PHOENIX (AP) — Al McCoy, who was the radio voice of the Phoenix Suns for more than half a century, has died. He was 91.
The team made the announcement Saturday and released a statement from the family. No cause of death has been released.
McCoy was the longest-tenured team play-by-play announcer in NBA history, calling Suns games for 51 years. He called his first game on September 27, 1972, and his last on May 11, 2023. His tenure included Phoenix’s NBA Finals appearances in 1976, 1993, and 2021.
“This is a sad day for the Suns and the Suns family,” former Suns star Charles Barkley said in a statement. “Al McCoy represented everything that is great about Phoenix, the Phoenix Suns and the people who love the game of basketball. I was fortunate and honored to work with Al and I will miss him.”
McCoy is a member of the franchise’s Ring of Honor and was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He also won the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2007.
“Al McCoy was a master of his craft,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “As the longest-tenured team play-by-play announcer in NBA history, he set a high standard throughout his 51 seasons calling Phoenix Suns basketball. He entertained generations of fans with his distinctive play and unbridled love of the game and was a dear friend to many of us in the NBA community. I extend my deepest condolences to Al’s family and friends and the entire Suns organization.”
McCoy was born in 1933 in Williams, Iowa, and got his first radio job in 1951 in Webster City, Iowa, while he was a freshman at Drake. He moved to Arizona in 1956 to play commentary for the Triple-A Phoenix Giants baseball team. During his time with the Suns, he became known for catchphrases such as “Shazam,” “Zing Go the Strings” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”
“I had the privilege of having Al McCoy as my narrator for the first eight years of my career,” Suns star Devin Booker said. “He was inducted into the Ring of Honor during my second season, and that’s when I really understood what a special talent he was. And as my career progressed, I learned what an even more special person he was.”
“Al will be missed, and I am so happy that our legacies in Phoenix will be linked forever.”
