An Icon in Maryland Broadcasting

IT IS NO surprise that he can be considered one of the living encyclopedias of Maryland sports.

For the past 27 years, Johnny Holliday has been the “Voice of the Terrapins” bringing countless play-by-play accounts of Maryland football and basketball games into the homes of many sports fans.

"Voice of the Terrapins” Johnny Holliday (above) shares his wealth of knowledge in a new book, Hoop Tales: Maryland Terrapins Men’s Basketball (below, right).

From weekly radio shows to television shows on Comcast SportsNet, the Hall of Fame broadcaster hasn’t missed much in the sports world. In the past, he has even covered major sporting events such as the Olympics and the Master’s Tournament.

“In my mind, he’s like a star. You’d think he’d have a swelled head … but he’s really down to earth,” says Anne Turkos, university archivist, who helped Holliday and his friend Stephen Moore find pictures and historical data for their latest book, Hoop Tales: Maryland Terrapins Men’s Basketball.

Because of his extensive knowledge of college sports, Holliday was asked by book publisher Globe Pequot to chronicle the history of the men’s basketball program. In Hoop Tales, which was published last November, Holliday and Moore used myriad photos, interviews and comments to capture the legacy of the program.

“We talk about some of the great victories, some of the defeats and many of the legendary personalities,” says Holliday. The author duo also wanted to give Maryland fans a chance to relive the history through the eyes of the referees, coaches and other fans.

The book begins with the first basketball team and travels through the program’s many highs and lows since its inception. From the days of Bud Millikan to the famous Duke-Maryland rivalries, Holliday wanted to capture everything, including the saga of former-star player Len “Lenny” Bias.

“One of the things close to Johnny’s [and my] heart was the chapter on Len Bias,” says Moore. “He was just a fantastic player.” The chapter begins with the first time Holliday met Bias and follows his development as a player and as a person.

Because of Holliday’s legacy in broadcasting and friendly personality, it was not hard to convince John Feinstein, another great sportswriter and commentator, to write the book’s foreword.

“Johnny is such a loveable, fantastic character,” says Moore. —MW

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