Class of 1994

Chuck Healy Television Sportscaster

One of the most popular sports broadcasters to ever work in Western New York was Chuck Healy, Channel Four's man for all seasons. Chuck was one of the pioneers who helped perfect many of the techniques of television sports. During a 29-year career at WBEN-TV he served in just about every on-air position at the station. A native of Oswego, NY, Chuck went to Syracuse University where he played football and co-captained the boxing team, winning the Eastern Inter-Collegiate middleweight crown in 1939. After college, Chuck was a schoolteacher for six years in Pawling and Poughkeepsie, NY teaching physical education, and coaching baseball, football, track and soccer.

Chuck began his career as the morning man of WKIP and in 1949 he joined WBEN, a new television station in Buffalo and for the next three decades was the station's most versatile personality. For five years, Chuck worked as a news anchor and covered political conventions, including the 1968 Democratic and Republican conclaves in Chicago and Miami. He also reported on sports and broadcast live bowling, professional baseball, professional wrestling, and college basketball as television evolved from its infancy. He hosted "Beat the Champ", and "Strikes, Spares and Misses", which became two of the most successful shows in local broadcasting history. In addition, film of the Buffalo wrestling matches, which he narrated, was shown on television in 30 countries. Chuck was a pro's pro and in time he became one of the best known and most popular broadcasters in Western New York. After leaving WBEN-TV he enjoyed a second successful career as a stockbroker until he returned to television to serve as host, for nine years, of the "Over Fifty" show on Channel 17.

In person, Chuck was a gracious, friendly person who always made time to stop and talk to his many fans. When he passed away suddenly this summer, a wave of sadness swept over the area, and his family was inundated with cards, calls, and letters from people throughout the Niagara Frontier who wished to express their condolences.