Voice speaks loud over actions
Matt Piechalak
Issue date: 5/7/07 Section: News
Media Credit: Amy LugibihlRay Clay (Center), well-known for his pre-game introduction of the Chicago Bulls, will rehire as Director of Campus Recreation in June.
Virtual bulls darted wildly through city streets, lasers exploded off the court and as a proverbial voice shook the darkness, 20,500 fans erupted in unison.
"And now, the starting lineup for your Chicago Bulls," the voice boomed through the speaker system.
Ray Clay, director of campus recreation at UIC, was that voice, synonymously known around the world for his pre-game introduction of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the cast that made up the Bulls dynasty.
"I wasn't the quiet kind of announcer," said Clay, 53, who worked as public address announcer for the Bulls from 1990 to 2002. "I always tried to throw myself into the game."
The Chicago native, who grew up in Berwyn, received both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in physical education at UIC. He has been an employee on campus since 1978 and Director of Campus Recreation since 1983.
Clay got his start in announcing sporting events in 1980 doing UIC basketball games at the old physical education building.
Possessing a naturally deep voice, Clay explains that among the most important jobs of a PA announcer is letting the crowd know what is happening from play to play.
"The worst thing is, watching a game, and a play happens, and you sit there going, 'what happened?'" said Clay.
But there is much more to announcing than that, as anyone who has ever heard Clay can substantiate. There's a knack to invoking emotion in the crowd.
"You use inflections in your voice to hype up the crowd," said Clay. "You have to know certain times in the game when there might be a lull and your team needs a little pick-me-up. Some things you do with your voice, it helps your team."
Late in the '91 season versus Milwaukee, Clay was given the opportunity to do a live Bulls game in old Chicago Stadium as part of a job interview.
"The first game, they didn't give me a lot of what I needed to do, just how the game flow went," said Clay.
The following day, he was called into the Bulls front office and presented two tapes, one with his recording from the game and the other, a recorded tape of former/current PA announcer Tommy Edwards doing a game.
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"And now, the starting lineup for your Chicago Bulls," the voice boomed through the speaker system.
Ray Clay, director of campus recreation at UIC, was that voice, synonymously known around the world for his pre-game introduction of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the cast that made up the Bulls dynasty.
"I wasn't the quiet kind of announcer," said Clay, 53, who worked as public address announcer for the Bulls from 1990 to 2002. "I always tried to throw myself into the game."
The Chicago native, who grew up in Berwyn, received both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in physical education at UIC. He has been an employee on campus since 1978 and Director of Campus Recreation since 1983.
Clay got his start in announcing sporting events in 1980 doing UIC basketball games at the old physical education building.
Possessing a naturally deep voice, Clay explains that among the most important jobs of a PA announcer is letting the crowd know what is happening from play to play.
"The worst thing is, watching a game, and a play happens, and you sit there going, 'what happened?'" said Clay.
But there is much more to announcing than that, as anyone who has ever heard Clay can substantiate. There's a knack to invoking emotion in the crowd.
"You use inflections in your voice to hype up the crowd," said Clay. "You have to know certain times in the game when there might be a lull and your team needs a little pick-me-up. Some things you do with your voice, it helps your team."
Late in the '91 season versus Milwaukee, Clay was given the opportunity to do a live Bulls game in old Chicago Stadium as part of a job interview.
"The first game, they didn't give me a lot of what I needed to do, just how the game flow went," said Clay.
The following day, he was called into the Bulls front office and presented two tapes, one with his recording from the game and the other, a recorded tape of former/current PA announcer Tommy Edwards doing a game.
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