From the Wrestling
Classics Message Board, March 11, 1999
more than a year before the Mid-Atlantic Gateway
existed.
Posted by
Dick Bourne on March 11, 1999 at 13:38:49:
Subject: Billy
Powell (Greenville SC)
An odd
request, I suppose, but does anyone who ever regularly watched Mid
Atlantic Wrestling in the 70s and early 80s onWFBC-4 (later WYFF) in
Greenville SC remember the name Billy Powell? He did local voice-overs
promoting the upcoming Monday night matches at the Greenville Memorial
Auditorium.
Does anyone
know:
(1) was he a
Crockett employee (or the local promoter's employee?) Or did he work for
WFBC?
(2) What else
did he do?
(3) Anyone
know what happened to him or where he is now?
Billy Powell
did an excellent job with those local promos. He made you feel like you
were part of a big family, which I suppose it really was, because they
held cards almost every Monday night in Greenville for many years.
(I have a
screen-capture of the old graphic that would air when Billy did those
promos, if anyone is interested in a deja-vu flashback. Let me know, and
I'll e-mail it to you.)
Added on Date:
13:38:49 3/11/99
* * *
Posted by
Richard Sullivan on March 11, 1999 at 14:40:11:
Always
wondered who those wrestlers were in that hammerlock scene. One looked
like a young Bronko Lubich and the other looked like a cross between Brute
Bernard and Curly Neal from the Harlem Globetrotters. I would love to have
that.
I think Billy
worked for a local radio station as well as Ch. 4. WFBC-AM maybe? He was
there through all of the house show promoter changings of the guard (from
Sandy Scott to Dan Miller to Johnny Weaver). Last time I remember seeing
him was in the old South Atlantic group before he was replaced by Fabian
Fuente from a station in Gaffney, SC.
Those promos
rocked.
* * *
Posted by
Andy on March 11, 1999 at 15:08:18:
I remember
Billy Powell. He was an institution in Monday night wrestling at the
Memorial Auditorium.
Several years
back he was working at Leslie Advertising in Greenville S.C. He still does
voice overs I believe. I would love to have that image capture. Wouldn't
it be great to see a regional promotion revive here in the mid-atlantic
area and have Billy Powell as ring announcer? He has alot of class.
* * *
Posted by
Richard Sullivan on March 11, 1999 at 15:47:27:
Now that I
look at that image capture, the guy who I thought looked like a young
Bronko actually looks more like a cross between Big Bill Ward and Swede
Hanson (or maybe even the Chef Boy'Ardee guy, but anyway). Plus, it's not
a hammerlock after all. In fact, both of the bald guy's arms appear to be
free. I can't imagine what the guy behind him is doing. Pinching his back
maybe? Giving him a wedgie? I am thinking about this way too much.
* * *
Posted by Blake Cannon March 12, 1999 at 11:37:15:
********The
"new" WFBC-T.V. (Formerly known as WAIM-TV 40 and later as WAXA-Channel
40) is now showing Carolina-style wrestling every Friday night at
Midnight! It is promoted by former J.C.P. Promoter-Charlie Babb!
By the way,
Billy Powell worked for years at WFBC Radio-1330 A.M. and also WFBC 93.7
F.M. I think that he still lives in Greenville and does Bi-Lo T.V. spots.
Please E-mail me that old WFBC-WYFF Channel 4 logo at wbcanno@netscape.net.
If you are wondering, channel 4 changed their call letters from WFBC to
WYFF in 1978. They showed N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling for
many years. WFBC radio has never changed. The "new" WFBC-T.V.
40, changed their call letters from WAXA in 1995. They are based in
Anderson and have always showed alot of wrestling. They used to film some
N.W.A. shows at the old channel 40-WAIM studios in Anderson in the late
1960`s and early 1970`s. A very young Russ Cassell was the host!!!!!!!!
Bob Hooper from WESC radio also filmed some shows!
Posted by
Jeff Powell on March 12, 1999 at 11:42:03:
I think
of summer 1978, being 8 years old and watching Billy Powell telling
everyone to come down to the Greenville Mem. Aud. to see Swede Hansen Vs.
Johnny Weaver! Please send me that logo! Thanks a million for bringing back
a piece of my childhood!