BINGO! Forty Years in the NBA: An Evening with Hall of Famer Ralph Lawler in conversation with Bill Walton

Meet two NBA Hall of Famers in one night as Los Angeles Clippers broadcasting legend Ralph Lawler presents his new memoir, BINGO! Forty Years in the NBA at an in-conversation event with NBA Champion and Hall of Famer Bill Walton.

Library Foundation SD presents this event. After the presentation, there will be a Q&A and a Book Signing.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. Seating priority is given to those who purchase a copy of Ralph Lawler’s BINGO! Purchase your copies in advance through the Library Shop here. All proceeds support the San Diego Public Library System.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Bingo!: Forty Years in the NBA is the memoir of legendary Los Angeles Clippers and sports broadcaster Ralph Lawler. The book covers Lawler’s extraordinary life and career, from his childhood in Peoria, Illinois; through his time at Bradley University; to the beginning of his sports announcing career at the Riverside International Raceway; his years spent in Philadelphia with the Flyers, Phillies, and 76ers; his years in San Diego with the Sails and the Chargers; and culminating in his 40-year career with the Clippers.

Along the way, basketball and the NBA is the book’s focus, with Lawler’s observations and stories about players, coaches, and teams from the 1940s through his retirement at the close of the 2019 season forming the book’s core.

Among the countless stories and reflections are his relationships with NBA legend Bill Walton, infamous Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Clippers GM and NBA great Elgin Baylor, and various famous players and coaches throughout the NBA.

Lawler famously said from behind the microphone, ​“Fasten your seatbelts!” Bingo! is a fun-filled journey through professional basketball, with plenty of ​“Oh me, Oh my!” moments.

About the Author:

Ralph Lawler is best known for his 41-year tenure as the voice of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. His broadcasting career began in the 1960s upon graduating from Bradley University in his hometown of Peoria, Illinois. Lawler initially worked as a sports announcer at 1440 KPRO in Riverside, California, and did some announcing at the nearby Riverside International Raceway. From there, Lawler went on to work in Philadelphia, where he broadcast games for the Flyers of the National Hockey League, the 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Phillies of Major League Baseball, Big 5 college basketball, and Temple college football. He also worked as a sports reporter for then-CBS station WCAU-TV before returning to Southern California for good in the late 1970s, calling the San Diego Conquistadors of the American Basketball Association and the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League before beginning his stint with the (then) San Diego Clippers in 1978. He is one of very few announcers who has called games in the four professional U.S. sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL).

Lawler was named a 2019 Curt Gowdy Media Award recipient by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at All-Star Weekend. Throughout his 40 seasons, he has also been awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, three Emmys, a Telly Award, and inductions into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters (SCSB) Hall of Fame and the California Sports Hall of Fame. Lawler and his wife Jo have three grown children and seven grandchildren and currently divide their time between Florida and Oregon.

Bill Walton was NCAA player of the year at UCLA from 1972 to 1974 when UCLA set an NCAA record eighty-eight consecutive-game winning streak. A former NBA Champion and MVP, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and selected as one of the NBA’s Fifty Greatest Players ever. He has also had a successful award-winning broadcasting career with ABC, ESPN, NBC, MSNBC, CBS, Turner, and Fox, among others. He currently resides in his hometown of San Diego with his family. Visit him at Bill​Wal​ton​.com.