'Red Bull,' Chicago one and the same
This is how much Johnny "Red" Kerr is Chicago.
If Ron Santo played high school baseball here along with playing and broadcasting for the Cubs, he'd be Kerr.
If Dick Butkus stuck around for 30 years to do color on Bears games after playing prep, college and pro football here and in Champaign, he'd be Kerr.
But only Johnny Kerr is Johnny Kerr, the forever Chi-guy.
Kerr played basketball for Tilden Tech in the Public League. He played for Illinois in college. He likely would have played for the Bulls if they existed during his NBA career.
Instead, Kerr was the Bulls' first head coach, their business manager for a couple of years and of course their voice, their spirit and their passion as a TV color analyst.
No wonder Kerr was honored Tuesday night in the United Center: He was and is the original and enduring Red Bull.
Old-timers who saw Kerr play way back in the 1950s cheered Kerr on this night. Newcomers who heard him announce games in the 2000s cheered him. Everybody in between cheered him.
It was payback for Kerr cheering them up on so many cold winter nights.
Maybe the ceremony was meant to be an incentive for Kerr to suit up and finally play for the Bulls.
They supposedly are in the market to acquire Amare Stoudemire, but if Kerr would play again, the Bulls wouldn't need a big man. He's 76 years old and in a wheelchair, but he probably still could take Shaq to the rack and rough him up a little.
Kerr would be a maximum-salary player today because he would give max effort, do it with flair and never embarrass his team.
Remember, Kerr once held the NBA's Ironman record for consecutive games played, many against Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. The assignments that would destroy lesser men, but not this man.
Anyway, back to Chicago. Many athletes start out here and wind up somewhere warm like Butkus did. Others start out elsewhere and wind up here like Santo did.
Kerr was born in Chicago and stayed in Chicago except for when he was forced to make a living in other NBA outposts. He is Chicago from head to toe, from beginning to end, from South Side to West Side and all around the town.
Mayor Daley proclaimed Tuesday as Johnny "Red" Kerr Day in the city of Chicago. Not too many athletes could prompt two of Chicago history's most prominent names to provide him with testimonials.
But there Michael Jordan was standing at center court and saying, "You made my career that much more enjoyable."
And Barack Obama was on the big screen above saying of catching the Bulls on TV, "I feel like I know Johnny."
So do myriad others who watched and listened as Kerr told them what the Bulls just did, why they did it and how they did it.
Did anybody in Chicago who enjoyed the Bulls title years not feel they knew Kerr?
Red has been one of those one-name Chicago bar stool broadcasters like Harry and Jack were. He is the guy you sit next to and talk sports with in the corner saloon.
Tuesday night was another frame in the Chi-light reel that has been Johnny "Red" Kerr's wonderful life.
mimrem@dailyherald.com