Hazelwood’s a Diamond in the Rough

PICKENS — Mike Long knows the importance of hiring good people as the promoter of the Roughest and Toughest Brawl. Long still looks like he could go a couple of rounds, too, in the Heavyweight Division.

But last Saturday night, Long just kicked back in his chair ringside to watch the action and let announcer Bill Hazelwood – the Voice of the Carolinas – do his job in Pickens at the Market at the Mill Event Center.

“Nobody does it like Bill does it,” Long said. “We’re very lucky to have him. He’s been with us for over 20 years. To my knowledge, he’s only missed two shows and I actually did the ring announcing when he was gone, thinking I could do it just like him and I couldn’t. I tried and gave it my shot. There’s nobody like Bill. We love him – he’s been good to us and is like family.”

Continued Long about Hazelwood, “We had a show, for instance, years ago and he knew that we didn’t make any money on it. We were paying everybody out and always do whether we make money or not. We gave him an envelope and he said, ‘Man, I’m not taking that. He said you didn’t make any money – we win together and lose together. I owe Bill a lot. He does everything he can to help us – to pump it up and make it fun for the fans. What else could you ask for as a promoter.”

Long and the famous Butterbean surprised Hazelwood with a diamond-studded microphone on Saturday night.

Butterbean also echoed the same thoughts on Hazelwood: “Bill does an awesome job. He’s been doing it so long he can do it in his sleep. He’s just a natural at it. People don’t realize how hard it is to get the crowd going like he does. He just makes it look easy.”

And that he does.

Ironically, Hazelwood has lived in Powdersville for over 30 years and was probably more well-known this past weekend in Pickens than anyone in there Market Center. Hazelwood has fun doing what he does, is quite comical and has a certain passion for it that is second to none.

“I tell people that I’m 62 years old,” said Hazelwood. “I had a heart attack four years ago, had a stint put in and darn near died. Every night is a special night. It really is. I’ve never considered myself famous by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just an old redneck from West Virginia who got lucky. That’s all it is. I couldn’t be more proud.”