LOS ANGELES – He’s called the games of star players for decades as the “Voice of the Clippers,” and now Ralph Lawler will receive an actual star of his own.
The legendary broadcaster, currently in his 37th season with the Clippers and 40th year in professional basketball, will be presented the 2,575th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a very, very special honor,” Lawler said after finding out the news. “Truly humbling, and it’s really exciting.”
What makes the honor on the Walk of Fame even more special for Lawler is joining legendary Los Angeles sports broadcasters Vin Scully, Bob Miller and Chick Hearn, someone Lawler’s known since he was a kid growing up in Peoria, Ill.
Many years later, Lawler now finds himself in the same company on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Clippers head coach Doc Rivers will assist Hollywood Chamber President/CEO Leron Gubler in unveiling the start to Lawler, who’s receiving the star in the category of Radio next to 33 Taps Sports Bar.
“I’m even thrilled that it’s in the radio category,” Lawler said. “I’m probably better known now as a TV guy, but my roots are radio and I’ll always think of myself as being a radio guy. I’m thrilled that it’ll be emblazoned that way for many, many years to come.”
Rivers said it’s a cool honor for Lawler, who deserves to be up there alongside Hearn and the other great broadcasters in the city.
Lawler has always said he’s enjoyed every minute of covering the Clippers, from the highs of recent years to the lows in previous decades, and he said the “dips in the road” make what’s happening now even more enjoyable.
“When I got this job in 1978, I said to myself, ‘This is the last job I want to have,'” Lawler said.
Lawler’s long history broadcasting games isn’t solely limited to basketball, though he knew when he got the Clippers’ job it was one he wanted to keep. Lawler’s worked play-by-play in each of the four major professional sports leagues, as well as a plethora of other sports.
After sticking with the Clippers, Lawler’s now the third longest tenured team broadcaster in the league, and his famous catchphrases have become synonymous with Clippers basketball.
“Just think about it, ‘Oh me, oh my,’ ‘First to 100 wins,’ people knew that, even when the Clippers were losing,” said Corey Maggette. “And to see what the Clippers are doing now, it’s unbelievable. I love that it’s good for Ralph and for Mike Smith, who’s his right-hand man. But it’s really, really cool to see that. Ralph means so much to the Clippers’ organization.”
