Steve Holman: 2017 Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame inductee

ATLANTA - Steve Holman, he’s the voice, the guy behind the mic, calling the shots on Hawks radio for 32 seasons. He’s practically raised generations of Hawks fans.

“Now I get special joy out of the fact, when we sit at the top of section 115, and somebody will come by with their little kid,” said Holman. “They’ll say can you take a picture with my son, and they say to the son or daughter, hey I used to listen to Mr. Holman when I was your age. Then they take the picture, and for me, that’s what it is all about.”

An unabashed homer, and that’s a compliment, Holman’s style was influenced by his mentor, legendary Celtics voice Johnny Most.

“I think I was eight-years-old in my dad’s car,” said Holman. “We were listening and I heard the gravelly voice. I said to my dad, that is pretty neat. So, I became a fan of basketball through that, and a fan of Johnny Most through that. I decided really at a young age that this is what I wanted to do.”

Holman made himself a legend here in Atlanta, and now the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame is immortalizing him as a member of its class of 2017. Humble to the core, he is still processing the honor.

“I’m going to be in the same Hall of Fame as Bobby Jones,” said Holman. “Lou Hudson, Dominique, and all the Hawks guys I’ve known over the years. You know I say my goodness, because I never dribbled anything besides soup on my tie. You know to actually be in there with athletes, it’s really special.”

Beloved by fans and players, and now an Atlanta Sports Hall of Famer, there’s only one thing missing in his life, the championship ring on his finger.

“We all know how Skip and Pete felt that year in 95’ when the Braves won. People thought for a long time that the Braves were never going to win anything. And they did. I felt that emotion for those guys when they did it. If I could ever have the chance to do that, and I would almost be at the point, go ahead and take me. No, not really,” said Holman.

NEXT ARTICLE: Julia Emmons: 2017 Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame inductee