Post by crichardson001 on Sept 7, 2008 11:36:53 GMT -5
Its been a short few weeks now since I heard about Mark's death. Mark and I had only been friends for a short while compared to the friendship he had with Roy and James, but in that time he made a huge impact on me and my family.
Seeing Mark at the PWS/CWA shows was the icing on the cake. We'd always joke about something or another. But something told me Mark was special the first night I met him.
He, Brad Stutts and I were doing commentary for CWA and we just hit it off immediately. It might've helped that we were about the same age, but the flow was like we had known each other all of our lives.
Brad Stutts is one of the easiest people to work with, although he'd never have you believe it. He is also a true professional. I've had nearly 25 years in broadcasting experience to pull from and I loved wrestling, so this was a no brainer. Mark, had only experienced the business mainly as a substitute audio person (although outside of wrestling he had a BS degree in sound and was an audio engineer for one of the largest touring production companies in the country) and for the most part an outsider in the wrestling biz. But he meshed with Stuttsy and me perfectly.
On the times when Stuttsy wasnt there, Mark and I made a four hour show feel like 15minutes. In a wrestling world that can be more bulls**t than anything that resembles normal or real. He was real. When we talked about the fantastic athletic ability of the wrestlers in the ring... that was all real. I've done a lot of things in my life, but one of the things I have enjoyed as much as anything was working behind the mic with Stuttsy and Mark. We called PWS/CWA wrestling events... but as a team we were good enough to call anything from baseball to basketweaving and Mark was a big part of the reason why.
Even to this day, outsiders and professional wrestling is an uneasy mix, but Mark never seemed to care about the taboos of wrestling and just enjoyed doing whatever he could for the promotion and the talent in the ring. When he became Commissioner, he was extremely proud of the role. Knowing the management of the PWS/CWA, they dont take chances with just anyone. This is a credit to Mark as they saw in him the same things I saw in him, a talented guy who just wanted to help out the team.
We'd go back stage and rehearse his spots. He'd be nervous and I'd say, "Its not brain surgery, just go out there and be commissioner. You know what to do, just do it." But he loved it. He come and tell me about learning different aspects of the business to be better in his role of making the talent look good. He wanted to do whatever he could to make the product and the workers better. He believed in PWS/CWA, he believed in what the company was doing, and shared the pride when CWA became the best independent wrestling operation in the MidAtlantic region (Va, NC,SC).
Mark was a big help to me personally as well. He'd come to the Raleigh area and help me with the StormForce shows we'd do. When we did SummerBlast along Main Street in Garner, it was Mark who provided the key equipment, two-way radios -- the kind the police and ems use -- to help us communicate between the coordinator - the charity and myself. This made life a lot easier for everyone.
Mark also helped out on our shows this past year being ring announcer at times. Everything he did... he wanted it to be professional and it was.
We'd spend the nights after the shows hanging out...eating bad food, watching wrestling videos, and talking all night.
Mark was a good friend and everyday I miss him and think about him. I still cant believe he is gone to a better place that we all hope to be one day. I am sure when I go back to Statesville, it'll all hit me again.
But I do know this, Mark loved working for PWS/CWA and he truly believed in the good product that is being produced there. He loved his friends very very much, Roy and James and their families. He loved working with Stuttsy and Marcellus. He had a true appreciation for the talent and work eithic of Jake, Joey, Charlie, TJ and Kirby, Stony, Caleb, Daffney and all the men and women who put it out there in the ring for the people to see. He also admired and liked Ty, they mightve had their differences, but thought highly of Ty. He admired Michael at Highspots for the things he has accomplished in the business and was proud to call him a friend.
Mark Timothy, as stated earlier, might not be a lasting memory in the professional wrestling business, but Mark Shumate made a lasting impression on all who knew him.
Miss you, Brother.
Carl Richardson
Raleigh