24 Wrestlers Who Died In 2020

Howard Finkel, the voice of millions of wrestling fans' childhood the world over, and the absolute best at what he did, died on 16 April after battling multiple health complications. He was 69.

Born 1950 in Newark, New Jersey, Finkel was an ardent fan of the North East wrestling scene, and famously became one of the Vincent J. McMahon's first permanent hires, brought in as a Madison Square Garden MC for the then-WWWF in 1975. He quickly distinguished himself through his flawless delivery, rising to become the company's senior announcer.

For the next three decades, Finkel was a guaranteed fixture of all the promotion's major events - including the very first WrestleMania, whose name he devised - until he was inexplicably phased out for the younger Lilian Garcia. It's to Fink's immeasurable credit that Garcia, whilst no slouch, would be the first to admit she wasn't a patch on her predecessor.

Though Fink remained a fixture of the company behind the scenes, the product never felt quite the same without him on-air. In particular, the gravitas with which he crowned new champions with the words "and neeeeew!" were irreplaceable.

Finkel was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2009. His legacy will never be surpassed.