Herb Winches: Difference between revisions

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Winches attended DeSales High School in Louisville and then came to [[Jacksonville State University]] on a football scholarship. As a running back he led the Gamecocks to an 11-0 record during his senior season and was named the team's most valuable player.
Winches attended DeSales High School in Louisville and then came to [[Jacksonville State University]] on a football scholarship. As a running back he led the Gamecocks to an 11-0 record during his senior season and was named the team's most valuable player.


After graduating, Winches took a job with WHNT-TV in Huntsville, then moved to [[Birmingham]] after 15 months to become the sports director for [[WBRC-TV]] in [[1976]]. In [[1980]] Winches and WBRC anchor [[Joe Langston]] both switched over to [[WVTM-TV]], but they returned to WBRC together in [[1982]]. During his television broadcasting career, Winches pioneered television coverage of high school football. He was named Sportscaster of the Year five times by the Associated Press.
After graduating, Winches took a job with WHNT-TV in Huntsville, then moved to [[Birmingham]] after 15 months to become the sports director for [[WBRC-TV]] in [[1976]].
 
In [[1980]] Winches and WBRC anchor [[Joe Langston]] both switched over to [[WVTM-TV]]In [[1981]] [[Homewood Police Department|Homewood Police]] officer [[Byron Smith]] claimed to have overheard negotiations for cocaine and sex from a room at the [[Admiral Benbow Inn|Quality Inn South]] in [[Homewood]] occupied by sports promoters John Dietzsh and Tom Bogus of Orlando, Florida. Winches was in the room and had met with the promoters about events they might bring to Birmingham, but claimed to have left immediately after the conversation turned to drugs.
 
In [[1982]] Winches and Langston both returned to WBRC. During his television broadcasting career, Winches pioneered television coverage of high school football. He was named Sportscaster of the Year five times by the Associated Press.


In October [[1985]], Winches was called into the office of general manager [[Nick Bolton]] just before air time.  Bolton told Winches that unless he stopped doing commercials for [[Long's Electronics]], he was immediately terminated.  Winches refused and did not get to go on the air.  He said Bolton had told him before he returned to WBRC that he could continue doing the commercials.
In October [[1985]], Winches was called into the office of general manager [[Nick Bolton]] just before air time.  Bolton told Winches that unless he stopped doing commercials for [[Long's Electronics]], he was immediately terminated.  Winches refused and did not get to go on the air.  He said Bolton had told him before he returned to WBRC that he could continue doing the commercials.
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In February [[2008]] Winches began working at [[WERC-AM]], Finebaum's former flagship station. He resigned from there after less than three months.  He also spent some time as sports anchor for [[WIAT-TV]] circa [[2007]] and [[2008]].
In February [[2008]] Winches began working at [[WERC-AM]], Finebaum's former flagship station. He resigned from there after less than three months.  He also spent some time as sports anchor for [[WIAT-TV]] circa [[2007]] and [[2008]].


In [[2015]], Winches partnered with Austin Singleton of Singleton Marine Group to open The Landing at Parker Creek, a restaurant and bar in Coosa County on the northwest shore of Lake Martin. The restaurant opened in June of that year.
In [[2015]], Winches partnered with Austin Singleton of Singleton Marine Group to open The Landing at Parker Creek, a restaurant and bar in Coosa County on the northwest shore of Lake Martin. The restaurant opened in June of that year. He followed up in [[2024]] with another location, The Landing at Harbour Pointe, on the east side of the lake.


Winches and his wife, [[Betty Winches|Betty]], have two grown daughters and reside in [[Vestavia Hills]].
Winches and his wife, [[Betty Winches|Betty]], have two grown daughters and reside in [[Vestavia Hills]].


==References==
==References==
* "Winches', police tales differ." (July 16, 1981) {{BPH}}, p. 8
* Watson, Judith R. (February 25, 1986) "Sportscasters, like politicians are 'fair game,' Winches says." ''Kaleidoscope''
* Watson, Judith R. (February 25, 1986) "Sportscasters, like politicians are 'fair game,' Winches says." ''Kaleidoscope''
* Carlton, Bob (April 28, 2008) "Sports broadcaster Herb Winches leaves WERC." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (April 28, 2008) "Sports broadcaster Herb Winches leaves WERC." {{BN}}
* Carton, Bob (August 20, 2015) "Former Birmingham sportscaster Herb Winches opens a restaurant on Lake Martin." {{BN}} <!-- http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/08/former_birmingham_sportscaster.html -->
* Carton, Bob (August 20, 2015) "[https://www.al.com/entertainment/2015/08/former_birmingham_sportscaster.html Former Birmingham sportscaster Herb Winches opens a restaurant on Lake Martin]." {{BN}}
* Thornton, William (February 7, 2024) "[https://www.al.com/business/2024/02/legendary-alabama-sportscaster-opening-a-second-restaurant-on-lake-martin.html Legendary Alabama sportscaster opening a second restaurant on Lake Martin]." {{AL}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Winches, Herb}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Winches, Herb}}
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[[Category:Football players]]
[[Category:Football players]]
[[Category:Sportscasters]]
[[Category:Sportscasters]]
[[Category:Television personalities]]
[[Category:WBRC-TV personalities]]
[[Category:WIAT personalities]]
[[Category:WVTM personalities]]
[[Category:Radio personalities]]
[[Category:Radio personalities]]
[[Category:Restaurateurs]]
[[Category:Restaurateurs]]

Latest revision as of 16:03, 8 February 2024

Herb Winches (born 1956 in Louisville, Kentucky) is the former sports anchor for WBRC-TV (ABC 6), WVTM-TV (NBC 13), and WIAT-TV (CBS 42).

Winches attended DeSales High School in Louisville and then came to Jacksonville State University on a football scholarship. As a running back he led the Gamecocks to an 11-0 record during his senior season and was named the team's most valuable player.

After graduating, Winches took a job with WHNT-TV in Huntsville, then moved to Birmingham after 15 months to become the sports director for WBRC-TV in 1976.

In 1980 Winches and WBRC anchor Joe Langston both switched over to WVTM-TVIn 1981 Homewood Police officer Byron Smith claimed to have overheard negotiations for cocaine and sex from a room at the Quality Inn South in Homewood occupied by sports promoters John Dietzsh and Tom Bogus of Orlando, Florida. Winches was in the room and had met with the promoters about events they might bring to Birmingham, but claimed to have left immediately after the conversation turned to drugs.

In 1982 Winches and Langston both returned to WBRC. During his television broadcasting career, Winches pioneered television coverage of high school football. He was named Sportscaster of the Year five times by the Associated Press.

In October 1985, Winches was called into the office of general manager Nick Bolton just before air time. Bolton told Winches that unless he stopped doing commercials for Long's Electronics, he was immediately terminated. Winches refused and did not get to go on the air. He said Bolton had told him before he returned to WBRC that he could continue doing the commercials.

Alongside his television career, Winches has been a fixture on local radio. He hosted a sports call-in show on WVOK-AM and was instrumental in changing that station's format in 1992 to an all-sports station with the call letters WJOX-AM. When WJOX picked up the Paul Finebaum Radio Network and made the move to FM, Winches was asked to remain on the AM station, now called WSPZ-AM. He considered it a move to the "B-Team" and resigned in December 2006.

In February 2008 Winches began working at WERC-AM, Finebaum's former flagship station. He resigned from there after less than three months. He also spent some time as sports anchor for WIAT-TV circa 2007 and 2008.

In 2015, Winches partnered with Austin Singleton of Singleton Marine Group to open The Landing at Parker Creek, a restaurant and bar in Coosa County on the northwest shore of Lake Martin. The restaurant opened in June of that year. He followed up in 2024 with another location, The Landing at Harbour Pointe, on the east side of the lake.

Winches and his wife, Betty, have two grown daughters and reside in Vestavia Hills.

References

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