WWE Hall of Famer In Poor Health After Possible Stroke

Howard-Finkel

A WWE event requires several different components in order to be successful. The men and women in the ring are of primary importance of course. But other players involved are of great importance as well, including the referees, commentators and ring announcers.

But one of those announcers may be facing a physically taxing time in his life. The Daily Star is reporting that WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel is in poor health following a possible stroke.

The news came from Jerry Lawler on a recent episode of his Dinner With The King podcast. Lawler says that Finkel is in “really really bad health,” No further details were given and there has been no confirmation from Finkel’s family.

Howard Finkel, affectionately referred to as The Fink, began his career in 1975 and rose to prominence during the 1980’s WWF. He gained much of his fame due to his work at Madison Square Garden, where his legend was born.

Finkel’s delivery on the mic set him apart from everyone else in the business and gave WWE an air of legitimacy. Fink was a pro and he was also arguably the best ring announcer in pro wrestling history.

The Fink was responsible for naming WWE’s biggest event of all time, WrestleMania. Finkel was a huge Beatles fan and believed that borrowing the term “BeatleMania” was the best way to help draw attention to the newly created event.

Finkel was the voice of the WWF during his run. He was an integral part of the company and was a fixture on weekly programming, next to Gene Okerlund, Bobby Heenan and Vince McMahon himself.

Many different ring announcers have worked in WWE over the years but no one has really come close to making the sort of impact on the mic that Finkel did. He was extremely important to WWE and the company recognized his work by inducting him in the 2009 Hall of Fame.

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