Mike Gorman's farewell tour made a new arrival at Studio 1A on Friday.
The legendary NBC Sports Boston play-by-play announcer is now a mainstay on “TODAY” on Friday mornings. He talks with friend and NBC News correspondent Harry Smith about calling Boston Celtics games in his final year, how he got into the industry, and John F. He talked about being selected as a recipient of the Kennedy National Award.
Gorman said he was on the verge of becoming a substitute teacher before he was called up for the game along with Celtics icon Tommy Heinsohn. That was until he happened to have a military connection with the guard and then contacted another prominent Boston sports media figure in Gil Santos.
Since then, Gorman has called Celtics games from the Garden for the past 43 years. He announced in July that the 2023-24 season would be his last year on the field, and he has felt welcomed by players and fans alike in his final season.
“Every time I go to a game, they come up and say, 'Mike, good luck,' so I feel like I'm at a vigil,” Gorman told Smith with a laugh.
What Gorman will miss most has nothing to do with the game on the court. Instead, you'll miss interacting with the people in the building, including ushers, brokers, and fans.
“The fans were great,” he said. “It was the most amazing experience. It's always the people. I mean, the stories are great, but it's the people that are important.”
Next on Gorman's schedule is Sunday's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Boston, where he will be presented with an award named after the former Massachusetts president.
“When you look at this award, it says the same thing, 'John F. Kennedy, Mike Gorman.' It's like, 'Get out of here,'” he said. “If anyone finds out, they'll arrest you.”
For more on Gorman, check out the TODAY feature above.
