Chick Hearn

Francis Dayle 'Chick' Hearn (November 27, 1916 – August 5, 2002) was an American sportscaster known for his 41-year tenure as the play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. With his rapid-fire and energetic broadcasting style, Hearn popularized phrases like 'slam dunk,' 'air ball,' and 'no harm, no foul,' which have become ingrained in basketball lingo. Beginning on November 21, 1965, he called 3,338 consecutive Lakers games, often simulcasting on both radio and television. Born in Buda, Illinois and raised in Aurora, Illinois, Hearn attended Marmion Academy and Bradley University. He acquired the nickname 'Chick' during his time as an Amateur Athletic Union basketball player at Bradley.