INCLUDES RARE VINTAGE AUDIO
Legendary wrestling announcer Ed Capral hosted Wide World Wrestling, a brand new program for Jim Crockett Promotions, from 1975-1978.
Capral was the longtime host for pro wrestling in Atlanta on channel 11 until the Atlanta wrestling wars of the mid-1970s, when he jumped ship to the upstart All South Wrestling promotion run by Ann Gunkle, the widow of the late Ray Gunkle, an amateur and pro wrestler who was a major star in the southeast. All South lost the war to the stalwart NWA wrestling promotion and Capral found himself without an announcing job.
Jim Crockett hired him to host their brand new program, and Capral brought his classic old-school announcing style to TV stations across Mid-Atlantic area.
 |
| Ed Capral with NWA World Champion Harley Race on the set of Wide World Wrestling. |
We present here a vintage audio clip from of Ed signing off an episode of Wide World Wrestling in 1977 and previewing the matches that would be seen on the show the following week. That line-up, by the way, was loaded with talent including a young Tully Blanchard going up against NWA World Champion Harley Race.
For the record, here is match list Capral announced:
- Harley Race vs. Tully Blanchard
- Ric Flair & Greg Valentine vs. Roberto Soto & Jimmy Garvin
- Dick Murdoch vs. Danny Miller
- Ricky Steamboat & Paul Jones vs. Scott Irwin & Ricky Ferrara
- Wahoo McDaniel vs. Charlie Fulton
And of course the familiar barter announcement and the classic Wide World Wrestling theme music plays along, one of my favorite TV wrestling themes of all time. (More on that music here.)
Enjoy this little audio blast from the past!
Audio is courtesy of the collection of Gary Wray.
