Lawler’s Law: First to 100 Wins
Jul 15th, 2007 by totoro
If you live in the LA area, or have NBA League Pass you may be familiar with Clipper’s play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler. Since 1978, Lawler has been behind the mic of the Clippers and has a few catch phrases you are sure to hear every game. “Bingo!” after a 3-point basket, “Fasten your seat belts gang, we’re going down to the wire!” when it’s a close game, and “Oh Me, Oh My!” after a player makes an unbelievable play. But perhaps the most famous is Lawler’s Law. It’s quite simple actually – the first team to score 100 points, wins the game. But just how accurate is this law? Last season, in games involving the Clippers, the team that scored 100 first won 96% of the time (43-2). Since 1978, the law has been accurate 92% of the time (1,638-147).
I’ve got a law. The team that has the most points at the end of the game wins. Probability of success: 100%.
I have a law too. I can predict the score of any game before it starts…
…It will be 0 – 0 before it starts. Success Rate: 100%
:]
Hate to break it to the long-suffering Clip fans, but that ain’t Lawler’s Law. It belongs to Al Domenico, the longtime trainer of the Sixers in the 1970s and ’80s (including the ’83 team considered by many as the greatest basketball team ever assembled.) Domenico was famous for stating first to 100 wins, and Sixers announcers were fond of quoting him, back when World Free, Doug Collins and a high school phenom named Darryl Dawkins were running wild in the eastern conference….
Sixer fan needs to get his facts straight. Ralph Lawler started his NBA announcing career in Philly in the mid 70s announcing Sixer games. Along with World B Free, he went to San Diego to announce Clip games. Doug Collins, Bill Walton, and Hubie Brown have all acknowledged future HOFer Lawler.
As for the law, it is rarely broken. First to 100 usually wins!
-Lawlerslaw100
PS The late great Chick Hearn mentored Ralph Lawler. Both are from Peoria, Illinois and Bradley Braves. Plus, Lawler helped scout young Shaun “Livingstick” Livingston who also is from Peoria.