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| WHO'S WHO: RAY McCAY |
| REAL NAME: Ray McCay |
| MATCH RECORDS, MENTIONS, OR APPEARANCES IN GEORGIA
JANUARY 14, 1949 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: Ray McCay began work as a ring announcer in Atlanta around this time. JANUARY 19, 1950 (THURSDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: In the program we have for this card, Ray McCay gets the nod as the Ring Announcer. McCay, laid up at the Lawson Veterans Hospital at Emory University, missed this card due to some medical issues, and Ben Gunn replaced him as ring announcer for the night. JUNE 23, 1950 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: The program for this card still shows Ray McCay as being Ring Announcer. McCay is now apparently creating the column that was once attributed to Betty Anne Wood. FEBRUARY 20, 1953 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: Ray McCay had begun doing the main event matches on WQXI 790 AM radio at some point before this card. MAY 26, 1954 (WEDNESDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – WLWA STUDIOS (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: This is believed to have been the first airing of the local televised wrestling program out of Atlanta, “Live Atlanta Wrestling”, featuring Ray McCay as the host. The show aired on WLWA TV Channel 11, an ABC affiliate, and according to some sources, was seen in other towns around Georgia on a weekly delay. The programs were done in the WLWA studios located on West Peachtree Street. McCay had previously been broadcasting matches on WQXI 790 AM radio. SEPTEMBER 28, 1956 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: This program is the first we have that provides information on the local televised “Live Atlanta Wrestling”, which can be seen “on Channel 11 every Monday night at 10:15”, with a plug to sponsor Budweiser Beer. Ed Capral has been hosting since he replaced Ray McCay sometime in 1955. OCTOBER 12, 1962 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Don McIntyre – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: Inside the program for this card, there is a large advertisement reminding you to vote for Ray McCay (former Atlanta broadcaster, who also covered wrestling on radio and was the original host of “Live Atlanta Wrestling” on television) on October 16, 1962, as the DeKalb Representative. MAY 14, 1965 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: In the program for this card, there is a mention of Ray McCay, who was now the owner of the Dixie Inn Motel in Panama City, FL, with an address where fans could write him in Laguna Beach, FL. AUGUST 20, 1965 (FRIDAY) – ATLANTA, GA – ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM [P] (Paul Jones – Promoter / Georgia Championship Wrestling) Notes: The promotion had been running a contest over the last few weeks, whereas women who wanted to enter the “Miss Georgia Wrestling Queen” contest could put their names in the hat. The event occurred during this card, with the finalists chosen to walk around the ring between matches, with the winner being announced prior to the match between Dick Steinborn and Mario Galento. Judges for the contest included wrestlers Nick Kozak, Terry Majors, and Freddie Blassie, as well as Alan Gottlieb (Vice President of Imperial Merchandisers, a sponsor giving away a watch to one of the runners-up) and Jerry Tinkie (Manger of the Atlanta Cabana Hotel, a sponsor who would be giving a runner-up a weekend for two at his hotel). The winner was to receive a trophy and an all expense paid week long vacation at Ray McCay’s Dixie Inn Motel in Laguna Beach, FL. Unfortunately, none of our research has turned up the entrants or who won this contest. |
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