[source: The New York Times]
Johnny Addie, the ring announcer for more than 100 world championship bouts at Madison Square Garden and other boxing arenas in New York during the last 25 years, died of a blood infection yesterday at the age of 69.
Mr. Addie, who was hired by the Garden in 1948, followed in the tradition of Harry Balogh and Joe Humphreys. He was a familiar figure to millions of boxing fans throughout the country as the man who introduced the contestants and at the finish of the bouts hailed the winner: "And the winner and world champion…."
Mr. Addie worked as a broker on Wall Street and announced at boxing matches as a sideline. He began his part time career by announcing boxing programs at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, in 1942. He announced virtually every major fight in the Garden after the war, including the Muhammad Ali‐Joe Frazier championship last March.
Mr. Addie, who also was a singing entertainer, was noted in boxing for his natty dress— a tuxedo and highly polished black shoes—the high carrying pitch of his voice, his resonant tones and his insistence on grammatical correctness. He never muffed the opportunity at the beginning of a big bout to intone that "may the better contestant emerge victorious" rather than "may the best man win."
Never deserted by his aplomb in the midst of often uproarious scenes in the ring, Mr. Addie was never at a loss for words—or action.
At one major fight, when the public address system failed to play the national anthem as he had just announced it would, the unabashed Addie grabbed the mike back and sang it himself.
Harry Markson, director of boxing for the garden, said that Mr. Addie's style was "distinct, and made him world famous. Aside from that, he was a fine ambassador for boxing and traveled all over to entertain wounded servicemen."
Mr. Addie worked his last fight on Oct. 29, introducing George Foreman and Luis Fires in their heavyweight match.
Mr. Addie, who shortened his name from Addonizio, is survived by five brothers, Joseph, Louis, Fred, Robert, a sports writer for The Washington Post, and Anthony, and two sisters, Mrs. James Bevacqua and Mrs. Anthony Ferrara. His wife, Rae, died several years ago.
There will be a funeral mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, South 10th Avenue and West First Street, Mount Vernon, on Thursday at 10:45 A.M.
Johnny Addie, the ring announcer for more than 100 world championship bouts at Madison Square Garden and other boxing arenas in New York during the last 25 years, died of a blood infection yesterday at the age of 69.
Mr. Addie, who was hired by the Garden in 1948, followed in the tradition of Harry Balogh and Joe Humphreys. He was a familiar figure to millions of boxing fans throughout the country as the man who introduced the contestants and at the finish of the bouts hailed the winner: "And the winner and world champion…."
Mr. Addie worked as a broker on Wall Street and announced at boxing matches as a sideline. He began his part time career by announcing boxing programs at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, in 1942. He announced virtually every major fight in the Garden after the war, including the Muhammad Ali‐Joe Frazier championship last March.
Mr. Addie, who also was a singing entertainer, was noted in boxing for his natty dress— a tuxedo and highly polished black shoes—the high carrying pitch of his voice, his resonant tones and his insistence on grammatical correctness. He never muffed the opportunity at the beginning of a big bout to intone that "may the better contestant emerge victorious" rather than "may the best man win."
Never deserted by his aplomb in the midst of often uproarious scenes in the ring, Mr. Addie was never at a loss for words—or action.
At one major fight, when the public address system failed to play the national anthem as he had just announced it would, the unabashed Addie grabbed the mike back and sang it himself.
Harry Markson, director of boxing for the garden, said that Mr. Addie's style was "distinct, and made him world famous. Aside from that, he was a fine ambassador for boxing and traveled all over to entertain wounded servicemen."
Mr. Addie worked his last fight on Oct. 29, introducing George Foreman and Luis Fires in their heavyweight match.
Mr. Addie, who shortened his name from Addonizio, is survived by five brothers, Joseph, Louis, Fred, Robert, a sports writer for The Washington Post, and Anthony, and two sisters, Mrs. James Bevacqua and Mrs. Anthony Ferrara. His wife, Rae, died several years ago.
There will be a funeral mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, South 10th Avenue and West First Street, Mount Vernon, on Thursday at 10:45 A.M.
[source: The New York Times]
Johnny Addie, the ring announcer for more than 100 world championship bouts at Madison Square Garden and other boxing arenas in New York during the last 25 years, died of a blood infection yesterday at the age of 69.
Mr. Addie, who was hired by the Garden in 1948, followed in the tradition of Harry Balogh and Joe Humphreys. He was a familiar figure to millions of boxing fans throughout the country as the man who introduced the contestants and at the finish of the bouts hailed the winner: "And the winner and world champion…."
Mr. Addie worked as a broker on Wall Street and announced at boxing matches as a sideline. He began his part time career by announcing boxing programs at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, in 1942. He announced virtually every major fight in the Garden after the war, including the Muhammad Ali‐Joe Frazier championship last March.
Mr. Addie, who also was a singing entertainer, was noted in boxing for his natty dress— a tuxedo and highly polished black shoes—the high carrying pitch of his voice, his resonant tones and his insistence on grammatical correctness. He never muffed the opportunity at the beginning of a big bout to intone that "may the better contestant emerge victorious" rather than "may the best man win."
Never deserted by his aplomb in the midst of often uproarious scenes in the ring, Mr. Addie was never at a loss for words—or action.
At one major fight, when the public address system failed to play the national anthem as he had just announced it would, the unabashed Addie grabbed the mike back and sang it himself.
Harry Markson, director of boxing for the garden, said that Mr. Addie's style was "distinct, and made him world famous. Aside from that, he was a fine ambassador for boxing and traveled all over to entertain wounded servicemen."
Mr. Addie worked his last fight on Oct. 29, introducing George Foreman and Luis Fires in their heavyweight match.
Mr. Addie, who shortened his name from Addonizio, is survived by five brothers, Joseph, Louis, Fred, Robert, a sports writer for The Washington Post, and Anthony, and two sisters, Mrs. James Bevacqua and Mrs. Anthony Ferrara. His wife, Rae, died several years ago.
There will be a funeral mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, South 10th Avenue and West First Street, Mount Vernon, on Thursday at 10:45 A.M.
Johnny Addie, the ring announcer for more than 100 world championship bouts at Madison Square Garden and other boxing arenas in New York during the last 25 years, died of a blood infection yesterday at the age of 69.
Mr. Addie, who was hired by the Garden in 1948, followed in the tradition of Harry Balogh and Joe Humphreys. He was a familiar figure to millions of boxing fans throughout the country as the man who introduced the contestants and at the finish of the bouts hailed the winner: "And the winner and world champion…."
Mr. Addie worked as a broker on Wall Street and announced at boxing matches as a sideline. He began his part time career by announcing boxing programs at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, in 1942. He announced virtually every major fight in the Garden after the war, including the Muhammad Ali‐Joe Frazier championship last March.
Mr. Addie, who also was a singing entertainer, was noted in boxing for his natty dress— a tuxedo and highly polished black shoes—the high carrying pitch of his voice, his resonant tones and his insistence on grammatical correctness. He never muffed the opportunity at the beginning of a big bout to intone that "may the better contestant emerge victorious" rather than "may the best man win."
Never deserted by his aplomb in the midst of often uproarious scenes in the ring, Mr. Addie was never at a loss for words—or action.
At one major fight, when the public address system failed to play the national anthem as he had just announced it would, the unabashed Addie grabbed the mike back and sang it himself.
Harry Markson, director of boxing for the garden, said that Mr. Addie's style was "distinct, and made him world famous. Aside from that, he was a fine ambassador for boxing and traveled all over to entertain wounded servicemen."
Mr. Addie worked his last fight on Oct. 29, introducing George Foreman and Luis Fires in their heavyweight match.
Mr. Addie, who shortened his name from Addonizio, is survived by five brothers, Joseph, Louis, Fred, Robert, a sports writer for The Washington Post, and Anthony, and two sisters, Mrs. James Bevacqua and Mrs. Anthony Ferrara. His wife, Rae, died several years ago.
There will be a funeral mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, South 10th Avenue and West First Street, Mount Vernon, on Thursday at 10:45 A.M.
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(the stone is engraved Section 40, but it is, in fact, placed in Section 43)
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