Born Francis Dayle Hearn on Nov. 27, 1916, in Aurora, Ill., Hearn peppered his rapid-fire delivery with terms like "no harm, no foul," "the mustard's off the hot dog," "ticky-tack foul," and "faked him into the popcorn machine."

Whenever he believed a Lakers victory was clinched, Hearn would say: "You can put this one in the refrigerator. The door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the Jell-O is jiggling."

Hearn's unique "words-eye view" provided the soundtrack for nine NBA championships - one with West and Chamberlain, five with Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar, and the last three with O'Neal and Bryant.

When it came time to give out rings, raise championship banners, emcee victory parades or retire uniform numbers, Hearn was the master of ceremonies.

Hearn also broadcast other historic Lakers accomplishments, such as the night in Las Vegas when Abdul-Jabbar broke Chamberlain's NBA career scoring record and when Johnson broke Oscar Robertson's career assist record.

Hearn also was a comforting voice to fans in difficult basketball times - helping fans cope with Johnson's HIV announcement in 1991 and Loyola Marymount star Hank Gathers' death in 1990.

When the Lakers moved from the Forum in nearby Inglewood to the downtown Staples Center in 1999, the press room was named in Hearn's honor.

He has been immortalized with a star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame," and appeared as himself numerous times on television shows - including the TV movie "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island."

And he hosted the TV show "Bowling for Dollars."

Hearn missed just two games before his unprecedented streak - one because bad weather kept him grounded and one because he had another broadcast assignment.

The first game of the streak was Nov. 21, 1965, at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Johnson was in grade school and Abdul-Jabbar was still Lew Alcindor and a teenager.

Throughout his career, Hearn refused to call in sick. He came to work when he wasn't feeling well - including a couple of times with laryngitis that forced him to sit out the second half.

A member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and the American Sportscasters Hall of Fame, Hearn received a standing ovation on his 85th birthday in November during a Lakers-Milwaukee Bucks game.

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