Voice of the Arkansas Razorbacks Dies in Car Accident

[Mrs Behavin]

Russellville, Pope County - Paul Eells, the "voice of the Razorbacks" whose trademark "Touchdown, Arkansas!" call endeared him to generations of sports fans, is dead after a head-on collision on Interstate 40 at Russellville. State police said the accident last night at 8:13 pm also took the life of the other driver, Billy J. Burton of Dover.

The 70-year-old Eells had served as sports director of Little Rock television station KATV for nearly three decades and also delivered play-by-play coverage of Arkansas Razorbacks football and basketball for radio and television.

Scoring plays weren't the only events that drew a characteristic response from Eells.
Viewers or listeners perked up when they heard him utter the mild exclamation "Oh, my!" because they knew something interesting had happened on the field or the court.

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 the 40-year-old Burton.

The report said she and Eells were both pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0806/349055.html

Its really sad because I remember watching him on the news when I was just a little kid.

 

[Mrs Behavin]

Middle weight champion Jermain Taylor also attended Paul Eells` service where he served as a pall bearer, but Friday was also a reason to celebrate as Taylor was named the Arkansas Broadcasters Association`s Arkansan of the Year.
Taylor was recognized this evening for his achievements in boxing as well as his contributions in community service..
An award he says he also shares Paul Eells.
"I`m sharing this award with Paul Eells because he was always there. He was there when I was just a kid. He gave me interviews when I was a nobody. He`d say `hey champ, how you doing?`. He`d call me champ when I wasn`t a champ, " Taylor said.