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World Wrestling Entertainment confirmed the sad news on Thursday that legendary ring announcer Howard Finkel has died. 'The Fink', as he was known by his colleagues and fans, was just 69, but had been in worsening health in recent years.
With an unmistakable, unique voice and announcing style, Finkel provided part of the soundtrack to the childhood of millions of WWE fans all around the world. His association with the company dating all the way back to his 'in-ring' debut in the 1970s when it was used to be known as the WWWF.
A lively character, he did plenty more than just introduce the Superstars of WWE as they made their way to the ring. He was a key member of the company's production and administration arm, helping to organise talent and travel over the years.
Stephanie McMahon led the tributes to The Fink, posting on Twitter that he was "iconic" and "recognised by generations of fans".
As the wrestling world takes time to mourn the loss of one someone so warmly remembered, we recap his incredible WWE career with and here are five things you need to know.
Rest in Peace, Howard Finkel!
#5 He was Vince McMahon's first hire
WWE is now a global empire with hundreds, maybe thousands of employees all around the world in various headquarters, training facilities and touring rosters with the likes of RAW, SmackDown and NXT.
It all started, however, with one man - Howard Finkel. He is recognised as Vince McMahon's first-ever employee, first joining what was the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1975. He then shortly transitioned into ring announcing, with a debut at Madison Square Garden, no less. Within two years, he was the company's lead ring announcer.
By 2000, he was working a reduced schedule of events for WWE but still made sporadic appearances as recently as 2018 as part of the 25th Anniversary of RAW.
#4 He sometimes got his hands dirty
The Fink's primary role was that of WWE's most prominent ring announcer throughout the 1980s and much of the 1990s.
That's not to say, however, that the man didn't sometimes get involved in the show itself from time to time. One of the most memorable of these moments came in 1998 at SummerSlam, the event once again staged at Madison Square Garden.
He had been a victim of Jeff Jarrett before the event. Jarrett had gone on a spree of cutting the hair of opponents after he'd beaten them, and did so to The Fink too, in a move that didn't go down well with Howard's fans. Things came to a head for Jarrett though, when he met X-Pac at SummerSlam and lost a Hair vs Hair match, meaning his long locks were also set to go. X-Pac, sensing the irony, offered The Fink the sweet taste of revenge and it was the underdog who came into the ring to help give Jarrett a good sheering.
That isn't all - Howard's WrestleMania 9 outfit (above) was one of the major talking points of the event. And, speaking of WrestleMania moments...
#3 Howard had his own WrestleMania moment
For years, Howard Finkel was the butt of abuse and jokes from Harvey Wippleman, the heel manager of Stars such as Adam Bomb, Kamala and The Giant Gonzalez during the early-to-mid-1990s.
Wippleman, the bully he was, objected to Howard's ring announcing style and pretty much everything about him, often proclaiming "you take that sarcastic tone out of your voice or I'll knock you out!" The two, clearly, did not care much for one another.
Things well and truly came to a head at, you guessed it, Madison Square Garden in 1994 at WrestleMania 10. After Howard, finally having had enough, shoved Wippleman on his backside in the ring, the manager's henchman Adam Bomb set about The Fink and cornered him. That led to Earthquake coming down to the ring to defend Howard, defeating Bomb in a swift match that lasted barely a minute, with Finkel no doubt standing at ringside with a wry smile on his face.
It was Howard's WrestleMania moment.
#2 He's a WWE Hall of Famer
While he may have been one of the unsung heroes of WWE during his lengthy and storied career, his contribution to the company was ultimately recognized in a major way when Howard Finkel was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Prior to WrestleMania 25 in 2009, Howard was inducted alongside the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ricky The Dragon Steamboat and Bill Watts. Fellow broadcast legend Mean Gene Okerlund did the induction honors and later recalling the accolade, Finkel admitted it was a 'great honor'.
He said:
"It's just a great honor to be involved in such a prestigious group as the Hall of Fame classes of years past, and of course this year. To be a part of WWE for nearly 30 years, it's the greatest ride I've ever been on, and it's far from over."
Finkel has a fond connection with WrestleMania weekend - as well as having been ring announcer at the event each year between 1985 and 2016. For many years, up until 2017, he also featured as the announcer for the segment in which that year's Hall of Fame inductees were introduced to the live crowd.
#1 He influenced a whole generation
Be in no doubt that Howard Finkel's death will be keenly felt across the WWE, as well as the wider wrestling and sporting worlds. Pictured above, for instance, is Mr. T, the star of The A Team, who also featured in the main event of WrestleMania 1 back in 1985.
Many current WWE Superstars took to social media to mark the legend's passing, with The New Day's Big E calling him an "incredible man", and Alexa Bliss seemingly just being heartbroken.
There perhaps may have been no greater example as to just how much he meant to fans and Superstars than the WWE Survivor Series back in 2011. It was held (yet again, you can guess) at Madison Square Garden, and included a championship match between Alberto Del Rio and CM Punk.
Del Rio memorably used Ricardo Rodriguez as his "own personal ring announcer" forcing Punk to follow suit with his own - The Fink!
Finkel appeared to a thunderous ovation and a huge 'Howard Finkel' chant from the lively crowd, which left him teary-eyed as he introduced the Chicago native.
It was a moment he'd never forget, and he was a man we'll never forget.
