Eddie Doucette facts for kids

Eddie Doucette, born on June 15, 1940, is a well-known former television and radio sportscaster. He is also the president of Doucette Promotions Inc. A sportscaster is someone who reports on sports events, often describing the action as it happens.

Eddie Doucette's Career in Sports

Eddie Doucette was the very first radio voice for the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. He broadcast their games for 16 years, helping fans follow the action. His job was to do "play-by-play" announcing, which means he described every moment of the game live.

Calling Games for Many Teams

During his long career, Eddie Doucette called games for many different sports teams. He worked for several NBA teams, like the Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers. He also covered Major League Baseball teams, including the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Besides basketball and baseball, Eddie also announced for other sports. These included NFL football, college football, college basketball, PGA Tour golf, boxing, bowling, and track and field events.

Helping Kids with Cancer

In 1976, Eddie Doucette and Jon McGlocklin started a special organization called the MACC Fund. MACC stands for Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. They created this fund after Eddie's two-year-old son, Brett, was diagnosed with cancer. The MACC Fund helps raise money for research to find cures for childhood cancer and blood disorders. Today, Eddie is an honorary vice-president for the fund, continuing his important work.

Education and Family Life

Eddie Doucette went to Evanston Township High School, where he was honored as a Distinguished Alumni. He then studied at Michigan State University, graduating in 1960 with a degree in Business. He lives in Poway, California, with his wife, Karen. They have two grown sons named Brett and Cory.

Famous Phrases and Calls

Eddie Doucette is famous for creating two well-known phrases in basketball.

The "Skyhook" Shot

He coined the term "skyhook" for a special basketball shot. This happened on May 10, 1974, during a game between the Bucks and the Celtics. The legendary player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made this unique shot, and Eddie's description stuck.

The "Bango!" Call

Eddie also had a signature call: "Bango!" He would shout this whenever a Bucks player made a long-distance shot. His successor, Ted Davis, also used the "Bango!" call. It became so popular that it is now the name of the Milwaukee Bucks' mascot!

Awards and Recognition

Eddie Doucette has received several important awards for his work in sports broadcasting. In 2013, he was given the Curt Gowdy Media Award in the Electronic Media category from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This award recognizes people who have made a big impact in basketball media. He was also inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2011.