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From Larz site... Met Chuck a couple of times (Button 48), very nice and personable. Congratulations, Chuck. http://chicagoradioandmedia.com/news/82 ... ll-of-fameChuck Swirsky To Be Inducted Into Chicagoland Sports Hall Of Fame
In a move long overdue, Chicago sports broadcasting great Chuck Swirsky will be inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place during the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame's 20th annual Awards Dinner on September 7th.
Swirsky's sports radio career began in 1979 on WCFL-AM, with a late night call-in show, allowing Swirsky to talk about sports topics with listeners. Soon after, Swirsky moved to WLUP-FM when he had a weekend talk show and delivered sports updates during the week. In 1981, Swirsky joined WGN-AM and quickly worked his way up to Sports Director. At WGN-AM, Swirsky became the first-ever host of the long-running weekend show "Sports Central" (working alongside the great Jack Brickhouse). He also delivered sports updates for the station, especially during the morning show where host Bob Collins nicknamed him "The Swirsk." Swirsky was with WGN-AM until 1994.
During those years, Swirsky was the public address announcer for the Chicago Bulls from 1980 to 1983. He also was the radio host for the Chicago Bears Radio Network for 10 years and the Chicago Cubs Radio Network for 12 years. Swirsky was the radio play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Sting and the DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball, as well as the television play-by-play announcer for Northwestern University football for three seasons. Swirsky also served as fill-in sports anchor on WGN-TV.
In 1994, Swisky accepted an offer to become Sports Director for WJR-AM in Detroit, as well as hosting the pre-game/post-game shows for the Detroit Red Wings and play-by-play announcing for the University of Michigan men's basketball and football games.
Swirsky became an international star when in 1998, he moved to Canada to be the radio voice of the Toronto Raptors for three years, followed by seven years as the Raptors' television announcer. During those years, Swirsky also hosted a popular sports talk show on CJCL-AM.
In January 2008, Swirsky became a Canadian citizen, only to have the Chicago Bulls come calling a few months later, asking him to return to Chicago. The Chicago Bulls brought Swirsky back to become the radio play-by-play announcer for the team at the start of the 2008 season, where he has been ever since.
In the spring of 2015, Swirsky also served as the fill-in television announcer for the Chicago White Sox when Ken "Hawk" Harrelson had to miss a few weeks for medical reasons.
Born in Virginia, but raised in Washington, Swirsky has lived most of his adult life in Illinois.
The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame will be honoring Swirsky for his decades of sports broadcasting work in Chicago. He has been awarded the 2016 Media Award by the organization.
Along with Swirsky, other 2016 inductees include such famed Chicago athletes and coaches as Lance Briggs (now with Comcast SportsNet Chicago), Carlton Fisk, Ryne Sandberg, Dennis Savard, Jerome Bettis, Frank Winters, Mike O'Neill, Nick Anderson, Jay Wright, Nadia Edwards, and Jim Brewer. Pat Ryan, Don Wilson, and Howie Fagan will also be honored.
The induction ceremony will be on September 7th at 7:00pm, held at the McCormick Place Place West Building (2301 S. Indiana Avenue, Chicago). As he has done the last few years, WFLD-TV/FOX 32 anchor Corey McPherrin will serve as emcee.
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