Biography for
Chick Hearn

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Date of Birth

27 November 1916, Aurora, Illinois, USA

Date of Death

5 August 2002, Northridge, California, USA (injuries suffered in a fall)

Birth Name

Francis Dayle Hearn

Estatura

6' 3" (1.91 m)

Mini Biography

One of the most reconizable voices in Los Angeles, Francis Dayle Hearn, better known as "Chick" has been the play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Lakers for nearly 40 years. Known for his witty comments during the game and lightning-quick reactions to the play on the court, Hearn has been as well-known a personality than some of the past Laker greats including Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Originally from Illinois, Hearn came to Los Angeles in 1956, and did radio and TV work in a variety of sports before getting his gig with the Lakers. He was also the long-time host of "Bowling for Dollars." Hearn has also done the play-by-play for other sports including the 1992 Summer Olympics.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Ken Severson

Esposo/a

Marge Jeffers

(13 August 1937 - 5 August 2002) (his death) 2 children

Trade Mark

Witty quips during basketball game.

Trivialidades

Long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Host of TV game-show "Bowling for Dollars."

Had only missed two Laker games, both times due to poor weather.

Son, Gary, died of a drug overdose on June 1, 1972. Daughter, Samantha, died of pneumonia May 24, 1991, brought on by anorexia.

Wife Marge was his high school sweetheart.

Hearn began his career covering Bradley University (which he attended), and the Peoria Caterpillars basketball team. He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 to announce football and basketball games for the University of Southern California. He was hosting a popular daily radio sports show when the Lakers, who had moved from Minneapolis in 1960, asked him to join their new broadcast team during the 1961 NBA playoffs.

Would jokingly claim to have lost his birth certificate whenever he was asked how old he was.

Coined the term "slam dunk."

Enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 2003.

Got his nickname while, as an amateur basketball player, he was handed a box of sneakers only to be surprised to find a chick inside.

Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (6755 Hollywood Blvd.).

Postumously selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the first broadcaster to be honored. (7 April 2003)

Recipient of the Curt Gowdy Award (awarded to members of the electronic and print media for outstanding contributions to basketball by the Basketball Hall of Fame) in 1992.

Inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1995.

Personal Quotes

When basketball game is in bag: "This game is in the refrigerator, the door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the Jello's jiggling."

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