Marc Lowrance (born circa 1959) is a former sports anchor and professional wrestling announcer who is best known as one of the voices of World Class Championship Wrestling, a Dallas, Texas-based wrestling organization operated by Fritz Von Erich during the 1980s.
Originally starting out as a local sportscaster in Dallas, Marc was hired by Von Erich to be the new ring announcer at the Dallas Sportatorium, replacing longtime announcer Boyd Pierce, who had moved on to Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion. When World Class began its syndicated broadcasts in 1982, Lowrance was one of its original TV announcers along with Steve Harms and Gene Goodson. By 1983 he was ring announcer only in Dallas when Bill Mercer took over the syndicated broadcasts, then took over Mercer's spot in its local wrestling broadcast Championship Sports, which originated from Fort Worth and airing exclusively on KTVT Channel 11. As perhaps a foreshadowing of what his future career would be, Lowrance would end each broadcast by telling viewers to "Attend the church of your choice tomorrow."
During the height of World Class' glory days, Lowrance in 1985 was credited for saving referee David Manning from serious injury and possible death when his head was hanged from the ropes after Gino Hernandez pushed Manning towards the ropes. Manning was treated for a throat injury and eventually returned to officiate the following Friday in Dallas.
In 1987, Lowrance returned to the syndicated World Class broadcasts, thus giving his ring announcing chores to Ralph Pulley, whom filled in for Lowrance on many occasions at the Sportatorium and larger venues such as Reunion Arena. In late-1988, Marc was paired with former wrestler Frank Dusek on the syndicated World Class broadcasts, then a year later was paired with wrestler Terrance Garvin.
In May 1990, Lowrance left pro wrestling to become a minister with a United Methodist church in suburban Fort Worth. He returned to the Sportatorium as a ring announcer the following September, and has made several appearances at wrestling events over the years afterwards. On the DVD Heroes of World Class, Lowrance credits his time as a wrestling announcer with getting him ready to serve as a minister far more than four years of seminary ever did.
Lowrance's easy-going announcing style and a few memorable one-liners, as well as memorable interviews with other wrestlers, made him one of the most well-known wrestling announcers in the country. A fan of broadcaster Harry Caray, Lowrance would also use his famous one-liners such as holy cow.
As of 2006, Marc Lowrance is a senior pastor with the St. Paul United Methodist Church in Hurst, Texas. He still appears on occasion at wrestling conventions throughout Texas and other parts of the country.
Some of the famous World Class matches Marc Lowrance announced include:
