Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him [Hardcover]

Steve Springer (Author), Chick Hearn (Author), Bill Walton (Afterword), Jerry West (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

Chick Hearn was the beloved broadcaster for the Los Angeles Lakers for four decades and 3,338 consecutive games; his previously unpublished memoirs are now available for the first time ever along with a anecdotes and stories from those who knew him (and the Lakers) best along with an audio CD of Chick's greatest calls.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Slam dunk. Air ball. Dribble drive. Ticky-tack foul.

All are integral elements to anyone's basketball vernacular, and all were coined by legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn. But Chick's contributions to the game of basketball, to the Los Angeles Lakers organization, and to fans in particular, go light years beyond popularizing a dozen or so of the catch-phrases so widely used today.

Chick Hearn ws the voice of the Lakers basketball from the day the franchise moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960. He himself had migrated from the Midwest, taking his wife Mrage, son, Gary, and daughter, Samantha, while leaving behind a devoted following in Peoria, Illinois. What he created in L.A., however, became more like an extended family several million listeners and views strong.

After signing on to become the first Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play announcer, Chick worked tirelessly to build his legend. He prepared fanatically for games; he bonded with players, coaches, and management; he reviewed every broadcast in search of ways to improve; and, ultimately, he all but perfected his craft. He broadcast an astounding 3,338 consecutive games during his 42-year career, and his name rings louder among Laker fans and family than the likes of Baylor, West, or even Johnson.

To those players he was a father figure, developing deep friendships and helping them find their way in the unpredictable world of professional basketball. To the coaches he was an ally, earning their confidence and respect with his uncanny knowledge of the game and providing valuable insight from his unique "world-eye view". To colleagues in the media he became larger than life, but never too big to offer words of encouragement or to lend a helping hand.

His greatest prescenece of all, though, was with the fans. He bridged the team and the organization to the millions of faithful, fanatical followers of the purple and gold. Chick lived and breathed Lakers basketball, and he delivered it to the Southern California living room with a passion only he could muster. He was part of the family, to be sure, but he was also fair and objective and called every game the way it was played.

Chick lived and worked through every incarnation that has been the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that is now considered by many to be the most visible and perennially charismatic franchise in sports. The struggles of the sixties and the losses to Russell's Celtics; the triumphs of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West; the passing of the torch from Wilt to Kareem; and the separate dynasties of Magic and now Shaq and Kobe - Chick was the only common denominator tied to the organization during that incredible five-decade span.

Chick includes Hearn's own take on that remarkable relationship and his untold stories about the players, coaches, and owners that have contributed to the Lakers' fascinating history. It also includes their stories about Chick, offering rate glimpses into the mind of a broadcasting legend and a devoted and emotional family man who endured more personal loss than many of us could ever imagine.

About the Author

Chick is Steve Springer's fifth book. He previously authored The Encyclopedia of the Lakers and coauthored Winnin'Times: The Magical Journey of the Los Angeles Lakers with Scott Ostler and Fred Claire; My 30 Yeras in Dodger Blue with Fred Claire; and 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football with Michael Arksuh. Springer has been with the Los Angeles Times for 20 years. He has covered the Lakers on and off for 30 years in a sportswriting career that began at the Thousand Oaks News Chronicle (1974-1979), followed by a move to the Orange County Registrar (1979-1983). Springer and hs wife, Annette, have two grown children, Dina and Alan, and a son-in-law, Daniel Garcia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 222 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books; 1st edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572436182
• ISBN-13: 978-1572436183
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chick Hearn: The One and Only Voice of LA Lakers & the Best, April 19, 2004

By 

D. Wang "smilingdan" (Hacienda Heights, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him (Hardcover)

The book includes the story of his life and how he became announcer for the LA Lakers. He is the best announcer and the first only voice of the LA Lakers for 42 years through 2002 and talks about his 3,338 consecutive games streak. It gives his chickisms that he used like slam-dunk, dribble drive, no harm no foul, etc. There are many famous sports people that talk about Chick's stories and on his life in the NBA for the Lakers.

I recommend the book for the LA Laker Fan/Collector and finally there is a book for Chick Hearn, Voice of the Lakers, during his spectacular career and Hall Fame announcer. This book and CD are for you if you are LA Laker Fan, Chick Hearn Fan and listener over the years growing up with the Lakers and listening to Chick broadcast LA Laker basketball games on radio over the years.

The Audio CD is included with the book. It is great and narrated by Al Michaals. It covers some great calls and plays that Chick Hearn announced over the years.

I also recommend the Los Angeles Lakers 1999-2000 NBA Champions Music CD and the Los Angeles Lakers Regular Music CD. These CDs contain music produced by Alphabet City Records and also some of the best calls that Chick Hearn made during the first Los Angeles Lakers Championship under Phil Jackson era and in the Regular Music CD, some calls Chick made during Magic Johnson/Kareem Adul Jabbar Era.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent series of memoirs about Chick Hearn, August 22, 2004

By 

T. Schwedler (Redlands, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him (Hardcover)

As a lifelong Laker fan, I've felt like I've known Chick for most of my life. He was like the eccentric uncle that explained things to you when he visited, and in Chick's case, what he explained was basketball.

If you're not a Laker fan, this book probably won't be as meaningful to you, but it's filled with entertaining stories and poignant nuggets about broadcasting, basketball, and life in general. Some of the material I'd read about before, but a lot of it was new to me. It gets quite emotional at times; it's not strictly about basketball or play-by-play announcing, although he looms very large in both fields.

The book is mostly a compilation of other people recalling their memories of Chick, with some first-hand quotes from him as well. It doesn't really have a narrative, so it's a nice book to pick up and read from occasionally. I think the structure of it really suits the subject well. Chick was great at describing basketball and relating to people, so to a large extent the book is basketball people talking about him.

If you're a Laker fan, it's a great read. If you're into sportscasting or basketball, there's something for you too.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great man and a legend. This book's for EVERYONE!, April 28, 2004

By 

Sandy Cheeks "sandisquirrel" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him (Hardcover)

Being a HUGE Laker fan, I had to get this book. Knowing that a lot of it was written in Chick's own words made it that much more of a necessity to have it! Then I started reading it. I thought I knew just about everything there was to know about Chick Hearn, but Steve Springer has collected an amazing array of stories and memories that make you admire Chick as more that just the voice of the Lakers, but as an amazing human being.

The book covers Chick from the early beginnings of his career to his last days. You'll find that even if you've never heard of the guy before, you can't help but admire him for his honesty, integrity and professionalism. The book includes a CD of some of his most memorable calls. You'll feel all the thrills and chills of the games on this CD as if you were right there watching it live!

You'll come to realize what an impact this man has had on the sports world. Al Michaels got his start with Chick. The terms "air ball" and "slam dunk" were created by him. ...And so much more!

For the hardcore Laker fan, this book is a must-have and a keepsake of our beloved Chick. But whether or not you're a fan of basketball, and whether or not you've heard of this man, this book is definitely one to pick up. It talks about a man who was devoted to what he did, had a very loving relationship with his wife and family, and who worked VERY hard. He practiced and practiced his craft up until the very end, which is something that many of the people quoted in the book found so admirable. But he wasn't a jerk about it. Although he wasn't afraid to voice his opinion, he was loved and cared for by all. He made all of us in Los Angeles feel like part of the Laker family; HIS family.

Laker fans: GET THIS BOOK
Everyone else: Check it out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!