1. Ralph Anthony Lawler was born on April 21,1938 and is an American former television and radio personality.
16 Facts About Ralph Lawler
1. 2.
Ralph Lawler is best known for his 41-year tenure as the voice of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers.
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In 2019, Ralph Lawler was recognized for his contributions to the game and received the Curt Gowdy Media Award, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
4.
Ralph Lawler would provide Clippers fans with his enthusiastic commentary, which has made him a fan favorite.
5.
Ralph Lawler has broadcast more than 3,000 Clippers games, including more than 1,600 consecutive games.
6.
Ralph Lawler reached the 2,500-game milestone in a game versus the Boston Celtics, on February 26,2011.
7.
Ralph Lawler reached the 3,000-game milestone on December 10,2016, versus the New Orleans Pelicans.
8.
Ralph Lawler was born in Ohio and raised in Peoria, Illinois.
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Ralph Lawler's broadcasting career began in the 1960s upon graduating from Bradley University in his hometown.
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Ralph Lawler initially worked as a sports announcer at 1440 KPRO in Riverside, California and did some announcing at the Riverside International Raceway nearby.
11.
Ralph Lawler worked as a sports reporter for then-CBS station WCAU-TV, before returning to Southern California for good in the late 1970s, calling the San Diego Conquistadors of the American Basketball Association and the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League.
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Ralph Lawler's biggest broadcasting influences included Irv Kaze, a former sports executive and long-time Los Angeles-area sports talk show host, before he died in 2003; and Los Angeles Lakers voice, Chick Hearn, who like Ralph Lawler, grew up in Illinois before moving on to Southern California.
13.
Unlike other announcers who use headsets while calling the game, Ralph Lawler relies exclusively on a handheld microphone during games.
14.
On March 3,2016, Ralph Lawler was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
15.
Ralph Lawler has missed only three games in his 40-year career.
16.
On February 15,2019, Ralph Lawler was named the 2019 winner of the Curt Gowdy Media Award for electronic media by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.