You probably know him as the host of Inside the NBA, the postgame show for NBA on TNT broadcasts, but there’s a lot you may not know about Ernie Johnson that are perfect for this Father’s Day.
Those around the Atlanta area may know that he’s the son of a former Milwaukee Braves pitcher and long-time Atlanta Braves announcer, Ernie Johnson Sr., who, after a nine-year MLB career, covered the team for more than 30 years. He’s one of 29 members of the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame after he was inducted in 2001.
The father appears on nearly 30 baseball cards with his Rookie Card coming in the 1954 Bowman set and his final regular-issue card in the 1960 Topps set. The son appears on just two cards — one in the 1990-91 Hoops Announcers set, which is a rare card for its era, and the 2014-15 Panini Threads Voices of the Game autograph above.
But all of this isn’t why Father’s Day is the perfect time to learn more about a broadcaster and three-time Emmy Award winner we’ve heard plenty from since 1989.
To know a bit more about Johnson — and why his story resonates today — you’ll have to watch the ESPN E:60 episode that examines his life away from television.
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