JANUARY 17, 1942-JUNE 4, 2016

HAROLD BELL UP CLOSE & PERSONAL–THE 4 KINGS+ONE

AARON “THE HAWK” PRYOR

THE MOST FEARED AMONG THE KINGS-THEY BOXED HIM OUT!

THE WINNER-“THE HITMAN”

THE WINNER “THE HAWK”

IN THIS CORNER DAVE JACOBS

IN THIS CORNER EMANUEL STEWARD A PRINCE AMONG THIEVES

THE WINNERS-THE CHILDREN

AMERICAN BOXING HISTORY 101

Muhammad Ali made Harold K. Bell “The Chosen One” in 1974 when “The Greatest” stunned the World when he knocked out, the unbeaten and undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World, George Foreman in the 8th round in Zaire, Africa.  The fight is now known as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle.’  

On Ali’s arrival back in the United States, he stunned the sports media when the first and only call to them was to Harold Bell an unknown radio sports talk show host in Washington, DC.

In 1967, Ali met Bell on the campus of Howard University, an HBCU. The champ was on a college tour around the country, explaining why he refused to be inducted into the United States Army.

First, he was a conscientious objector. His Muslim Religion exempted him from serving in the military.  He decided he would rather go to jail than fight an enemy who had never called him, the N-word.  After his speech, Bell took him on a tour of Georgia Avenue, the NW corridor of DC.

One year later Bell was on that same Georgia Avenue corridor trying to help save lives during the riots of 1968.  He worked in the streets as a member of “The  Roving Leader Youth Gang Task Force,” for the DC Department of Recreation & Parks.

Literally, out of the ashes, he founded Kids In Trouble his non-profit organization in November 1968 shortly after the riots almost destroyed his DC hometown.

Ali and Bell would not meet again until five years later when he traveled to Cleveland with his friend, Washington Times sports columnist J. D. Bethea. 

Ali was the headliner for a charity boxing exhibition for Children’s Hospital.

The timing was perfect, Bell had just made his debut on W-O-O-K Radio as the first Black to host and produce his own sports talk show in the Nation’s Capitol, Inside Sports.  The show’s format would change sports talk and reporting in America and beyond.

When Bell entered the hotel headquarters for the fight, he said, “Ali hollered my name. I had not seen him since we walked together in DC.  He surprised the hell out of me.  It was then I knew I had arrived.” 

For the first time, pro athletes, with names like, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Red Auerbach, Bert Sugar, George Foreman, Al Attles, George McGinnis, and others were heard on the airwaves in DC promoting his Inside Sports talk show. Their support and collaboration made him the talk of the town. 

Every radio, television, and podcast you see or hear all copied the Inside Sports format in America, and globally. 

MEET THE COPYCATS

THE WASHINGTON POST / INSIDE SPORTS MAGAZINE

ESPN / USE THE INSIDE SPORTS FORMAT FOR TV

INSIDE THE NBA

INSIDE THE NFL

INSIDE MLB

INSIDE THE NHL

REAL SPORTS 

COMEDIAN COREY HOLCOMB PULLS THE COPYCATS OUT OF THE BAG

In 2022 Harold Bell was one of the voices for Showtime’s 4 KINGS.”  In a journey back to boxing’s most exciting era after Muhammad Ali retired. The 4 Kings+One helped fill the boxing void left by ‘The Greatest.’

Six “LITTLE” guys took over the spotlight, Sugar Ray Leonard (The Cash Cow), Roberto Durant (Hands of Steel), Thomas Hearns (The Hit Man), Marvin (The Enforcer) Hagler, Aaron Pryor (The Hawk), and the classy Alexis  Arguello

BOXING MEDIA LEGENDS WHO CARRIED THE SPORT IN THE 70s & 80s

WILLIAM TAAFFE / Media Critic for the Washington Star Newspaper wrote in 1980,

“Most radio sports talk shows do not contain intimate bits of verse set to music, as Harold Bell’s show did on WYCB 1340 last week. Neither do most shows feature stimulating discussions about drug use in sports, racism,within the NFL, abuse of naive athletes by agents, and inspirational messages about life on 14th Street. But then Harold Bell is unique- sports announcer, former athlete, youth leader and social critic rolled into one.

Let’s say it right at the top: ‘Inside Sports ‘ (Fridays, 10 pm to midnight) is a small jewel of a program-easily the most reflected and provocative radio sports show in Washington. Its guest actually say something. The other shows are bland in comparison.”

Once again, Happy Birthday (RIP) to my friend and brother in the struggle, Muhammad Ali. Thanks for the memories and thanks for taking me along for the ride.

THE DOCUMENTARY TRAILER