Dick Stockton

Richard Edward Stokvis (born November 22, 1942), known professionally as Dick Stockton, is an American retired sportscaster. Stockton began his career in Philadelphia, then moved to Pittsburgh, where he worked as the sports director for KDKA-TV. In Boston, he called Celtics games for WBZ-TV and Red Sox games for WSBK-TV before transitioning to national broadcasting, which included calling the 1975 World Series for NBC and later, the NBA Finals for CBS. In a career that spanned over five decades, Stockton worked for several different networks, most prominently CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and Turner Sports.

Biography

Early life and career

Stockton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Joseph and Beatrice Stokvis. He has one older sister, Irene. He attended Forest Hills High School (Queens), Forest Hills High School in Queens, New York (state), New York, graduating in 1960. He went on to college at Syracuse University, where he received his degree in political science in 1964. At Syracuse, he was sports director at WAER. He was inducted into the WAER Hall of Fame on October 12, 2016. In 1965, he began his sportscasting career at local radio and television stations in Philadelphia. He became sports director at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh in 1967, and moved to WBZ-TV and WBZ (AM), WBZ radio in Boston in 1971. Three years later, he began calling Boston Celtics telecasts for WBZ, and the following year he became the lead announcer for Boston Red Sox games on WSBK-TV. Stockton was part of the broadcast crew for Major League Baseball on NBC, NBC Sports' coverage of the 1975 World Series, and on television called Carlton Fisk's famous, game-winning home run in Game 6 of that series as follows:

There it goes! A long drive. . . . if it stays fair. . . . home run!

Stockton stayed silent as Fisk rounded the bases, waiting until he made his way into the Red Sox dugout before proclaiming: "We will have a seventh game in this 1975 World Series."

Broadcasting career

CBS Sports

Stockton started freelancing for CBS Sports in the late 1960s, while still doing local television at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. In 1978 (following a two-year stint calling NFL on NBC, NFL games for NBC), he joined CBS full-time, and from then until 1994 covered a variety of sports for that network, including the NFL on CBS, NFL, the NBA on CBS, NBA (for which Stockton was the lead play-by-play man from 1981 NBA Playoffs, 1981 to 1989–90 NBA season, 1990), Major League Baseball on CBS, Major League Baseball and College Basketball on CBS, NCAA Basketball, including ten years as a play-by-play broadcaster of the NCAA Regional finals. Stockton also was the host at the famous upset of 1984–85 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team, Villanova over 1984–85 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Georgetown in 1985 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 1985.

On January 23, 1972, Jim Gordon (sportscaster), Jim Gordon was not in Boston Garden, Boston for the 1971–72 Buffalo Sabres season, Buffalo-1971–72 Boston Bruins season, Boston 1971–72 NHL season, NHL game on NHL on CBS, CBS. Therefore, Stockton filled in and did the game with Dan Kelly (sportscaster), Dan Kelly. As previously mentioned, although Stockton was doing some work for ''The NFL on CBS'', was also at the time a sports anchor for WBZ-TV in Boston.

Also while at CBS Sports, he called nine NBA Finals, including the 1984 NBA Finals, 1984, 1985 NBA Finals, 1985 and 1987 NBA Finals, 1987 finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. Stockton partnered with Bill Russell to call the finals from 1982 NBA Finals, 1982 to 1983 NBA Finals, 1983, Tom Heinsohn for the finals from 1984 to 1987, Billy Cunningham for the 1988 NBA Finals, 1988 finals, and Hubie Brown for the 1989 NBA Finals, 1989 and 1990 NBA Finals, 1990 finals.

On May 7, 1989, Stockton and Hubie Brown, were behind the microphone for the fifth and decisive game for the NBA's 1989 NBA playoffs#(3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) Chicago Bulls, Eastern Conference First round playoff series between the 1988–89 Chicago Bulls season, Chicago Bulls and 1988–89 Cleveland Cavaliers season, Cleveland Cavaliers. The game was highlighted by a buzzer-beater The Shot, shot by Michael Jordan to give the Bulls a 101–100 win and clinch a series victory.

CBS would lose their broadcasting rights to the NBA to NBA on NBC, NBC following the 1989–90 NBA season, 1989–90 season. At the end of CBS' coverage of Game 5 of the 1990 NBA Finals, Stockton signed off with the following message:

In 2001, Stockton was inducted as a broadcaster into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

As previously mentioned, Stockton called Major League Baseball for CBS from 1990 Major League Baseball season, 1990–1992 Major League Baseball season, 1992. Working alongside Jim Kaat, Stockton was the number #2 play-by-play man behind Jack Buck and subsequently Sean McDonough. He and Kaat also called the American League Championship Series during that time period. It was initially speculated that Stockton would not have been available to contribute as the secondary play-by-play announcer due to his football and basketball commitments for CBS. Stockton would however, be replaced by Greg Gumbel in 1993 Major League Baseball season, 1993.

For the Game 5 of the 1991 American League Championship Series, 1991 ALCS between the 1991 Minnesota Twins season, Minnesota Twins and 1991 Toronto Blue Jays season, Toronto Blue Jays, Stockton called the final out by saying "And the Minnesota Twins have gone from the 1990 Minnesota Twins season, cellar to the 1991 World Series, penthouse in the American League." The following year in Game 4 of the 1992 American League Championship Series, ALCS between 1992 Toronto Blue Jays season, Toronto and the 1992 Oakland Athletics season, Oakland Athletics, Stockton described Roberto Alomar's game-tying home run off of Oakland Closer (baseball), closer Dennis Eckersley by saying “A drive to right field, Rubén Sierra, Sierra going back, looking up and this game is tied! Roberto Alomar!”

In addition, he was the List of Pan American Games commentators, host of the Pan American Games in San Juan in 1979 Pan American Games, 1979, and covered swimming and Diving at the 1983 Pan American Games, diving at the Pan American Games in Edmonton and 1983 Pan American Games, Caracas. Stockton also broadcast the FINA World Aquatics Championships, World Swimming and Diving Championships in 1982 World Aquatics Championships, Guayaquil, Ecuador, the FIBA World Championship, World Basketball Championships in 1982 FIBA World Championship, Cali, Colombia, and the World Figure Skating Championships in 1983 World Figure Skating Championships, Helsinki in the first year that CBS acquired the rights. When CBS began covering the CBS Olympic broadcasts, Winter Olympics, Stockton was assigned to cover Alpine skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics, skiing in France in 1992 Winter Olympics, 1992 and two years later, he called the Speed skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics, speed skating events in the 1994 Winter Olympics, 1994 Norway Games including Dan Jansen's record-breaking triumph of the 1000 meter gold medal as well as the gold medal victories of Bonnie Blair.

Fox Sports

Stockton left CBS in 1994 for the newly formed Fox Sports (USA), Fox Sports, who continued to employ him on NFL on Fox, NFL broadcasts up until Stockton announced his retirement in March 2021. Stockton called Major League Baseball on Fox, Major League Baseball telecasts for the Fox broadcast network/FX in some shape or form from 1997 through 2013. From the time he was hired until 2006 NFL season, 2006, he was Fox's second-team announcer for NFL games (behind Pat Summerall and later, Joe Buck), working alongside Matt Millen and then Troy Aikman, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa. For Fox's MLB coverage, he has partnered with Eric Karros, Joe Girardi, Mark Grace and Tim McCarver and others. He most recently worked with Mark Schlereth for football.

Turner Sports

From 1995–96 NBA season, 1995 to 2014–15 NBA season, 2015, Stockton called NBA on TNT, NBA telecasts for Turner's TNT (U.S. TV network), TNT channel. From to 2013, Stockton called postseason Major League Baseball on TBS, Major League Baseball games on TBS (U.S. TV channel), TBS. In 2007, he partnered with Ron Darling to call the 2007 National League Division Series, National League Division Series between the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks season, Arizona Diamondbacks and 2007 Chicago Cubs season, Chicago Cubs for the network. In , he called the 2008 American League Central tie-breaker game, AL Central tiebreaker game between the 2008 Minnesota Twins season, Minnesota Twins and 2008 Chicago White Sox season, Chicago White Sox with Darling and Harold Reynolds, followed by the 2008 National League Division Series, NLDS between the 2008 Chicago Cubs season, Chicago Cubs and 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season, Los Angeles Dodgers with Darling and Tony Gwynn. In , he teamed with Bob Brenly to call the 2009 National League Division Series, NLDS between the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers season, Los Angeles Dodgers and 2009 St. Louis Cardinals season, St. Louis Cardinals for TBS, and the two worked the NLDS every year until 2014. Stockton split play-by-play duties during the regular season on TBS with ''NBA on TNT'' studio host Ernie Johnson Jr. and Milwaukee Brewers announcer Brian Anderson (broadcaster), Brian Anderson. In , he partnered with Ron Darling and John Smoltz to call Game 5 of the 2011 National League Division Series, National League Division Series between the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies season, Philadelphia Phillies and 2011 St. Louis Cardinals season, St. Louis Cardinals when his regular partner Brenly was away.

Dick Stockton's performance on TBS' baseball telecasts hasn't been without criticism. For instance, during the 2013 National League Division Series, 2013 NLDS (2013 St. Louis Cardinals season, St. Louis vs. 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates season, Pittsburgh), he was cited as often misidentifying players, generally appearing confused at times, and never having hosting chemistry with his analyst Bob Brenly.

Other

From 1993 Oakland Athletics season, 1993 to 1995 Oakland Athletics season, 1995, Stockton also called List of Oakland Athletics broadcasters, local TV broadcasts of the Oakland Athletics. In 2004–05 NBA season, 2004, he began doing Part-time job, part-time Television channel, local television work for the San Antonio Spurs, this role lasted three seasons until 2007. Stockton called Super Bowl XXXVIII alongside Daryl Johnston and Super Bowl XLII alongside Sterling Sharpe on the international feed, provided by the NFL Network. This is the feed used by the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC and certain other English-language broadcasters outside North America. Starting in 2010, Dick assumed play-by-play duties for Miami Dolphins preseason games on WFOR-TV, WFOR; he substituted for Jimmy Cefalo as play-by-play on the Dolphins' radio call of the team's ''Monday Night Football'' game against the 2010 New England Patriots season, New England Patriots on October 4, 2010 Miami Dolphins season, 2010.

Stockton did the play-by-play commentary for ''NFL Fever 2000'' alongside Matt Millen.

In 2017, Stockton launched his own podcast entitled ''Stockton!'', where he interviewed famous athletes.

On March 25, 2021, Stockton announced his retirement from broadcasting.

Personal life

Stockton is wed to Jamie Drinkwater. The couple were married on July 31, 2014, at her family's home in New York on the St. Lawrence River. They divide their time between homes in Boca Raton, Florida and Carefree, Arizona. Stockton's previous marriage to sportscaster Lesley Visser ended in divorce in 2010.

Career timeline

* 1974–1975: Boston Celtics TV play-by-play (WBZ-TV)
* 1975–1976: New York Knicks TV play-by-play (WOR-TV)
* 1975–1978: Boston Red Sox TV play-by-play (WSBK-TV)
* 1976–1977: ''NFL on NBC'' play-by-play
* 1978–1993: ''NFL on CBS'' play-by-play
* 1981–1990: ''NBA on CBS'' lead play-by-play
* 1990–1992: ''Major League Baseball on CBS'' #2 play-by-play
* 1992–1994: ''CBS Olympic broadcasts, Olympics on CBS'' announcer
* 1993–1995: Oakland Athletics TV play-by-play (KRON-TV)
* 1994–2020: ''Fox NFL'' play-by-play (1994–2006: #2, 2007–2010: #3, 2011–2012: #4, 2013–2019: #6, 2020: #7)
* 1995–2015: ''NBA on TNT'' play-by-play
* 1995: ''NHL on Fox'' play-by-play
* 1997–2013: ''Fox Major League Baseball'' play-by-play
* 2004–2007: San Antonio Spurs TV play-by-play (part-time)
* 2007–2015: ''Major League Baseball on TBS'' Division Series play-by-play (2007–2013), lead play-by-play (2007–2013), part-time play-by-play (2014–2015)
* 2010–2020: Miami Dolphins Preseason TV play-by-play
* 2010: ''Fox College Football, BCS on Fox'' Orange Bowl play-by-play
* 2013–2014: ''Fox College Football, College Football on Fox'' fill-in play-by-play
* 2013–2014: ''Fox College Hoops'' play-by-play

References

External links

Dick Stockton Official Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stockton, Dick
1942 births
Living people
American radio sports announcers
American television sports announcers
Baltimore Ravens announcers
Television anchors from Philadelphia
Television anchors from Boston
Boston Red Sox announcers
Bowling broadcasters
College basketball announcers in the United States
College football announcers
KDKA people
Olympic Games broadcasters
Oakland Athletics announcers
Major League Baseball broadcasters
Miami Dolphins announcers
National Football League announcers
National Hockey League broadcasters
New York Knicks announcers
San Antonio Spurs announcers
Sportspeople from Philadelphia
National Basketball Association broadcasters
Sportspeople from Queens, New York
Syracuse Orange football announcers
Boston Celtics announcers
New England Patriots announcers
People from Carefree, Arizona
Forest Hills High School (New York) alumni
World Hockey Association broadcasters
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs alumni