RIP Howard Finkel

[MoS]

This year has been a complete nightmare.

 

 

[NintendoLogic]

RIP to the GOAT.

[flyonthewall2983]

Very sad. Such an integral part of their company for such a long time, for us watching and for so much behind the scenes too. No heat with anyone and no skeletons in the closet either. 

[ShittyLittleBoots]

Watched this match again recently, and Punk bringing out Fink & him getting such a big ovation has always brought such a smile to my face. R.I.P. to a legend of the pro-wrestling business.

[Loss]

God, Cole's announcing (being Vince's voice) in that clip.

[Stiva]

Not the Fink  The best to ever do it

[Shrike02]

Sad news. I would always mark out when there was a title change and he'd announce ... " and new [insert title belt name] champion [insert wrestler name] .... !".

[SirEdger]

6 hours ago, Loss said:

God, Cole's announcing (being Vince's voice) in that clip.

I HATED Cole during that period of time. Like, if he had met him in the street, automatic kick in the balls.

But with that said, I was gutted to learn this today. Fink was the voice of a generation. People saying that you can't hear a picture never saw one of The Fink. The absolute GOAT ring announcer.

[sek69]

Greatest ring announcer and also the one who came up with the name "Wrestlemania". You can probably count on one hand the people in wrestling that no one has a bad opinion of, and Howard was definitely one of them. 

[PhilTLL]

I did not know/had forgotten about this:

What a kind and difficult task to take on. Legends House made him look like a sweetheart too.

[cactus]

RIP Fink. Voice of my childhood.

[KawadaSmile]

Fink is the greatest of all time at what he did. Gutted about his passing.

[C.S.]

 

[sek69]

Also don't forget Fink was often the target of bullying for no other reason than being a really nice guy who had a childlike love of wrestling. If you needed something else to toss on the "WWE is shit" pile. 

 

On a positive note, I remember seeing a video a while back of who I'm assuming was a friend of Howard's wedding reception where the wedding party all entered like wrestlers and Fink announced them all coming in. It was a perfect encapsulation of the guy,  having a blast in a kind of geeky environment doing what he did better than anyone who ever lived. And yes, even at a reception intro'ing random people he was still the GOAT. 

[SirEdger]

Yeah, I remember reading about Fink being bullied. Just doesn't make sense to me but alpha male mentalities like Vince enable that type of behaviour. See JBL.

[Slasher]

 The Ringer has a great article about him (and its not written by Shoemaker).