In Memoriam: Fred McLeod (1952-2019)
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 10, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Basketball fans all over Ohio and Michigan are mourning the death Monday evening of longtime play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod, who was known most for his broadcasts of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons over the last 36 years – but also made a few of the most memorable calls in MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals history.
McLeod, who was 67, was a voice of MHSAA Finals broadcasts from 1998 – FOX Sports Detroit’s first year of coverage – through the 2005 boys basketball championship games, his last before leaving FSD for FOX Sports Ohio.
According to a statement posted by the Cavs on their website, McLeod broadcast more than 1,000 games for that team during two stints, and 22 seasons for the Detroit Pistons, in addition to time supplying his voice for the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers as well over nearly four decades.
Below are McLeod’s calls from the final seconds of the 2005 Class D Final between Detroit Rogers and Bellaire and 1999 Class D Final between Detroit City and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, both on FOX Sports Detroit.
Moment: Orioles' Winner Unforgettable
March 24, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ludington’s Joshua Laman couldn’t have picked a better time to drill his first 3-pointer of the 2016-17 season.
Today’s #MHSAAMoments highlight relives a shot we said the Orioles, and River Rouge, likely would never forget.
On March 24, 2017, Laman made his first 3-pointer that winter to send Ludington – playing in its first Semifinal in this sport since 1971 – to its first MHSAA boys basketball championship game since 1953 with a 51-50 win over the Panthers.
Ludington coach Thad Shank after: “He’s thinking that when I get back in that locker room, he’s going to look Coach Shank in the eye and say, ‘Told you coach I should be shooting these 3s all year long.’ I know that’s what he’s thinking.”
Click to read Second Half's coverage – Stunner Sends Ludington to Saturday – and watch the shot below with coverage from the NFHS Network.