Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Nick Pond Leaves WRAL and "Championship Wrestling" (1971)


WRAL News personality Nick Pond hosted the Raleigh-only version of the Jim Crockett Promotions wrestling show known simply as Championship Wrestling in the 1960s and very early 1970s. 

Pond left WRAL at the end of March, 1971 to become the public relations director of the Durham Chamber of Commerce. He stayed with that job until August, 1973. He returned to WRAL shortly thereafter as a news anchor, but never called wrestling again.

During at least part of the time (and perhaps the whole time) Pond was working at the Durham Chamber, Elliot Murnick (son of Raleigh area promoter Joe Murnick) hosted the version of the Mid-Atlantic show that was exclusive to the Raleigh market. 

Soon after, the dual-tapings ended, and Crockett began taping two different versions of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. The first, hosted by Bob Caudle (who had hosted the syndicated All Star Wrestling for over a decade), was the "A" show that went to all Crockett TV markets. The second, the "B" show hosted by Les Thatcher, went to markets where JCP was able to barter both shows. Usually (but not always) the  second "B" show aired on a different station in that market.

Clipping courtesy of Carroll Hall.

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