The New York Post's Pete Vecsey reported that Red Kerr has prostate cancer.
In five years on the Bulls beat, I did not meet a nicer person than Red. In fact, that observation extends beyond the work borders. The guy always had a smile and slap on the back.
The Bulls moved up the night to honor Red to Feb. 10.
They're having the same sculptor who made the Jordan statue build one of Red, and it will be positioned next to MJ's outside the United Center, but it won't be ready by Feb. 10.
Sam Smith has led a campaign to get Kerr in the Hall of Fame as a contributor, and that honor is overdue. Red was the Bulls' first coach in the 1966-67 season and guided them to the playoffs, earning Coach of the Year honors.
He was an iron man, playing in 844 consecutive games, which is one of the longest streaks in NBA history. In 12 seasons, he averaged 13.8 points and 11.2 boards and was a three-time All-Star.
Kerr was a terrific player and remains a unique ambassador for the NBA.
All my best to Red and his family..
are you sure people still watch the NBA?
lmao..Oklahoma City?..Charolotte?..Memphis?..Where's The Supersonics?...Why does Minnesota have a team?
and "Boogie down Bronx"...all the way to Brooklyn?...WHATTHEEFFEVER!!
The NBA is retarded..
All my best to Red and his family..
Johnny Kerr is a class act. I hope and pray that his cancer was caught early enough.
I remember when he first played basketball for the University of Illinois. He was my hero then and still is. Best wishes.
i HAD THE CLOSEUP MEETING WITH MR. JOHNNY "RED KERR" WHILE THE BULLS WERE BOARDING A FLIGHT FOR A GAME. I WAS A SECURITY GAURD AT O'HARE AIRPORT, KEEPING THE FANS AND MEDIA UNDER CONTROL. I MUST TRUTHFULLY SAY, THIS IS ONE STRAIGHTUP MAN, AND ONE WHOM I AND MY WIFE SYLVIA ENJOY ANNOUNCING. WE WISH HIM A SPEEDY RECOVERY AND RETURN TO THE MIKE! BEST OF LUCK.
God bless you, Red.
i don't think anybody cheered(screamed...LOL) harder for our Bullies during the Jordan years. he was our livingroom buddy many a evening during the championship years. i can confidently say, beyond a reasonable doubt, for all of Chicago: WE LOVE YA, RED. God's blessings be upon you and your family during this challenging moment.
Johnny Red Kerr is a class act. He is funny and personable. I miss watching him commentate the Bulls game. One of my favorite moments of him was during the Jordan era. At the beginning of every home game, Jordan would put powder on his hands to improve his grip of the ball and often clapped the excess powder from his hands in front of Johnny. To prevent the powder from raining down on him, Johnny would open up an umbrella or bring a small fan to blow the powder away. It was hilarious! I pray for your speedy recovery and look forward to seeing you again Johnny. My dad and I truly think you are one in a million!!
That really sucks.
Red has always been nothing but class and a huge part of the Bulls.
Hope he gets through this okay and makes a fast recovery
Thank you Red. I was fortunate to be a Bulls season ticket holder during the Jordan/championship years but I never would have gone to a game if not for Red Kerr making Bulls games sound like such fun, even when Detroit was in town. I met my soul mate and Roger my exclusive beer vendor at the Chicago Stadium but never met anyone nicer than Johnny Kerr while hanging out at gate 3 1/2 after games.
Thanks again and God be with you Red.
His basketball achievements and his personality have made him a
legend in his own time. This unique man deserves to have an Illinois
Honors Johnny "Red" Kerr Day.
Red is a superb ambassador to the NBA and especially to Chicago and Illinois sports. Let's pray and hope he will recover from this. He surely is an inspiration to sports fans nationwide that truly support their hometown teams. A fine announcer and an even better person.
MY FATHER ATTENDED TILDEN TECH, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW SO DID RED KERR,
THE NIGHT MY FATHER WAS INDUCTED IN THE TILDEN TECH HALL OF FAME,
I MET MY FATHER AT THE EVENT, I ARRIVED BEFORE HE DID, WHEN MR. KERR
FOUND OUT THAT I WAS MY FATHER'S SON, HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME AND
WALKED ME IN A ROOM TO AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF MY FATHER, HE GAVE A
TOAST TO SALUTE THE INDUCTION OF MY FATHER IN THE TILDEN TECH HALL
OF FAME, HE MADE ME FEEL SO WELCOME, HE IS A CLASS ACT, AND I WISH
HIM A SPEEDY RECOVERY AND I WILL KEEP HIM IN MY PRAYERS!
THAT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL NIGHT AND MR. KERR MADE THE NIGHT MORE
SPECIAL, THIS IS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET!
Red im a life long fan of yours and the bulls and i wish you and yours all the best from all the soilders from chicago who are stationed at fort hood a big loud HOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
Touche to all above comments.
Now I understand why Comcast took him off the broadcasts. Health issues.
I hope that Mr. Kerr recovers and returns soon. He always has a smile on his face, and knows what he is talking about when broadcasting games.
His being the "goat" for Jordan's antics with the dusting he got was the best part of it all. If you notice now another NBA star wearing #23 in Cleveland has stolen this act.
Hurry up Johnny and get well real soon. You are a class act and will always be cherished for the work that you have done with the Bulls.
Broadcasting the games, Johnny was an unabashed "Homer" ... still, you couldn't help but to love the guy. He strikes me as someone who doesn't have an enemy or a detractor in the entire world, which tells me that he's a genuinely nice person.
I've read stories about the Jekyll and Hyde nature of Harry Caray, and Jack Brickhouse was a legendary cheapskate; but I've never heard a bad word about Mr. Kerr.
Get well soon, Red.
Best Wishes Red. My Dad had prostate cancer in his early 70's and beat it. Bulls fans are praying for your recovery.
I was disappointed when I found out "Red" wasn't going to be announcing the televised games this year and wondered if there might have been some health issues involved. His picture should be in the dictionary defining class.
I always enjoyed the banter between "Red" and his co-announcer whether it was Stcy King or Wayne Lariveee or whomever. Especially when kid with him about going out to a karaoke bar after the game. I worked as a Karaoke DJ in a bar for 4 years and would have loved to have had him come in, it would have been a great honor.
MJ's little hand clapping ritual (which was not exclusive to home games) was in some degree, I belive, his way of acknowledging "Red" and what he has meant to the game and Chicago; unlike LeBron who decided to take MJ's little ritual to an extreme by scooping up a hand full of powder and tossing it up in the air and "basking" in it's cloud drawing attention to himself.
"Red" I wish you all the best and a speedy recovery, you've always been a man's man and deserve the honor of being immortalized in front of the United Center.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Great Post Tim. I agree wholeheartedly. These games don't sound the same without his voice and the excitement he resonated. He was the soundtrack of the greatest ride this city has ever known. His name, his hair, jordan's eyes, the team's color - big RED - pulsed through our veins. I am praying for big Red.
I've had the luxury of meeting Red in person more than once and truly, the man’s a genuine class act, a true loyal Bulls guy down to the core. I never once asked for his autograph, but he kept insisting that he sign something of mine for the kids being that I was once a long time season ticketholder of the Bulls. Plus, you know the man is a significant figure of the Bulls when both Jordan and Pippen accept invitations to return to the United Center for a ceremony. Best wishes to Red for his battle with the illness and hopefully he still has many years left in the tank. The statue is well-deserved and so is the Hall of Fame honor.
I miss Red’s commentating work on the telecasts as well, but Funk and Stacy are entertaining also. They’re not the problem, the Bulls roster is unfortunately.
Johnny Red Kerr was the voice of what I will always remember...not only the glory years but the Bulls as I was growing up. All those cold January, Feburary weeknights, listening to me and Red scream with exitement as MJ and crew pulled off exiting wins. Bulls games just dont sound the same anymore, I have to admit there is something missing. That something is Red's voice, to me that is bulls basketball ever since I was a kid that was the voice that brought me my Bulls. The staute outside the United Center, very deserved! Being honored at the UC very deserved, and all our respect very deserved. Get well Red and congradulations!!
Rodgers, Sloan, "A Train", Butter, Chet "The Jet", "Stormin Norman","Crash",MJ, Pip, "Worm", Phil, J.D., ...legends all! None stand higher than the Big Red headed kid from Tilden! God Bless Johnny! Hurry Back!!!
He's the Jack Brickhouse of Chicago basketball. Relates well to the average fan, great exuberance, understands the sport and is a gentleman and a professional. He's a Chicago icon and a landmark statue is deserving of his legacy which is remarkable. He's loyal, he's a "Bulls homer" , he's honest, knowlegable and a fun guy.
Only a handful of legends that played, coached and broadcast, all highly successful. Tom Heinson, Bill Russell, Clyde Fraizer come to mind...
In addition to being about the same age as Red Kerr,we both attended the U of I where I watched him grow from a gangly beanstalk to a big time basketball player. Watched him practice many a day across the street at Huff gym under the eye of Harry Combes.
I listened to him be a real "homer" just like many of the great announcers. Gave all of us many a chuckle with his straight faced humor.
What I wish we didn't share is the same illness; I know both of us will beat this thing and be watching, groaning and cheering many Bull's games for years to come.
I feel priveleged to have shared the Glory Days of the Bulls with this outstanding man. Get Better Soon, we need you, Red.
I remember watching the Bulls games on television with my grandfather when he was still alive. It was almost like he and Kerr were having their own conversation during the play by play. Get well, our prayers are with you!!!!!
I would lick to say thank you to Mr. Red Kerr for his efforts in his life to play basketball in high school, college, and for money in the pros - and as well as for managing and coaching other basketball players, and for describing the game over the air waves for listeners on the radio and television (TV). Sometimes I wish I was older so I could have watched Kerr play ball in his day (but other times I'm glad I am younger than that). Hats off to Johnny Kerr and his buddies.