Paul Eells, a veteran sportscaster whose trademark “Touchdown, Arkansas!” call is remembered by generations of sports fans, died in a car accident on July 31. He was 70.
A native of West Branch, Iowa, Eells graduated from the University of Iowa and launched his broadcasting career at KOKX-1310 AM radio in Keokuk, Iowa. He honed his sportscasting style at WMT-600 AM radio in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and at WSM radio and television in Nashville, Tenn., before moving to Arkansas in 1978.
Eells served as the sports director of KATV in Little Rock for the next 28 years, and was responsible for producing Channel 7’s daily 5, 6 and 10 p.m. sportscasts. But he was best known as “The Voice of the Razorbacks” for providing riveting play-by-play coverage of Arkansas’ football and basketball games for radio and television broadcasts.
Friends and colleagues described Eells as professional, gracious, humble, kind and “the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.
August 16, 2006 by
Paul Eells
Categories: Sports
God Bless you Paul! You will be so missed! Touchdown Heaven, you got a winner!
Hte nicest man you will ever meet, rest in piece my friend.
He was the whole reason I even wathched the game. He was the spirit of Arkansa and no one could ever take his place. I, along with everyone, miss him. Eventhough I wasn’t family, I feel as though he was mine. I pray for blessing over his household and for peace to fill the void in not only their hearts, but in all of Arkansa’s!!!!!