{{short description|Sports commentator}} {{Infobox person | name = Barney Hall | image = Barney Hall 2011 (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Hall in 2011 | birth_name = Barney Hall | birth_date = {{birth date|1932|6|24}} | birth_place = Elkin, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|1|26|1932|6|24}} | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = | occupation = Sports commentator | employer = Motor Racing Network | spouse = {{marriage|Karen Carrier|1981}} }}
'''Barney Hall'''<ref>{{Cite book|last=Beard|first=Brock|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=929lDwAAQBAJ&q=Barney+Hall+barnet&pg=PT59|title=J. D.: The Life and Death of a Forgotten NASCAR Legend|date=2018-07-15|publisher=Waldorf Publishing|isbn=978-1-64136-980-0}}</ref> (June 24, 1932{{spaced ndash}}January 26, 2016) was an American sports commentator for Motor Racing Network, formerly calling NASCAR races. Hall broadcast races for over 50 years.<ref>{{cite web|last=Aumann|first=Mark|url=http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/02/26/barney.hall.10.questions/index.html|title=10 Questions: Barney Hall|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.|date=April 24, 2007|website=NASCAR.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225238/http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/02/26/barney.hall.10.questions/index.html|archivedate=September 30, 2007|accessdate=January 15, 2013}}</ref> Hall is considered one of the best NASCAR commentators of all-time.<ref>{{cite web|last=Caldwell|first=Clayton|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/175466-nascars-10-best-broadcasters-of-all-time|title=NASCAR's 10 Best Broadcasters of All Time|publisher=Bleacher Report, Inc.|date=May 14, 2009|website=BleacherReport.com|access-date=January 15, 2013}}</ref> MRN director David Hyatt stated, "Motor Racing Network is 'The Voice of NASCAR' and Barney Hall is the voice of MRN."<ref>{{cite web|title=Barney Hall Rejoins MRN at Martinsville|url=http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2012/03/Barney-Hall-Rejoins-MRN-at-Martinsville.aspx|website=MRN.com|publisher=Motor Racing Network|accessdate=January 15, 2013|date=March 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810185452/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2012/03/Barney-Hall-Rejoins-MRN-at-Martinsville.aspx|archive-date=August 10, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Career== Hall was born at Elkin, North Carolina in 1932.<ref name="Death" >{{cite web|title=Barney Hall: 1932-2016|url=http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/01/MRNs-Barney-Hall-Passes-Away.aspx|website=MRN.com|publisher=Motor Racing Network|accessdate=January 26, 2016|location=Concord, North Carolina|date=January 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129112944/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/01/MRNs-Barney-Hall-Passes-Away.aspx|archive-date=January 29, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> After serving four years in the United States Navy, Hall's career started in the 1950s working for local radio stations in Elkin, particularly as disk jockey at WIFM-FM for 13 years.<ref name="Death" />
In 1960, Hall became the first person to work on the public address system at Bristol Motor Speedway, which was stated as "dumb luck".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/MRN-Radio/Announcers.aspx|title=MRN Radio Announcers|publisher=Motor Racing Network|website=MRN.com|accessdate=January 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115033731/http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/MRN-Radio/Announcers.aspx|archive-date=January 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> When Motor Racing Network started in 1970, Hall became a turn announcer, before becoming a booth announcer. Hall commentated on all but three Daytona 500s in his career.<ref name="Hall-Squier">{{cite web|url=http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Hall-of-Fame/News/Articles/2012/05/Media-Award-Named-for-Barney-Hall.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216115532/http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Hall-of-Fame/News/Articles/2012/05/Media-Award-Named-for-Barney-Hall.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2013|title=Media Award Named for Hall, Squier|publisher=Motor Racing Network|date=May 23, 2012|website=MRN.com|accessdate=January 15, 2013}}</ref> On July 5, 2014, Hall announced that the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona would be his final broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|title=Barney Hall will make final call for MRN at Daytona|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/07/05/barney-hall-retiring-from-mrn-motor-racing-network/12254635/|accessdate=July 5, 2014|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc.|date=July 5, 2014|location=Daytona Beach, Florida}}</ref>
In 2007, he was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/nhof-nascar-adds-media-excellence-award-to-annual-hall-honors/|title=NHOF: NASCAR Adds Media Excellence Award To Annual Hall Honors|publisher=Speed Channel, Inc.|date=May 23, 2012|website=speedtv.com|accessdate=January 15, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525005614/http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/nhof-nascar-adds-media-excellence-award-to-annual-hall-honors/|archivedate=May 25, 2012 |location=Daytona Beach, Florida}}</ref> On May 23, 2012, the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced the creation of the Squier-Hall Award for Media Excellence, named for Hall and former MRN reporter Ken Squier.<ref name="Hall-Squier" />
On January 26, 2016, MRN president David Hyatt announced that Hall had died at the age of 83 after complications from surgery.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gluck|first1=Jeff|last2=Hembree|first2=Mike|title=Legendary NASCAR announcer Barney Hall dies|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2016/01/26/barney-hall-nascar-hall-of-fame-announcer-dies/79386400/|accessdate=January 27, 2016|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc.|date=January 27, 2016}}</ref> He was survived by his wife of 35 years, Karen Carrier.<ref>{{cite news|title=Legendary NASCAR broadcaster Barney Hall dies at 83|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/legendary-nascar-broadcaster-barney-hall-dies-83|accessdate=January 30, 2016|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=January 27, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128110352/http://racing.ap.org/article/legendary-nascar-broadcaster-barney-hall-dies-83|archivedate=January 28, 2016 |location=Daytona Beach, Florida}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{2013 NASCAR HOF}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Barney}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1932 births Category:2016 deaths Category:American color commentators Category:Motorsport announcers Category:People from Elkin, North Carolina Category:United States Navy sailors