Tribute to a Legend

The NBA recently lost a Legend when longtime Seattle SuperSonics play-by-play announcer, Bob Blackburn, passed away at the established age of 85 on January 8, 2010.  Known to most simply as “Voice”, Bob called Sonics games from 1967-1992 before having his microphone retired to the rafters, but stayed involved with the franchise throughout its 41-year history and remains cherished to this day by Seattle sports fans.

My relationship with Bob Blackburn was different than most.  In fact, I barely remember him calling games because by the time I truly began following the Sonics, Bob had retired.  Instead, I really started to learn about Bob’s contribution when I was working for the SuperSonics.  From conversations I had with co-workers, fans and those who had listened to him for years, I quickly gained an appreciation for his impact.

In March 2004, plans were being formed in the Sonics office for a 25th Anniversary celebration of the 1979 NBA Championship.  It would consist of a weeklong series of events, including a Trophy Tour around the Pacific Northwest that would culminate in a halftime ceremony honoring the 1979 team, followed by the retirement of Gus Williams’ #1 jersey.

The Sonics put a young Game Operations Coordinator named Pat Walker in charge of the Trophy Tour and there would be former players at each of the stops.  There would also be one consistent celebrity throughout the week, former play-by-play announcer Bob Blackburn.  I had never met Bob before and needless to say, I was a bit nervous about ensuring everything was up to snuff for him.  Those nerves were smoothed instantly when Bob introduced himself the first day, told me to relax, not worry about a thing and that we were going to have a great week…he just had that aura about him.  He had a way with people and when you were around him, things were always enjoyable.

Bob and I became instant friends that week.  Driving from stop to stop in the Sonics van, we’d pull up to traffic lights and people would honk their horns to wave and he’d roll down his window to wave back and say hello.  When an appearance would go over the allotted time, I’d point at my watch and he’d ask for five more minutes to ensure that everyone in line got an autograph and a photo…he would never let anyone walk away empty handed.

And the stories…oh the stories.  Bob’s narration of a trip to the grocery store could rival a Clive Cussler novel.  Fans would say “I remember that one game when…” and Bob would proceed to rehash the moment in glowing detail, no matter if it was the NBA Finals or a pregame warm-up.  I gained an instant appreciation for Bob Blackburn that week as a broadcaster…but more importantly, as a person.

Following the Trophy Tour, we stayed in touch and worked on more projects together during my tenure with the team.  Several years later, Bob was involved in the Sonics 40th Anniversary Team and Spencer Haywood’s jersey retirement.  That same season, he also announced the Sonics starting lineups during a 70’s theme night during a national TV game at KeyArena.

Even when I made the decision to leave the Sonics and start my own company, Bob remained supportive in his truest form.  He and his wife, Pat Blackburn, attended my going away party.  One of my favorite moments with him to this day was the hour my wife and I spent that night sitting with Bob and Pat as they shared stories with us of their world travels.  It was really inspiring to see how happy they were and how much they got out of life…and it became very apparent that Pat was a real rock behind the Voice, I guess you have to be to share your significant other with so many people.

The news of Bob’s passing hit me hard.  He was a man that I had grown to admire in a relatively short period of time, only knowing him for six years.  But the positive impact he had on a region was obvious, especially in the days following his passing.  I logged onto Seattle’s online newspaper sites to view the reader comments and it was amazing to read the…literally…thousands of comments that were posted.  They were genuine, heartfelt and celebratory…all words that I would apply to the personality of Bob Blackburn.

There is only one thing that eats at me about how Bob’s life played out and it is something that was completely out of his control.  The team to which he dedicated his professional career has, for the time being, been neatly packed away.  The banners and archives are being stored at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry…yeah, history.   Bob didn’t deserve this…he and the Blackburn family should have been honored during an extended halftime ceremony at a Seattle SuperSonics game last month.  Seattle’s sports fans should have been given a day to celebrate him and remember what a great man he was.  The conversation of how to get him elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame should have been rekindled.  He should have been the focus of the NBA world, given his contribution to the league.

I wish I had the opportunity to help Seattle celebrate his life the way he deserved, but that is going to have to wait.  I’m confident that time will come when Seattle gets its NBA team back and when it does, I want to be there.  I want to be there to serve tribute to a man that meant so much to the city of Seattle, the NBA and the sports world as a whole.  But until it does, I can always go back and listen again to those famous final seconds in 1979 as “Voice” describes Assistant Coach Les Habegger’s “Habegger Hop” as the “ball sails high in the air”.

When Bob attended my going away party at the Sonics, his gift to me was a signed photo with a personalized message “To Pat Walker, a great man who will do great things. ”

Well, I say here’s to you Bob, a great man who inspired great things.  May your inspiration live on forever.

Pat Walker

Patrick Walker is the President of Pat Walker Productions, a Seattle-based event production group. Pat shares over a decade of expertise in Game Entertainment and Operations in a monthly column called Walk & Talk and blog posts on Gameops.com.

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