Johnny Most

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Lore & Background

Most's radio call during the final moments of Game 7 of the 1965 NBA Eastern Division Finals has been dubbed 'the most famous radio call in basketball history' by the NBA. The call is now simply known as 'Havlicek stole the ball!'

In Their Own Story

Most began his Celtics tenure in 1953 after working with Marty Glickman on New York Knicks games and calling Giants football. He described his Boston Garden perch as "high above courtside" and road game seats as "directly at courtside." His work extended beyond basketball; he hosted a Red Sox post-game show on WHDH-TV from 1958 until the station lost its license before the 1972 season, calling scores and pitching changes while sponsored by Wheaties and Blackstone cigars. In the early 1970s, he ran an evening sports talk show on WORL radio, though WBZ restricted his appearance to the first hour to avoid competing with their own broadcast. His career also included calling NASCAR races at Norwood Arena Speedway from 1963 to 1966 and greyhound racing in Plainfield, Connecticut, in the summer of 1978.

Reader's Guide

Most was hired in 1953 by Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown and coach Red Auerbach to replace Curt Gowdy as the team's radio play-by-play man. He was an outspoken 'homer' who rarely criticized the Celtics but criticized other teams' players and fans. He nicknamed Laker star Magic Johnson 'Crybaby Johnson', Washington Bullets players Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland as 'McFilthy' and 'McNasty', Philadelphia 76ers players Steve Mix, Bobby Jones and Andrew Toney as 'The Hatchet Brothers', and Detroit Pistons player Bill Laimbeer as 'Counterfeit Bill'.

Did You Know?

• Most flew 28 combat missions as an aerial gunner on a B-24 Liberator in World War II, earning seven medals.
• He was a prolific poet and wrote lines after visiting a graveyard of fallen comrades in Italy.
• Most called races at Norwood Arena Speedway from 1963 to 1966 and at Plainfield Greyhound Track in 1978.
• He served as color commentator for one Boston Bruins game in 1965 when Fred Cusick was sick.