Paul Eells was a great sportscaster, a wonderful person and he will be missed in Arkansas.
His predecessor at KATV, Bud Campbell, also died in an auto accident many years ago.
Posted on 08/01/2006 1:18:37 AM PDT by HAL9000
Russellville, Pope County - Channel seven news has learned late Monday night that Sports Director Paul Eells was killed in a two car accident on Interstate 40. He was returning home from Fayetteville after interviewing Coach Houston Nutt.The accident happened at the 83 1/2 mile marker, near the Highway 7 overpass around 8 o'clock. The driver of the other vehicle, Billy J. Burton, of Dover, was also killed..
Paul has worked at KATV since 1978, and he is most beloved for his play-by-play of Razorback athletics. We are still learning more about the accident
We will have more information as it becomes available. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
Paul Eells was a great sportscaster, a wonderful person and he will be missed in Arkansas.
His predecessor at KATV, Bud Campbell, also died in an auto accident many years ago.
An Arkansas legend!
Rest in peace, Paul.
Prominent Arkansas sportscaster killed in I-40 accident
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Paul Eells, sports director of Little Rock television station KATV for nearly three decades who was known as the "voice of the Razorbacks" was killed Monday evening along with another driver in a head-on collision on Interstate 40 at Russellville, state police said.
A police report said Eells' car, eastbound near the Arkansas 331 exit from I-40, crossed the median and collided in the westbound lanes with a car driven by Billie J. Burton, 40, of Dover. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene after the accident at 8:13 p.m., the report said.
Eells, 70, was returning to his home at Little Rock after participating in a golf tournament for sports figures and the media at Fayetteville.
Eells, a West Branch, Iowa, native, joined the staff at KATV in 1978, and was widely known by sports fans in Arkansas as well as reporters, editors and broadcasters across the South.
He was named Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year 11 times and was also honored with the Associated Press award for best sports play-by-play several times.
A graduate of the University of Iowa, he began his broadcast career with radio station KOKX in Keokuk, Iowa, as an announcer. He then moved to WMT in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as sports director where he did play-by-play for his alma mater.
He was sports director at WSM radio and television in Nashville, Tenn., from 1967 until his move to KATV in 1978. While at WSM, he did play-by-play for Vanderbilt University in addition to covering Tennessee regional high school sports.
Eells is survived by his wife, Vickie, a son and two daughters.
A predecessor of Eells' as sportscaster at KATV, longtime television personality Bud Campbell, who was likewise widely identified with the Arkansas Razorbacks, also died in an automobile accident, in 1974.
Prayers for the family
Very sad. He will be missed.
I lived in Iowa 35 years, the last 20 in Cedar Rapids, but don't remember him from there.
I listened to him alot while following the Razorbacks.
So sorry to hear this. He was great. RIP Paul.
Rest in peace.
I worked in the newsroom with Paul at Channel 7 back in the '80's. A truly wonderful man! My heart goes out to his family, KATV, and the woman's loved ones. A true tragedy.
"TOUCHDOWN ARKANSAS", "OH MY"----can never be replaced. He was one of a kind. Prayers to his family and the family of the other victim.
This is a heart breaker..Unbelievable he should die like this.
He was one truly nice guy..
sw
As someone who loved him when he was sportscaster at WSM and the voice of the Vanderbilt Commodores, RIP Paul ("Holy Smokes")
Tis a sad day for all Razorbacks, everywhere. Prayers for both the Eells and Burton families for their loss.
So sad, prayers for the families involved.
I found several rememberances of him on the web - here were a couple -
Andy Pearson - Remembering Paul Eells
Clay Henry - State of the Hogs: Legend Passes
Dan Miller - PAUL EELLS, R.I.P.
It's been a sad summer for Arkansas, losing Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller and the Voice of the Razorbacks, Paul Eells.
Here is a link to a forum with hundreds of tributes to Paul. He was loved by close friends and complete strangers. He has spent many hours in my living room and yet I have never met him. Truly a sad day in Arkansas and in many other places.
http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php/board,58.0.html
Thank you much. I'll definitely check it out this evening. Looks like a nice fan site as well- don't get a great deal of Razorback news here.
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