[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING LARRY ``CLIZ'' CLISBY
Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, today I wish to honor and recognize the
distinguished legacy of Larry ``Cliz'' Clisby, who passed away on
February 27, 2021, at the age of 74 after a valiant fight against
cancer. Famously known across the State of Indiana as the legendary
Voice of the Boilermakers, he will forever be remembered for his
unmatched play-by-play commentary of Purdue basketball and his
trademark ``Bullseye!'' calls during crunch time.
Born and raised in Ohio, Larry graduated from Warren Howland High
School and Kent State University. Shortly after college and service in
the U.S. Army, Larry started his broadcasting career in Paducah, KY.
However, his time in Paducah was brief, as he moved to West Lafayette,
IN, to work for WLFI-TV in the sports department in 1977. During his
early career in the Lafayette area, Larry called high school basketball
games and assisted during Purdue sports broadcasts. It wasn't until
1982 that Larry became the full-time radio announcer for the
Boilermakers.
Over the course of nearly 40 years, Larry called a total of 1,890
Purdue men's basketball games, including dozens of high-profile Indiana
vs. Purdue rivalry games. Since the 1980s, Larry was involved in many
of Purdue's historic moments, including one Big Ten Tournament title,
nine Big Ten Championship Seasons, 28 NCAA Tournaments, and three Elite
Eight appearances. In 2018, he was inducted into the Indiana
Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame, and he received one of
Indiana's highest honors, the Sagamore of the Wabash, from Governor
Eric Holcomb in 2020.
From the Purdue sports staff to the team players, everyone saw Larry
as a true, dedicated Boilermaker and not just a typical play-by-play
announcer. Throughout his career, Larry devoted his charisma, talents,
and life to the Lafayette community, and I believe his work will serve
as a benchmark for those who aspire to join the field of sports radio.
I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sympathies to Larry's
wife, Michelle; his children, Chad and Carly; his sister, Carol; his
stepchildren and grandchildren; and all of his family and friends as
they mourn his loss. And to Larry's Purdue University family, I wish
his beloved Boilermakers many, many ``Bullseye!'' moments in the years
to come.
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