Johnny Most

Grandson of German immigrant and radical Johann Joseph Most (1846-1906).

Mentored by Marty Glickman, Most called road games for baseball's New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, and football's New York Giants and Army. In 1953, Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown and head coach Red Auerbach tapped him to replace Curt Gowdy as the team's radio play-by-play man "high above court side" as Most always described his perch at Boston Garden. Unlike Chick Hearn - who criticized his Los Angeles Lakers when he felt it warranted - Most never pretended to be objective. His Celtics were near-saints who could do no wrong, and everyone else were nothing less than the scum of the Earth.

Mosts's praise of Michael Jordan's performance in Game 2 of the first round of the 1986 playoffs was a rare exception -- all His Airness had to do was score 63 points! Dennis Johnson also felt Most's ire until he donned the Celtic green in 1983, and turned into the beloved "D. J. ". Critics blasted Most for being a "homer", but the Celtics fans loved him for it.

Honored with the permanent installation at Boston Garden of his microphone, silver-plated and encased in a Celtic-green frame, to the facade of the radio booth, the vantage point Most always described as "high above courtside." [December 1990]

Postumously awarded the 1993 Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame for his contribution to basketball. Ironically, Most replaced Gowdy as the Celtics' play-by-play announcer.

Inducted into the media category of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame at the University of Rhode Island (4 October 2002).