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Brian Damage
Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the ‘Wrestling with Sin’ series that deals more with the seedier side of wrestling like arrests, murders and suicides. Grappling looks more at particular tragic incidents that have in some instances altered pro wrestling in some way.
Corey Maclin
Corey Maclin began his broadcasting career at just 16 years old…starting in the radio business as a deejay and later as a program director. He eventually moved to television, where he was a sports anchor for WMC-TV in Memphis, Tennessee and the home of the USWA wrestling on Saturday Mornings. Maclin was a life long pro wrestling fan and it was wrestler Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler who brought Maclin into the wrestling world as a broadcaster.
Maclin would work the USWA shows as a broadcaster and interviewer, working alongside Dave Brown. Maclin would also serve as a ring announcer, when Memphis legend Lance Russell returned to the promotion as the lead announcer. Corey would also get in the ring as a wrestler teaming with Kamala to take on his mentor Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Hart. Maclin also got involved in Memphis Wrestling as a promoter and was sued by Jerry Lawler over the use of using classic footage and selling Memphis wrestling related DVDs.
He would eventually take a break from wrestling and work in advertising, even starting his own company called Corey Maclin and Associates. He also dabbled in politics running as the Democratic nominee for Shelby County Clerk, but lost the election. Maclin always seemed to return to his passion of professional wrestling. Maclin said he fell in love with the glitz, glamor and pageantry of the business at an early age. Maclin returned to Memphis wrestling in different capacities in May of 2013.
Two months later on July 30, 2013, Maclin was involved in a single car crash in Mississippi. He died from his injuries at the age of 43. He is survived by his wife and six children.
To read other Grappling with Tragedy articles, please click here.