Johnny Most

Who was Johnny Most?

John M. "Johnny" 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.

He is most remembered for his excited call of “Havlicek stole the ball!” during the final moments of Game 7 of the 1965 NBA Eastern Division Finals. The play sealed the victory for the Boston Celtics. The complete call for that play was, "Greer is putting the ball in play. He gets it out deep, and Havlicek steals it!! Over to Sam Jones!! Havlicek stole the ball!! It's all over … It's all over!! Johnny Havlicek is being mobbed by the fans! Bill Russell hugs him. He squeezes John Havlicek! The Celtics win it, 110 to 109!"

He was a legend to Boston Celtics fans during the franchise's golden era from the 1950s through the 1980s. As identifiable a figure in New England as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Larry Bird, Celtics fans learned at an early age when watching the team play on television to turn the sound down on their television and pick up Most's radio broadcast on their local Celtics radio affiliate. He, along with Fred Cusick, Ned Martin, Curt Gowdy, Gil Santos and Bob Wilson are considered among the greatest announcers in Boston sports history.