Courtesy News 10

(December 8, 2010) October 25, 1985 was not just the first game in the Sacramento era for the Kings, it was also the first time broadcaster Gary Gerould would call an NBA game for the new franchise.

26 years later, Gerould is still at it and Wednesday the legendary broadcaster will call his 2,000th broadcast, when the Kings host Washington Wizards at ARCO Arena.

"I appreciate the milestone, it's a very selective group," Gerould told News10 from his Greenhaven home, on Tuesday evening. "I'm one of five (announcers) that have been with a (single) team to do that many games with one club. So it's a very select circle. I'm very proud of that and I'm excited by that."

Gerould, known by many as "G-Man", began as the team's radio voice also spent some time as the television voice, but returned to radio where up until last season he worked the games alone.

"In radio you drive the bus, you paint the picture and create an image in someone's mind," Gerould said. "In television, the pictures are already there, so you're a passenger on the bus, you're along for the ride."

"He's got the bucket!"

The emphatic signature call is music to the ears of Kings fans. Gerould's golden tones have taken them on a rollercoaster ride since 1985. A couple of decades filled with many thrills and many down moments too.

From the Kings inaugural season playoff series against the Houston Rockets, to 1989 number one overall draft pick Pervis Ellison. From the suicide of the promising Ricky Berry, to the rising, yet underrated All-Star of Mitch Richmond.

Gerould has seen them all.

As Jordan, Olajuwon, Bird, Magic, and Ewing became Shaq, Iverson, Kobe, Garnett, and LeBron, Kings players too evolved from Theus, Thompson, Tisdale, Simmons, and Richmond, and became Webber, Divac, Bibby, Martin, and Evans.

Year after year, players, coaches, fans, and even owners would change, yet "G-Man" remained the same.

"(The NBA is) so much more above the rim and much more of an individual, show-boating style (today)...I think so many players want to put their own signature on the things," Gerould said of the game's evolution.

Gerould's most memorable Kings moment was ironically a game he didn't even call.

As Gerould and his wife Marlene were in Indianapolis, where he was working the Indy 500 telecast, the Kings were in Los Angeles for game four, as they led the Lakers 2-1 in 2002 Western Conference Finals.

"Vlade Divac tips the ball, away from the rim to Robert Horry, who strokes the three as the horn sounds and the Kings lose by one, series tied 2-2 instead of 3-1 Kings lead coming home," Gerould recalls, where he and Marlene watched from their hotel room.

Gerould, like many Kings fans, remembers the moment vividly and expressed emotions that many can relate to.

"That's so painful. It's still painful to this day. In our hotel room, we were screaming, I knocked chairs over, we went basically ballistic because we knew how special of a chance we had and how close we'd come and it didn't happen."

Even today, Gerould continues to be a part of racing broadcasts, in addition to his work with the Sacramento Kings. He works on ESPN2's coverage of NHRA drag racing.

Gerould's illustrious career accomplishments include working as a pit reporter for auto racing coverage, NFL play-by-play duties, and as a member of the broadcast team for NBC Sports for the XXIV Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

He admits his toughest assignments include a celebrity skeet shooting event and sumo wrestling in Japan, alongside his analyst, actor and friend Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi in the "Karate Kid" movie series.

Gerould's busy schedule even today keeps him out on the road much of the year, which can take a heavy toll on his family. A schedule that includes an 82-game Kings regular season and a 23-weekend race season.

Gerould says that luckily when his extensive travel began, his kids were in their later teenage years and didn't require as much attention as they did as young children.

"My wife is an absolute rock, she's been so supportive and did a marvelous, marvelous job and continues to do that," Gerould says of Marlene.

"We have an adult daughter (Beth) who lives with us, who's ill, and (Marlene) is the primary care giver and it takes a big toll. As we get older, it becomes increasingly difficult to do some of those things. The family, they've been so supportive."

At the age of 70, and despite a string of losing seasons dating back to the 2005-06 season, and the current season off to a 4-15 start, "G-Man" admits he's still having fun, while shows no signs of slowing down and gives little thought to retiring.

"My wife and I have an agreement," Gerould said. "When it's not fun, then it's time to think about doing something different. It's still fun, I still enjoy it. I'm blessed with good health and right now, I love what I do and I'm so fortunate to have the opportunity, so let's keep doing it."

The Sacramento Kings organization will honor Gerould throughout Wednesday's game at ARCO Arena and will sprinkle in many surprises along the way.

"G-Man" and Wednesday's milestone broadcast can be heard throughout the Sacramento area, beginning with the "Kings Live" pregame show at 6:30pm on Sports 1140 KHTK-AM.

"It's very gratifying and very humbling that people see you as an integral part of the organization," Gerould said.

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