he was open to a future role with the Blazers, called games for the Beavers through the 2002 PCL season. While announcing Beavers games, Schonely made use of his famous phrases. Adapted for baseball use, "Lickety brindle up the middle" meant a base hit going past the pitcher's mound into center field, "Bingo, bango, bongo" was used on 5–4–3 double plays. More occasionally, Schonely deployed "Rip City" for an outstanding and important play. Other work Schonely has recorded television advertisements for Standard TV & Appliance and other businesses in the Portland area and has served as emcee of the former Fred Meyer Challenge charity golf tournament. Popularity According to Oregon sportswriter Kerry Eggers, fans consider Schonely "the one constant link with Oregon's only major-league team." NBA trainer Ron Culp said of Schonely in 1990, "Bill Schonely is the symbol of the love affair the fans have with the Trail Blazers. ... He's part of their immediate family. Everything else with the Blazers have changed over the past 20 years, but you just don't mess with the Schonz." Schonely is often compared to legendary announcers Chick Hearn and Johnny Most, of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, respectively. At Schonely's induction to the 2002 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, former Blazers center Bill Walton said: "Bill Schonely is as important to sports in the Northwest as Chick Hearn was to sports in Southern California. There are very few people in the history of Western Civilization who have had that kind of an impact." Walton also said: "Bill Schonely is the most important figure in the history of Oregon sports, with all due respect to Phil Knight and Maurice Lucas. Bill Schonely is the man who convinced people that sports are worthwhile." A restaurant in the Rose Garden is named in his honor, the Pyramid Taproom at Schonely's Place. The Trail Blazers organization retired Schonely's microphone on November 3, 2003. The 1992 Public Enemy album Greatest Misses features the voice of Schonely calling Trail Blazer games, on the track "Air Hoodlum." Signature phrases Schonely coined or popularized numerous phrases and sayings during his radio career with the Blazers, which have become synonymous with the Blazermania phenomenon in Oregon, including "Rip City", "Bingo Bango Bongo", "Climb the golden ladder", "Lickety brindle up the middle" and "You've got to make your free throws." Schonely's best-known phrase, "Rip City", debuted in a game against