1. John M Most was an American sports announcer, known primarily as the raspy radio voice of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association from 1953 to 1990.
16 Facts About Johnny Most
1. 2.
Johnny Most was one of the many successful graduates of DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx.
3.
Johnny 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 on the Celtics radio network.
4.
Johnny Most served as sports director for WCOP radio in Boston at that time.
5.
Johnny Most teamed with Marty Glickman to call New York Giants football in the early 1950s.
6.
WBZ, owner of the Celtics' radio rights, allowed Johnny Most to appear only on the first hour of the program, which was broadcast live from a Boston nightspot, so as not to compete with WBZ's Calling All Sports broadcast.
7.
Shortly after VE Day, as his unit broke camp in central Italy, Johnny Most wandered up a nearby hillside to a graveyard filled with American flags, his final visit to fallen comrades before returning home to the Bronx.
8.
Johnny Most always referred to his perch or radio booth at the Boston Garden as "high above courtside" at the opening of his broadcasts, and to his usual perch near the scorer's table on most Celtics road games as "directly at courtside".
9.
Unlike his long-time contemporary Chick Hearn, who criticized his Los Angeles Lakers when he felt warranted, Johnny Most was an outspoken "homer" who rarely criticized the Celtics during game play but was not shy about criticizing other teams' players or fans.
10.
Johnny Most was very critical of the Detroit Pistons for their physical play during the late 1980s.
11.
Johnny Most was particularly hard on Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn and Isiah Thomas, whom he referred to as Little Lord Fauntleroy.
12.
From 1963 to 1966, Johnny Most was the track announcer at the Norwood Arena Speedway, a NASCAR-sanctioned quarter mile oval.
13.
In 1965, Johnny Most served as a color commentator for one Boston Bruins game when play-by-play announcer Fred Cusick was sick and color commentator Bob Wilson filled in on play-by-play.
14.
Johnny Most nonetheless kept up his two-pack-a-day cigarette habit, even after smoking was banned inside Boston Garden.
15.
On October 10,1990, Johnny Most announced his retirement due to failing health.
16.
Johnny Most is buried in the Baker Street Jewish Cemeteries, West Roxbury, Massachusetts.