W.L. “PUTT” POWELL - INDUCTEE #20
hall of fame fast fact:
Considering the rivalry between Lubbock and Amarillo, it's ironic that Putt Powell was born in Lubbock. He wrote, however, "I wasn't born in Amarillo, but I got here as fast as I could."
W.L. "Putt" Powell
W.L. “Putt’’ Powell’s career at the Amarillo Globe-News spanned 62 years.
Powell worked for free for the first 12 years until he was put on the payroll in 1942. In 1943, Powell got an offer that would change his life when Gene Howe pulled him into his office. “You can be liked by everyone and be absolutely dull. Or you can be honest and opinionated, liked by a few people, despised by a few people, and read by everyone,” Gene Howe said. Powell then began a long career as a lively, controversial, and influential columnist.
Powell was a huge supporter of Amarillo and the Panhandle, all of its schools, teams and athletes, as well as the area in general. These were his people, his teams. Powell helped start the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame, the Globe News MVP awards, and the Blair Cherry Award.
After retirement in 1977, Powell continued to work seven days a week until cancer claimed his life on Christmas Eve 1992.
