Chick Hearn

One of the most recognizable voices in Los Angeles, Francis Dayle Hearn, better known as "Chick" was the play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Lakers for from 1960 to 2002. Known for his witty comments during the game and lightning-quick reactions to the play on the court, Hearn was as well-known a personality as some of the past Laker greats including 'Jerry West' (qv), 'Elgin Baylor' (qv), 'Wilt Chamberlain' (qv), 'Magic Johnson' (qv), and 'Kareem Abdul-Jabbar' (qv). Originally from Illinois, Hearn came to Los Angeles in 1956 and did radio and TV work in a variety of sports before getting his gig with the Lakers. He was also the long-time host of "Bowling for Dollars." Hearn has also done the play-by-play for other sports including the 1992 Summer Olympics.::Ken Severson; updated by Daniel Frank Webster