He’s Moved Beyond Words by Star Turn

Jim Hill, Channel 2 sportscaster, got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, drawing a crowd of more than 500.

Some of the biggest names in L.A. sports were there, including Frank and Jamie McCourt, Marcus Allen, James Worthy, Jamaal Wilkes, Don King, Warren Moon, Vince Ferragamo and Sugar Shane Mosley. And for the first time in 25 years, Hill’s entire family was together.

At a luncheon afterward, there were elaborate tributes, official proclamations and a No. 1 UCLA jersey with Hill’s name on it, presented by Bruin basketball Coach Ben Howland.

When it was finally Hill’s turn to talk on what he called “the greatest day of my life,” he brushed back the tears and said, “At the station we’re always arguing, trying to get 10 to 15 seconds more for sports. And now I’ve got all this time and ...”

Hill stopped, temporarily too choked up to continue.

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Trivia time: Hill, who played seven years in the NFL, went to Channel 2 from San Diego’s Channel 10 in 1976. When he left Channel 2 in 1988 for Channel 7 -- he returned to Channel 2 in 1992 -- who was his replacement?

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A rookie mistake: Channel 2 news anchor Harold Greene, who nominated Hill for the star, has known him since 1968, when Greene was a cameraman for a San Diego TV station and Hill was a rookie defensive back for the Chargers.

“I remember Jim’s first game in San Diego,” Greene said. “He strolled by the referee and said, ‘Did you bring your glasses today?’

“Then in the fourth quarter the referee called pass interference on Jim, and the flag landed right on his chest. Jim couldn’t believe the call, and the referee said, ‘It was pass interference, and I saw it clearly.’ ”

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A moving moment: It was Greene who told Hill that he would be getting the star.

Greene said, “He was stuck in traffic on his way to an Angel game when I called him on his cellphone. I said, ‘I got the word about your star today. You know, not everyone who is nominated gets a star.’

“I paused, and Jim said nothing. Then I said, ‘But you’re getting a star.’ He was thrilled.”

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A rare moment: Much was made about Hill’s wardrobe and his perfectly tailored suits. But longtime sportscaster Stu Nahan, whom Hill called his “illegitimate father,” remembered one time when Hill wore pants that didn’t fit. It was when Nahan married wife Sandy in 1987, and Hill was the best man.

“Jim didn’t try on the tuxedo and the pants only came down to about his knees,” Nahan said. “He was so upset he never even returned the tuxedo to the rental place.”

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Trivia answer: Jim Lampley.

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And finally: Ron Rapoport, a former sportswriter for The Times and the Los Angeles Daily News, retired as a sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times last week.

In his final column, he reminisced about the highlights of his 40-year career and ended it with lyrics from a song by Dave Frishberg: “This is my swan song. My been-here-and-gone-song.”

Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.