Bill Schonely

William W. Schonely (June 1, 1929 – January 21, 2023), nicknamed "The Schonz", was an American sports broadcaster who was the play-by-play announcer for the Portland Trail Blazers for almost three decades, from the team's launch in 1970 until 1998.

A native of Pennsylvania, he worked in radio in Louisiana and Seattle before settling in Portland, Oregon.

In addition to his work for the Blazers, he was a sportscaster for Major League Baseball games, several minor league baseball teams, college sports, National Hockey League games, and junior ice hockey.

Schonely was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, the second and first surviving child of Walter and Juanita Schonely (née Hoch).

A stutterer as a child, Schonely worked on a weekly high school informational radio show on WNAR in Norristown, which led to opportunities at radio and television stations in Philadelphia.

Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was sent to Guam.

While stationed overseas, Schonely transferred to Armed Forces Radio, where he was a disc jockey as well as doing news, sports and interviews.

He also did his first play-by-play, calling military football and baseball games.

In 1951, Schonely was reassigned to Quantico, Virginia, where he worked on the weekly base newspaper and emceed military events and parades under the guidance of General Clifton B. Cates.

Among his duties were escorting military celebrities to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia for radio and TV interviews.

Upon leaving the Marines, Schonely followed a job offer to WAFB radio and TV in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he served in a variety of on-air roles.

He covered sports for the radio station, covering the minor league baseball team Baton Rouge Red Sticks and the LSU Tigers football and basketball teams as well as some rodeo events.

WAFB promoted a weekly wrestling match, and Schonely became the ring announcer.

Schonely filled in as a referee, which eventually led to participating in matches on a tag team.

Schonely moved to Seattle in 1956 and joined KOMO radio and then moved over to KOMO-TV, where he worked with future ABC Sports broadcaster Keith Jackson.

Once again, Schonely found work in professional wrestling, although he did not pursue it as a career.

Schonely also called roller derby games for KTNT-TV.

In 1957, Schonely suggested to Keith Allen, then player-coach for the Seattle Totems of the Western Hockey League, that their games be televised and that he should call them.

A skeptical Allen agreed, if Schonely could find sponsors.

Schonely enlisted friends including a funeral home director, optometrist and restaurateur to sponsor, and KOMO-TV broadcast Totems games on Sunday nights.

Schonely called Totems games for 11 years on television and radio, and the team became popular in Seattle for a time.

In one incident during a game against the San Francisco Seals at the Cow Palace, an obnoxious fan would hit a siren every time the Seals made a good play, and eventually held the siren up to Schonely's ear.

Going to a commercial, Schonely announced: "By the time I get back on the air, this guy is going to have a knuckle sandwich."

Schonely put his headset down, turned around and slugged him.

Security took the man away, and Schonely returned to the air, saying: "He got his knuckle sandwich, folks."

Schonely moved to KAYO radio in 1959, and the Totems came with him.

However, the station switched to a country and western format, and Schonely left the station.

Schonely worked as public relations director for Longacres Race Track before returning to broadcasting as sports director for KVI.

Schonely brought the Totems to the station, called games for the Washington Huskies and baseball games for the Pacific Coast League Seattle Angels.

At that time, the PCL stretched from Hawaii to Little Rock, and the station could not cover all games.

Instead, Schonely would receive updates from a reporter at the game via teletype, play sound effects to simulate crowd noise, and call the game as if he were actually present.

In 1967, Schonely did West Coast National Hockey League coverage for CBS.

Schonely also called major league Seattle Pilots games for the one year they played before moving to Milwaukee.

In 1967, Schonely nearly became the radio voice for the Seattle SuperSonics, newly created by NBA expansion.

Dick Vertlieb, the team's first general manager, offered the job to Schonely, who was not an avid NBA fan then.

In April 1970, Schonely was approached by Blazers co-founder Harry Glickman, whom Schonely knew as a founder of the Portland Buckaroos.

Schonely was the organization's sixth hire.

Schonely moved to Portland to start with the team on July 1, 1970.

Schonely accepted, but was pushed aside at the behest of Union Oil of California, a key sponsor who wanted Bob Blackburn, who was the Sonics' radio voice until the early 1990s.

Said Glickman in a 2008 interview: "The interview only lasted a few minutes; he opened his mouth and I knew I had the right guy."