Al McCoy, Who Called Suns Games on Radio for More than Half-century, Has Died at 91

FILE - Phoenix Suns radio announcer Al McCoy during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
FILE - Phoenix Suns radio announcer Al McCoy during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
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Al McCoy, Who Called Suns Games on Radio for More than Half-century, Has Died at 91

FILE - Phoenix Suns radio announcer Al McCoy during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
FILE - Phoenix Suns radio announcer Al McCoy during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers, Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

Al McCoy, who was the radio voice of the Phoenix Suns for more than a half-century, has died. He was 91.

The team made the announcement on Saturday and released a statement from his family. No cause of death was disclosed.

McCoy was the longest-tenured team broadcaster in NBA history, calling Suns games for 51 years. He called his first game on his Sept. 27, 1972 and his last on May 11, 2023. His tenure included Phoenix’s NBA Finals appearances in 1976, 1993 and 2021, The AP reported.

“This is a sad day for the Suns and the Suns family,” former Suns star Charles Barkley said in a statement. “Al McCoy represented everything that is great about Phoenix, the Phoenix Suns and people who love basketball. I was blessed and honored to work with Al and I’m gonna miss him.”

McCoy is a member of the franchise’s Ring of Honor and a 2009 inductee into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. He also earned the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

McCoy was born in 1933 in Williams, Iowa, and got his first radio job in 1951 in Webster City, Iowa, when he was a freshman at Drake. He moved to Arizona in 1956 as the play-by-play announced for the Triple-A Phoenix Giants baseball team. During his tenure with the Suns, he became known for his catchphrases such as “Shazam,” “Zing Go the Strings” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”

“I had the privilege of Al McCoy narrating the first eight years of my career,” Suns star Devin Booker said. “He was inducted into the Ring of Honor my second season, and it was then I really understood what a special talent he was. And over the course of my career, I’ve learned what an even more special person he was.

“We will miss Al, and I am so glad our legacies in Phoenix are forever connected.”



Arsenal Signs Spain Midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad

Spain's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Portugal during the Nations League final soccer match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Spain's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Portugal during the Nations League final soccer match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
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Arsenal Signs Spain Midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad

Spain's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Portugal during the Nations League final soccer match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Spain's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Portugal during the Nations League final soccer match between Portugal and Spain at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad on Sunday, finally making the move to the Premier League after turning down Liverpool last year.

The transfer fee wasn't disclosed but the BBC reported Arsenal has paid almost 60 million pounds ($82 million) for the 26-year-old Zubimendi.

The holding midfielder made 236 appearances in all competitions for Sociedad after coming through the club’s academy. He played there alongside Mikel Merino, who joined Arsenal last year, The AP news reported.

Zubimendi has played 19 games for Spain, including coming on as a half-time substitute in the 2-1 win over England in the 2024 European Championship final.

“I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play is a good fit for me," Zubimendi said. "They have shown their potential recently and the best is yet to come.”

Arsenal has finished second in the Premier League in each of the past three seasons.

“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team," said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, a fellow Spaniard. “He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us.”

Zubimendi slots into the squad in place of Thomas Partey, whose contract expired this summer. On Friday, Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, British police said.