Bill Schonely was the National Basketball Association's Portland Trail Blazers first play-by-play announcer, starting with the team in 1970. He coined phrases that became synonymous with Blazermania in Oregon, including ‘Rip City’ and ‘Bingo Bango Bongo’ and ‘You’ve got to make your free throws.’ 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 their final match up in the 1998 NBA Playoffs (April 30, 1998).
Schonely coined phrases that became synonymous with the Blazermania phenomenon in Oregon, including "Rip City", "Bingo Bango Bongo", "Climb the golden ladder" and "You've got to make your free throws." His specialty was giving listeners a visual of where the players were on the court, ex.
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 their final match up in the 1998 NBA Playoffs (April 30, 1998).
Schonely can currently be found in television advertisements for Standard TV and Appliance and on current Blazers' games on KGW in the Pregame show segment Blazers Memorable Moments, as well as public appearances throughout the Portland metro area.
Schonely was the play-by-play voice of the Blazers from 1970 until 1997, staying with the team as a broadcaster until 2000.
Schonely will appear on the Blazers radio and television broadcasts as the host of two segments, Memorable Moments on television and Blazers Flashback during the Blazers radio pre-game broadcasts.
BillSchonely was the Blazers first play-by-play voice of the Blazers, starting with the team in 1970.
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