Bill Schonely, a former NBA broadcaster, passed away on January 21st at the age of 93.
Nicknamed "The Schonz," he was an American sports broadcaster who was the play-by-play announcer for the Portland Trail Blazers for almost three decades, from the team's launch in 1970 to 1998. A native of Pennsylvania, he worked on radio in Louisiana and Seattle before settling in Portland, Oregon. In addition to his work for the Blazers, he has been a sportscaster for Major League Baseball games, several minor league baseball teams, college sports, National Hockey League games, and junior ice hockey.
Schonely moved to Seattle in 1956 and joined KOMO radio and then moved over to KOMO-TV, where he worked with future ABC Sports broadcaster Keith Jackson. Once again, Schonely found work in professional wrestling, although he did not pursue it as a career. Schonely also called roller derby games for KTNT-TV.
In 1957, Schonely suggested to Keith Allen, then player-coach for the Seattle Totems of the Western Hockey League, that their games be televised and that he should call them. A skeptical Allen agreed if Schonely could find sponsors. Schonely enlisted friends including a funeral home director, optometrist and restaurateur to sponsor and KOMO-TV broadcast Totems games on Sunday nights. Schoney called Totems games for 11 years on television and radio, and the team became popular in Seattle for a time.
In one incident during a game against the San Francisco Seals at Cow Palace, an obnoxious fan would hit a siren every time the Seals made a good play, and eventually held the siren up to Schonely's ear. Going to a commercial, Schonely announced: "By the time I get back on the air, this guy is going to have a knuckle sandwich." Schonely put his headset down, turned around and slugged him. Security took the man away, and Schonely returned to the air, saying: "He got his knuckle sandwich, folks."
Schonely moved to KAYO radio in 1959, and the Totems came with him. However, the station switched to a country and western format, and Schonely left the station. Schoney worked as public relations director for Longacres Race Track before returning to broadcasting as sports director for KVI. Schonely brought the Totems to the station, calling games for the Washington Huskies and baseball games for the Pacific Coast League Seattle Angels. At that time, the PCL stretched from Hawaii to Little Rock, and the station could not cover all games. Instead, Schonely would receive updates from a reporter at the game via teletype, play sound effects to simulate crowd noise, and call the game as if he were present. In 1967, Schonely did West Coast National Hockey League coverage for CBS. Schonely also called Major League Seattle Pilots games for the year they played before moving to Milwaukee.
In 1967, Schonely nearly became the radio voice for the Seattle SuperSonics, newly created by NBA expansion. Dick Vertlieb, the team's first general manager, offered the job to Schonely, who was not an avid NBA fan then. Schonely accepted, but was pushed aside at the behest of Union Oil of California, a key sponsor who wanted Bob Blackburn, who was the Sonics' radio voice until the early 1990s.
In April 1970, Schonely was approached by Blazers co-founder Harry Glickman, whom Schonely knew as the founder of the Portland Buckaroos. Schonely was the organization's sixth hire. Said Glickman in a 2008 interview: "The interview only lasted a few minutes; he opened his mouth and I knew I had the right guy."
Schonely moved to Portland to start with the team on July 1, 1970. Schonely's first task was to assemble a radio network, starting with Portland's KOIN as the flagship, and Blazer games were carried on six stations during the first year. Schonely was not as familiar with basketball as with other sports, and had to work hard to learn the game, attending every practice early on.
Schonely called the play-by-play on 2,522 Blazers radio and television broadcasts, from Portland's very first preseason outing (September 24, 1970) to the team's appearance in the 1998 NBA Playoffs (April 30, 1998).
Schonely's announcing streak was interrupted only once when he missed the first 25 games of the 1982–83 season because of heart bypass surgery following a heart attack.
In 2003, Schonely returned to the team to appear in radio and television segments and act as a team ambassador at charity and community events.
In 2003, Schonely was rehired by the Trail Blazers' new management, a move aimed at reconnecting with Blazers fans disenchanted by previous management and players' off-court troubles. Schonely's role included hosting pre-game segments, "Memorable Moments" on television and "Blazers Flashback" on radio, plus appearances in advertisements and at community events. Team president Steve Patterson called the move "smart business" and intended to honor the team's past.
The move followed general manager Bob Whitsitt's resignation in May. Asked whether he would have responded had the call come from Whitsitt, Schonely said at the time, "Probably not."
On October 14, 2009, at age 80, Schonely returned to the microphone for the second half of a "throwback" exhibition game held at Portland's Memorial Coliseum, where the Blazers played from 1970 until 1995. The occasion was billed as a one-quarter tribute, but radio announcer Brian Wheeler then let Schonely call the remainder of the game.
Schonely's Trail Blazers business card reads, "Ambassador."
