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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!rlgvax!bdmrrr!gates
From: gates@bdmrrr.UUCP (Al Gates)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: still need quote source
Message-ID: <461@bdmrrr.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Oct-85 17:27:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: bdmrrr.461
Posted: Mon Oct 21 17:27:21 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 23-Oct-85 07:45:43 EDT
References: <17@dolphy.UUCP> <630@hou2b.UUCP>
Organization: BDM Corporation, McLean, Virginia
Lines: 24

> The "fat lady" quote is indeed from basketball, but the given source
> is wrong.  The line was first uttered by Dick Motta in 1979 or 80.
> He was at that time the coach of the Washington Bullets.  The Bullets
> were down 3 games to 1 in one of the late rounds of the playoffs.
> When Motta was asked what his chances were, he uttered that now famous
> line.  The Bullets went on to win the NBA championship.

The year was 1978.
Dick Motta said it--Frank Herzog promoted it.  Frank Herzog was the
Bullet's radio broadcaster that year.  In the playoffs, he picked up the
expression from Motta and played it to the hilt.  
As time ran out in the deciding game of the NBA championship that year,
Frank Herzog said, "And if you listen really hard, you can hear the fat lady
singing!"  It was truly one of the greatest broadcasting quotes I have ever
heard.  The fat lady became the advertising gimmick of the Bullets the next
year.  Even leaflets containg their schedule had a drawing of a fat lady
wearing a viking hat on it.

-- 

Al Gates
BDM Corporation       ^   ^   ^   ^   {seismo,rlgvax}!bdmrrr!gates 
7915 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, Virginia  22102