DAYTON, Ohio — If you’re a fan of the University of Dayton’s basketball team, you more than likely know who Bucky Bockhorn is. The broadcasting legend is in his 53rd season of broadcasting with the team, and Tuesday night, he will be honored for the time he’s spent with the program. 

It’s a voice well-known in the University of Dayton community: Bucky Bockhorn, a legend both on and off the court, spending the better part of his 88 years with this UD program.

“I tell people I’ve been on a 60-year scholarship!" Bockhorn joked.

Bockhorn began his career at UD back in 1955 on the court for the Flyers — at one point playing with his two brothers. He went on to play seven years in the NBA with the Cincinnati Royals. After a short time away from basketball, UD’s athletic director approached Bockhorn to broadcast the games.

“He said, 'Bucky I think I can get you the job as the color analyst in the Mid American Conference on TV," Bockhorn said. "I said Tom I’m not going to do that, I don’t want to do that.”

But Bockhorn was eventually convinced, despite how terrified he was to start.

“So they hand me this mic and my hands were shaking so bad," he said. "I was sweating. And then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 — I said ‘Hello this is Bucky Bockhorn!’"

That was in 1968. Fast forward to 1982, where Larry Hansgen joins the picture.

“Larry shows up and I think who is this guy?" Bockhorn said. "He’s got an afro like you won’t believe.”

Hansgen joined Bockhorn as his play-by-play announcer and never looked back.

“He was always so good about score and time, you’ve got to give the score and time," Hansgen said. "And if I didn’t he would remind me. You’ve got to give the score and time. It wasn’t about us. It was about the audience.”

“There’s not many people that can say they worked with a guy that long without having some arguments," Bockhorn said. "I don’t think we had an argument one time.”

Hansgen said he owes his success to Bockhorn, whom he’s nicknamed the legend.

“He just kind of ties it all together," Hansgen said. "He’s like the center of the Flyer universe if you will.”

Now at 88, Bockhorn has called it quits from calling the game on the sidelines.

“A lot of people say, 'Bucky, you stayed in broadcasting so you got the best seat in the house!'" Bockhorn said.

Now, he calls in from home pre-game to share his thoughts, because of course he can’t stay that far away from the program.

Hansgen said while Bockhorn isn’t sitting next to him anymore, no one will ever fill that spot.

“In my mind, they’ll always be filling in," Hansgen said. "They’ll always be filling in. They do a great job, but they’ll always be filling in. There’s not. A broadcast that goes by that I don’t miss him.”

Bockhorn said he’ll never be able to share his gratitude towards the university that shaped his entire life.

“Every day, every day, I’m the luckiest guy in America," Bockhorn said. "That’s an old cliche but I truly am.”

He said there’s no place like home

“There’s not a better place in the world than this UD arena," Bockhorn said.