WWE Rumors: Deceased Hall Of Famer Was Reportedly Bullied By Locker Room After Botching A Segment
The wrestling industry was heartbroken last week following the passing of Howard Finkel. The legendary ring announcer was widely regarded as the best to ever pick up a microphone, but he reportedly wasn’t always beloved among his peers and colleagues, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter‘s Dave Meltzer.
The report states that Finkel received some backstage heat following a botched televised segment, which resulted in him being punished in “Wrestler’s Court.” Back in the day, superstars who messed up were forced to stand before their peers — in a committee led by The Undertaker — and pay for their mistake.
Meltzer recalled how “The Fink” flinched before taking a slap from a female superstar, which didn’t go down too well backstage. Furthermore, the subsequent disciplinary action — which involved more physical harm toward him — was reportedly so harsh that it caused the Hall of Famer to burst into tears.
“He was devastated when it was over and sentenced to get slapped in the face again by another woman. And of course, he flinched again because he’s not a wrestler. He wasn’t taken to wrestlers court after the second incident but was once again berated for it.”
Meltzer went on to say that one veteran described the incident as “one of the most immature and cruel things they’d seen in the business.” He also believes that Finkel was used as a whipping boy in order to set an example for some newcomers who had joined the company at the time.
#TBT to when Howard Finkel was the personal ring announcer for our very own @CMPunk at Survivor Series in 2011. pic.twitter.com/rkW4Kl41aM
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 16, 2020
According to the report, the incident happened shortly after WCW wrestlers were brought over to WWE after Vince McMahon acquired the company. Because of the influx of talent, Finkel was used as a scapegoat, even though he was never a trained in-ring performer who was used to physical interactions with WWE superstars.
However, despite the humiliating incident, Finkel was still very well-liked and respected by everyone backstage, as he was a major part of the company since the beginning. He was also prone to being ribbed by other employees, though he had a sense of humor and was popular as a result.
As documented by 411 Mania, several legends recently paid tribute to the announcer when the sad news became public knowledge. Vince McMahon said that his voice made some of WWE’s most iconic moments feel bigger, while Hulk Hogan revealed that Finkel was always a friend to him, through both the good times and the bad.
