Los Angeles is incredibly fortunate to have far more than its fair share of legendary announcers. For decades Chick Hearn was the voice of the Los Angeles Lakers and one of the most iconic voices to call basketball games. Vin Scully recently retired after serving as the Los Angeles Dodgers announcer longer than anyone had ever been associated with any team and will go down in history as one of the most beloved personalities in all of sports.
Then there is the Los Angeles Kings and their own voice, Bob Miller. He also retired like Scully after over four decades calling hockey games. And now the franchise and the Staples Center will immortalize Miller with a statue outside Staples Center, where he will join Hearn as local broadcasters to receive the distinguished honor.
Via the Los Angeles Times:
Hall of Fame former Kings broadcaster Bob Miller will be the latest local icon to have a statue outside Staples Center.
The statue will be unveiled before a Jan.13 game against the Ducks, the Kings announced Wednesday. Miller will be the third person from the Kings to have a statue in the plaza outside the arena, after Luc Robitaille and Wayne Gretzky. He will join former Lakers play-by-play announcer Chick Hearn as broadcasters to be honored.
“There are moments in a person’s career that never enter your wildest dreams,” Miller said in a release. “A statue of me unveiled outside Staples Center is something I never thought of in my life. I wish to thank AEG and L.A. Kings management for this distinction. I am truly honored to be joining some of the great athletes of our time, as well as my good friend, the late Chick Hearn, who 44 years ago recommended me for the Kings job. Being with one professional NHL team during my career has been an extreme pleasure.”
Miller is one of the great hockey announcers of his time and it’s a well deserved honor. For as much as Scully and Hearn meant to their teams, Miller meant the same to the Kings and their fans. He remains with the team as a special ambassador. He started his career with the Kings in 1973, just six years after the franchise was founded in 1967.
Miller was also honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. This makes quite the unique hat trick of honors for the legendary announcer.
