A Forgotten But Crucial Ring Announcer In Combat Sports History
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The world of professional wrestling has risen to prominence due to the coming together of various talents, such as in-ring competitors, referees, backstage personnel, production workers, and a lot more. However, a key person that is very important in the entire presentation of a wrestling show is the in-ring announcer. The ring announcer for any sport is seen as a person to hold the television programming at regular intervals, making superstar announcements as they make their way to fight inside the ring. For years, we have seen many prominent ring announcers, however, one name who was a trailblazer in his own right, despite being a forgotten hero, was Jimmy Lennon. Sr.
Jimmy Lennon is an important addition to the wrestling industry during the early days who gave a new meaning to the art of ring announcing. Lennon's brought his amazing talent not only to the wrestling world but to other combat sports such as boxing as well. His work and contributions have paved the way for future generations such as Jim Ross, Jerry 'The King' Lawler, and Lillian Garcia to become popular names in the ring announcing profession.
But it is sad to learn that the generation prevalent today is not much aware of a legend like Jimmy Lennon Sr. So let's explore the life and journey of Jimmy Lennon Sr., whose impact has been remarkable and made the role of ring announcer a major factor in professional wrestling.
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Jimmy Lennon Sr. & His Brother Supported Their Families During Their Early Days
Jimmy Lennon Sr. sang in the church during his childhood days, and that led to him and his brothers eventually starting The Lennon Brothers in Venice, California. He also contributed to the war effort by enlisting as a civil instructor and working as a butcher and cook.
At 17, when Lennon's father, Herbert Lennon, passed away at only 44, his plans to attend college and become an English professor were delayed. Jimmy, and his 19-year-old brother John Henry, were left to work and care for the huge remaining family as a result. In and around Los Angeles, he held a number of gigs singing and performing at sporting events, athletic competitions, patriotic gatherings, and police functions. In an article by Pro Wrestling Stories, the author mentioned one of his interactions with Jimmy Lennon Sr. about his times growing up. “Those were grim times for this country. “I also tried to entertain them when we had USO type shows [morale boosting entertainment shows for the troops] since I’d sang and danced since I was a small child in my church.”
The Beginning of Jimmy Lennon's Ring Announcing Career Was The Turning Point In His Life
Jimmy Lennon Sr. began his career as a ring announcer at the Ocean Park Arena in Santa Monica, California around the 1970s, where he also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" on a regular basis. When the scheduled ring announcer was unavailable, the event organizer asked Lennon if he would step in. At the time Lennon was wearing a tuxedo, which he also donned for his first announcing gig. His supervisor was so pleased with Lennon's performance that he recruited him to announce fights on a regular basis.
Lennon was meticulous in his attention to detail, as evidenced by his arduous efforts to accurately pronounce names that were difficult to say. While many wrestling, boxing, and later MMA ring announcers mispronounced or stepped on names they tried to introduce, that was not the case with the perfectionist, Jimmy Lennon Sr. This led to him being the announcer for major wrestling and boxing shows, featuring the likes of Freddie Blassie and Mike Tyson.
Lennon also had the privilege to announce a dream match card for the Los Angeles Coliseum mega outdoor show in 1971, featuring matches like the co-main and long-running Sheik vs. Bobo Brazil feud, the heel dream tag team of Kenji Shibuya and Masa Saito versus Black Gordman and Great Goliath, Mil Máscaras vs. his then-greatest Mexico City rival El Solitario, and Fabulous Moolah defending her Women's Title against California Champion Betty Niccoli.
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Jimmy Lennon Sr.'s Legacy Is Carried Forward By His Son
The legacy laid by Jimmy Lennon Sr. continues to live on with his son, Jimmy Lennon Jr. He decided to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father and became a boxing ring announcer. Jimmy Lennon Jr. mostly worked for Showtime, Fox Sports, Bob Arum's Top Rank, and ESPN events for their Showtime Championship Boxing and Premier Boxing Champions series. Moreover, Lennon Jr is best known for his widely popular catchphrase "It's show time!" However, it is not used during Fox's broadcast of the fights.
The world bid farewell to the legendary ring announcer when Jimmy Lennon Sr passed away in 1992 due to a long battle with heart problems. His work was etched in history when Jimmy was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2017. The announcement was made by his son Jimmy Lennon Jr on Twitter in 2016. "My family is thrilled w/ the news that my father, Jimmy Lennon Sr, has been inducted into the International Boxing HOF. Thank you, all!"
History will always be filled with legends like Jimmy Lennon Sr. who made it possible for people to dream big and rise from hardships to make a huge impact on the entire world.
