Ralph Lawler, Longtime Clippers Voice, to Retire

Ralph Lawler‘s 40th year as the voice of the LA Clippers will be his last.

Lawler, 80, says he is retiring following the 2018-19 season.

The legendary broadcaster—“oh me, oh my!”—missed just three games in four decades.

Per the LA Times:

“This is my 40th year with the Clippers, my 60th year in broadcasting, my 80th year on earth … and it just seems inescapable,” he said.

After enduring more than 2,000 losses in more than 3,000 games, the Clippers beloved longtime broadcaster says this upcoming season will be his last.

“It’s hard to imagine life without the Clippers, but this is the time to do it,” Lawler told the Los Angeles Times. “I’ll be retiring at the end of the season.”

Lawler said he is good health, and that he actually made the decision a year ago. He was going to wait until April 10, the final regular-season game at Staples Center, to reveal it, but the Clippers wanted to properly honor him throughout the year, so he is announcing it now.

“The Clippers want to spend this year celebrating it, embarrassing the heck out of me, and they’ve been so good to me so long, I couldn’t refuse,” he said. “My Dad told me many years ago, ‘When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on,’ and that’s what I’ll be doing all season long.”