Men's Basketball | December 13, 2017

NEW YORK - La Salle University men's basketball alum Bill Raftery earned his rightful place in the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame on Tuesday, as he was inducted along with nine others as members of the 11th annual class. The induction took place at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York.

"La Salle University and the athletic department are so proud of Bill Raftery," Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw said. "Bill has become the finest college basketball analyst in the nation and we congratulate him on this very prestigious honor."

Raftery, a three-year player for the Explorers from 1960-63, averaged 17.8 points as a sophomore and co-captained the team to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in his senior season. La Salle's first ever honorary inductee into the Hall of Athletes, he received an honorary doctorate from La Salle in 2001. 

One of TV sport's glibbest analysts, there are dictionaries to explain Raftery's catchphrases such as "Onions" and "The Kiss." Raftery's career as a basketball analyst has spanned more than 32 years and includes being a mainstay for CBS and others for events like the NCAA Tournament, Final Four, the Big East Championship, Big Ten Championship, ACC Championship, and SEC Championship, as well as NBA games for the New Jersey Nets.

A two-time Emmy Award-winning analyst with playing and coaching experience, he served as head coach at Seton Hall from 1970-81, where he led the Pirates to seven straight winning seasons and a record of 154-141.