Giving Voice to The Garden Tradition

April 12, 2004 New York, NY-- If you saw Mike Walczewski on the street, you probably wouldn’t recognize him as one of the signature features of a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. But if you heard his voice, you’d instantly put two and two together. “Wally” (as he is commonly known) is going into his 15th season now as the New York Knicks Official Public Address Announcer and has continued the Garden tradition started by the legendary John Francis Xavier Condon in 1946.

While growing up, Wally idolized the great John Condon, who was the voice of the Knicks for 43 years. “I used to imitate John because I wanted to be like him,” Wally said. “I have the highest respect for this job. I have fun, but I take it very seriously. The way I perform my job today is a tribute to him.”

Mike’s journey to the Knicks courtside microphone began towards the end of the 1988-89 season. He had been broadcasting basketball games for WFUV at Fordham University, while also providing audio updates for a sports hotline called Sports Phone. Mike had also been the public address announcer for the former Westchester Golden Apples of the USBL. But after a phone call from the Knicks and a quick audition, Wally got the job he had always dreamed of. When Condon went into the hospital during the 1988-89 season, Wally filled in for him and eventually took over after Condon lost his battle with cancer. He has continued the tradition ever since.

Wally’s two favorite moments at the Garden are the 1994 NBA Finals and the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. When asked about his favorite Knicks name, Mike said, “Patrick Ewing was definitely the most popular. I was flattered to see ESPN SportsCenter anchors and people like Ahmad Rashad try to imitate my signature pronunciation. With that said, J.R. Reid was my favorite because the fans would chant along every time I said his name.” Wally is also the only announcer in the league who still states the score after each basket. “It’s a Garden tradition,” he said. “I think it puts a unique stamp on the job.”

One moment he would like to forget was a game he worked at the end of last season against Indiana. “I had been coming down with a cold and was losing my voice. Before the game, I had felt much better, but before halftime I started losing my voice. By the fourth quarter, I couldn’t give any animation of enthusiasm; it sounded horrible. Everyone at the Garden joked about it after the game.”

When Wally’s not calling a Knicks game at the Garden, he’s working at RJ & Associates in Westchester, a personnel search business that helps place mid to upper level management candidates into jobs. He is the general manager of the office and also helps with placing individuals into the right workplace. Mike has also written a book called “King Wally’s Olympic Fun Fact Book.” It’s a book filled with Olympic trivia and is based on a talk show he used to do.

Wally has been a long-time member of the Knicks family and continues to call each home game for the New York Knicks with precision and professionalism. Most importantly, he continues the legacy started by his predecessor, the legendary John Condon.