WCAU-TV, before returning to Southern California for good in the late 1970s.
Lawler has worked with Basketball Hall of Famer and current ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
/ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
commentator Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
, on locally televised Clippers broadcasts. Their broadcasts were wildly popular among Clippers (and many NBA) fans, because of their witty banter. Walton left the Clippers to work exclusively with ABC/ESPN when the two networks acquired the NBA broadcasts in 2002. Lawler's biggest broadcasting influences included Irv Kaze, a former sports executive (who had a stint as a San Diego Clippers general manager and hired Lawler in 1978) and long-time Los Angeles-area sports talk show host, before he died in 2003; and late legendary 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...
voice, 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 like Lawler, grew up in Illinois before moving on to Southern California. Lawler and former Clippers guard Shaun Livingston
Shaun Livingston
Shaun Patrick Livingston is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks.-Early years:Livingston was born in Peoria, Illinois. He led Concordia Lutheran Grade School, coached by Mr. Tom Ruppert, to LSA state titles in 1999 and 2000...
are alumni of Peoria (Central) High School. Lawler currently does Clippers telecasts on Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West along side former Clipper player and current color analyst, Mike Smith.
Unlike other announcers who use headsets while calling the game, Lawler relies exclusively on a microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
during game days.
Lawler and his wife, Jo, have a family that includes 3 grown children and 6 grandchildren.
Lawler-isms
- Bingo: when a player makes a three-point basket. The "Bingo" term derives from one-time Clipper player and Cleveland CavalierCleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
great Bobby "Bingo" SmithBingo SmithRobert "Bingo" Smith was a Forward/Guard for the San Diego Rockets , Cleveland Cavaliers and San Diego Clippers . He helped the Cavaliers win the 1975-76 NBA Central Division....
, known during his playing career for his outstanding shooting and scoring. - Bank Shot Bingo: The rare three-point basket off the backboard elicits this enthusiastic "Lawlerism."
- Lawler's Law: The first team to 100 points wins the game. In games involving the Clippers since 1978, Lawler's law has been true 91.5% of the time.
- Lawler's Law Corollary: The team that shoots 50% in field goal percentage wins the game.
- Lawler's Overtime Law: The first team to lead by four points in overtime wins the game.
- Fasten your seat belts, gang. We're going down to the wire!: It refers to when a close game is coming down to final minutes (or seconds).
- Oh Me, Oh My!: When a player makes an unbelievable and exciting play.
- Out of the Box: When the team with the most turnovers is winning by over fifteen points.
External links
- Kevin Arnovitz, "Ralph Lawler is a Clippers fan's best friend," ESPN.com, April 16, 2010.
- Ralph Lawler Picture Gallery at Clippers Topbuzz
- Ralph Lawler's Biography on Clippers.com