Larry the Shelby death: "He called us last week while on ventilator to say goodbye”: Paul Finebaum recalls "gut-wrenching" interaction with Larry from Shelby before death

Paul Finebaum had a very tough moment during his show on Monday, announcing the death of longtime caller Larry from Shelby. Finebaum had a special admiration for the caller, who often chimed in during the show.

“One of the greatest and most beloved callers in the history of the show. Clearly, a Mount Rushmore caller," Finebaum said during the broadcast.

The SEC Network analyst also recalled the "gut-wrenching" final call he got from him and showed his appreciation towards the Alabama Crimson Tide fan, whose real name was Larry Wallace.

"He was on oxygen, on a ventilator at the hospital, but he wanted to call," Finebaum said. "We felt fairly certain it would be his final call, but we are so appreciative of him and his family for keeping us updated... He called us last week while on a ventilator to say goodbye.

Larry from Shelby was a Vietnam veteran and had a career in law enforcement. He also loved to fish. He made several memorable calls on the show.

Callers break down while talking to Finebaum about Larry from Shelby's death

After Paul Finebaum shared the news, other usual callers rang the show. The first one to call was Squirrel from Mississippi, who got emotional and shared an endearing message.

"This hit me kind of hard. I'm gonna miss Larry and I hope he is resting in peace. I just hope in heaven there is a place for him to fish and drink Bud Light," Squirrel said.

Another caller, Susie, who has followed the show for more than two years, shared how much she loved the Alabama fan.

"I've been a caller for two and a half years and I loved Larry from the first time I heard him," Susie said. "I remember the time we were talking, and you were saying, 'Maybe we should fix you and Larry up,' and I laughed but said, 'But I've got Joe.' He just endeared himself to everybody."

Finebaum dedicated the final hour of his show to field calls about Larry, who became a big part of the show's experience.

About the author

Allan Wolburg Robles is a College Sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over 17 years of experience in the field writing for publications including Reforma, Yahoo! OddsShark and Apuesta. Allan studied Communications at Anáhuac University, where he learned what would become the basis of a trade that was already a dream of his before starting college.

His favorite team is Army West Point as when he was young, Allan lived in West Point for a couple of years, went to pretty much every home game, a couple of Army-Navy games and even got to meet some of the players.

Allan's favorite players of all time include Tommie Frazier, who was unbelievable during the Nebraska dynasty of the early 90's. Tim Tebow was also a favorite, mainly because of his leadership skills, although he was also awesome on the football field. As a fan of defensive football, (or what's left of it), Sean Taylor could take over a game for Miami.

Allan has always considered himself a student of the game more than a fan of it. So the historical part and evolution of the game, as well as the ins and outs of what happens on the field, and being able to put it into words for the audience, are his biggest strengths.

Besides sports, Allan enjoys reading books, watching movies and spending time with his dogs.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash