Mike Gorman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Gorman
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Gorman at the Massachusetts State House in 2008
|
|
| Born | November 24, 1947 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | Boston State College |
| Years active | 1970s–2024 |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team(s) | Boston Celtics |
| Genre(s) | Play-by-play |
| Sports | Basketball |
Mike Gorman (born November 24, 1947) is a well-known American sports commentator who recently retired. He spent many years as the exciting voice for the Boston Celtics basketball team.
After serving in the United States Navy in the 1970s, Mike Gorman started his career in radio and television. He became famous for his "play-by-play" commentary for the Celtics, describing all the action as it happened. He worked alongside Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn for a very long time, and they became a beloved duo. Mike Gorman retired from broadcasting in 2024.
Besides the Celtics, Gorman also worked for big networks like CBS and ESPN. He covered many important sports events, including college basketball tournaments and even the Summer Olympic Games. In 2021, he was honored in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his amazing work.
Contents
Mike Gorman's Early Life and Journey
Mike Gorman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 24, 1947. He was the youngest of three children. As a kid, he loved basketball and would often try to sneak into Boston Celtics games. He even played basketball as a guard for his school, Boston Latin.
After high school, Gorman went to Boston State College to study teaching and coaching. But soon after graduating in 1969, he joined the United States Navy. He became a pilot who flew planes for looking at things from above. In 1972, he was supposed to go on a flight that ended up crashing, but he was redirected to do paperwork at the last minute. This experience deeply affected him, and he decided to stop flying and leave the Navy in 1973.
Gorman's Broadcasting Career
After leaving the Navy, Mike Gorman became interested in working in radio and television. A friend from the Navy helped him get started. He began working at a radio station in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and later moved to Providence, Rhode Island. There, he became the sports director for a TV station and started calling basketball games for the Providence Friars team.
Calling Games for the Boston Celtics
On November 1, 1981, Mike Gorman started calling television broadcasts for the Boston Celtics. He teamed up with color commentator and Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn. They were known as "Mike and Tommy" and became one of the longest-lasting broadcast teams in sports, working together for 39 years!
Tom Heinsohn taught Mike Gorman to describe what they saw happening in the game, rather than just reading notes. Mike Gorman became famous for his special phrases during Celtics games, like "got it!" or "takes it... makes it!" when a player made an important shot. He was inspired by another Celtics announcer, Johnny Most, to create his own signature call.
Mike Gorman said his favorite season was when the Celtics won their 17th NBA championship in 2008. His partnership with Tom Heinsohn ended when Heinsohn passed away in 2020. After that, former Celtics player Brian Scalabrine took over as the color commentator.
Before the 2023–24 season, Mike Gorman announced he would retire after that season. For his last year, he only called Celtics home games. On April 12, 2024, the broadcasting table at the TD Garden arena was renamed the "Mike Gorman Broadcast Table" to honor him. The mayor of Boston even declared April 12, 2024, as "Mike Gorman Day"! His very last game was on May 1, 2024, when the Celtics won a playoff game. He had been with the Celtics for 43 years. The Celtics went on to win their 18th NBA championship that year, and Mike Gorman joined them for their victory parade.
Working on National Television
Besides his local work with the Celtics, Mike Gorman also called games for big national TV networks. He was a play-by-play commentator for ESPN's "Big Monday" college basketball games. He also called some NCAA basketball tournament games on CBS and NBA playoffs games on TBS.
Mike Gorman also worked for NBC at several Summer Olympic Games. He called tennis matches at the 1992 Olympics, handball at the 2012 Olympics, and men's basketball games at the 2016 Olympics.
Mike Gorman's Personal Life
Mike Gorman has been married twice. He has a daughter named Kristen from his first marriage. He married his second wife, Teri, in 1988. They met because she worked in television for college basketball games that he was calling. They even worked together on editing game highlights.
In 2023, Mike Gorman had a sudden eye injury where he temporarily lost sight in one eye. He needed surgery quickly, or he could have lost his sight permanently. This injury was one reason he decided to retire after the 2023–24 season.
Awards and Honors
Mike Gorman has won the Sports Emmy Award five times, which is a big honor in sports broadcasting. In 2004, he was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was recognized in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He received the Curt Gowdy Award for his amazing contributions as a basketball commentator.
