The Greatest Sports Calls Ever

Some of the great moments in sports have gone down in history not just because of how great the moment was but the excitement of the radio or TV call that accompanied them. Here are, in my opinion, the 7 best.

7. "Havlicek stole the ball!"

With the Boston Celtics leading only by a point in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals, and 5 seconds left on the clock, the Philadelphia 76ers had a chance to win. Philly's Hal Greer would be inbounding the ball, and if his team could score in those last 5 seconds, they'd go to the Finals. But when he passed it, Celtic John Havlicek knocked it away, prompting Johnny Most to shout: "Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!" Listen and watch here.

6. "Go crazy, folks!"

With Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS tied in the bottom of the 9^th, Ozzie Smith came to the plate for the Cardinals. Smith was known for his glove and not his bat, but he uncorked one to deep right for a walk-off homer, and Cardinals announcer Jack Buck shouted, "Go crazy, folks! Go crazy! It's a home run! And the Cardinals have won the game, by the score of 3-2, on a home run by The Wizard!" Listen - and read about Jack Buck - here.

5. "The most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heart-rending, exciting, thrilling...."

In one of college football's biggest rivalries, Cal trailed Stanford with barely any time left by less than a touchdown in the 1982 contest. Cal had only time to receive the ball on a kickoff, but after five laterals on the return, the Bears took it into the end zone for the win. The play was reviewed, but the call stood. Watch the end of the game and listen to Joe Starkey's call here. Watch until the end - it's worth it.

4. "The Giants win the pennant!"

After the bitter rival New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers finished in a tie for first in the National League in 1951, a three game playoff was set to determine the winner. The first two games were split, and the third game looked to be in the Dodgers' hands as they led in the bottom of the 9^th by 2. But the Giants put two runners on, and Bobby Thomson smacked a game-winning home run to send the Giants to the World Series. Russ Hodges repeated the now famous catchphrase, "The Giants win the pennant," several times. Watch and listen here.

3. "I don't believe what I just saw!"

The A's led the Dodgers by a run in the 9^th inning of Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. The game's best closer, Dennis Eckersley, was on the mound. The Dodgers had a man on first. The best slugger for the Dodgers, Kirk Gibson, had injured his knee in the NLCS, meaning he was not expected to play, but he was used here to pinch hit. It was clear from his swing that he was in tremendous pain and his legs were useless, but after working the count full, he blasted a game winning home run. Jack Buck went wild: "Unbelievable! A home run for Gibson! And the Dodgers have won the game 5-4. I don't believe what I just saw!" Listen here.

2. "Look at Mills! Look at Mills!"

No American had ever won a 10,000-meter Olympic medal before 1964, and Billy Mills was in no way expected to change that. He was a no-name in the world of running, but at the Olympics, he pulled off an unbelievable upset, not only taking home the gold medal but breaking his own personal best by an incredible 45.6 seconds. As he pulled ahead of the leaders, Bud Palmer had the call, but somebody - it's unknown who - shouted over him: "Look at Mills! Look at Mills!" Watch the end of the race and hear the call here.

1. "Do you believe in miracles?"

In the 1980 winter Olympics, the USSR's hockey team was considered unbeatable. Indeed, it may have been the greatest hockey team ever assembled. The US team, however, was made up exclusively of college kids who were expected to lose early in the tournament. But the US fought its way into the semi-final match, where they were set to take on the Soviets. Though the Soviets took an early lead, the US fought back and took the lead 4-3. As time wound down, the unbelievable became believable. Al Michaels at the microphone couldn't believe it either. "Eleven seconds, you've got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk...five seconds left in the game...Do you believe in miracles? YES!" The "Miracle on Ice," as the game is colloquially called, is widely considered the greatest sports upset of all time. Watch the last few seconds and listen here.