If Jim Ross and color man Jerry Lawler are unsuccessful in their bid to become football announcers for the new XFL, it may very well have little to do with their ability to do a competent and entertaining job. It could possibly be they are tainted by a scarlet "W" as pro wrestling announcers.
Sure, it is easy and maybe fashionable to verbally kick Ross and Lawler for being associated with pro wrestling, but just who could ever have the gall or chutzpah to question the merits of Harry Caray, Joe Garagiola, Jack Buck, Jack Brickhouse, or Bob Costas. At their Hall Of Fame inductions (Costas' certain future one), was there one of those wedding like scenes where someone stands up when the reverend asks if there is anyone who knows why the two should not be married, and runs down the aisle screaming "they are tainted by wrestling so they can't be in a legit Hall Of Fame." Would a ‘50s Joseph McCarthy conspiracy guy stand up at an induction ceremony and say, "Mr. Jack Buck, have you ever been a member of a broadcasting team that broadcast wrestling?"
Of course, this is some heavy hyperbole and an extended exaggeration, but not much more ridiculous than an excellent announcer (Ross) who does his homework and time proven color man (Lawler) being denied an XFL shot solely because of their guilt by association.
In an old St. Louis program from the late 40s, there is a picture of Harry Caray which mentions him doing some wrestling talk on a radio sports show he hosted. Can't you just hear Harry after some wild match finish ... "Holy Cow! Holy Cow!"
The St. Louis TV in 1959 emanated from the beautiful and luxurious Khorassan ballroom at "THE" hotel in St Louis -- The Chase. Former baseball Cardinal World Series player, present Cardinal announcer, and St Louis born Joe Garagiola was the very first announcer. This glib quipster and famous local athlete went on to great things as NBC Game Of The Week announcer and NBC Today Show anchor. To this day, when Joe comes home to St Louis or does a radio show, he is asked about his Chase stint, which is now stuff of local legend. To a recent caller, Joe said, "If there was a soccer game in progress on the Hill (Joe's old neighborhood famous for soccer), and Rip Hawk stuck his head out of a manhole cover, the kids would start kicking it." While Vice Prez Richard Nixon and Nikita Kruschev were having their famous "ktchen debate" in Moscow, Joe Garagiola and Rip Hawk were taunting each other in St Louis. Joe's Busch Bavarian beer commercials with "non" English speaking Taro Myaki were performance art at its finest. In his time in St Louis, it seems the only English Myaki ever picked up were the two words "Buscheeeeeeeeeee Bavarian."
If Lou Thesz is considered the best St Louis wrestler, then who better to call a Thesz/Bruiser match than Cardinal baseball announcer Jack Buck. This was a one shot KMOX thing, but it must be on Bucks' resume somewhere. One of my favorite wrestling lines, which never fails to make me laugh, is Bucks' call on Bruiser -- "He's got a face like a ripped softball." At the end, Jack yells out, "The fans go wild!" (Want a copy? Let me know.) This is a precursor to Buck's most famous local call decades later, when non-powerful Ozzie Smith hit a dramatic ninth (or tenth?) inning playoff home run -- "Go crazy folks, go crazy!"
Las Vegas is taking no bets on whether or not Bob Costas will be a unanimous Hall Of Fame choice. Costas moved to St Louis at age 21 to broadcast the Spirits Of St Louis ABA team. If you are not acquainted with the ABA, then keep in mind it was the closest sports league ever to pro wrestling. You needed a sharp sense of humor to announce ABA games and Costas had it. He took that sense of humor to ringside and did a one-time match on the conservative KMOX. He had the hottest feud at the time with Hogan/Orndorf and a nice background with a sold-out Arena.
Bob's announcing partner that match was Dan Dierdorf (also a radio lady named Anne Keefe). Dan did local sports shows and had several years announcing on Monday Night Football. He probably won't make a Hall Of Fame as an announcer, but did make the Pro Football Hall as an offensive lineman for the former St Louis Cardinals. Dan teamed with Costas quite often on local radio shows. It is a toss up on which was funnier -- the wrestling match or the call in show they did from WOOFIES Hot Dog Stand.
I was not fortunate to ever hear HOF baseball announcer Jack Brickhouse call wrestling, but I was at a WCW PPV in Chicago years ago and Jack got a special in the ring mention.
If anyone can enlighten us further on mainstreamers that have announced pro wrestling, please do so as I and others would enjoy hearing about it.
