Upton Bell

Upton Bell is the former General Manager of the New England Patriots, Player Personnel Director of the Baltimore Colts and Owner of the Charlotte Hornets with Arnold Palmer in the World Football League. Upton is one of New England's longest tenured broadcasters (31 years). For three consecutive years the Upton Bell Show has been recognized by The Associated Press for for the best Outstanding Talk Show in New England. In December, 2001, Mr. Bell's family history was portrayed in an HBO special, "The Game of Their Lives" and his career was featured in Boston Magazine. Upton is currently a Talk Show Host and Commentator at WCRN Talk AM 830. He is the son of former National Football League Commissioner Bert Bell and Broadway actress Frances Upton.

Broadcasting Highlights - Television, Radio

In the late seventies he hit the airwaves and began his 31-year career as a Talk Show Host in the broadcasting industry. In 1976, Bell began his media career by making guest appearances on programs such as John Sterling's (current radio broadcaster of the NY Yankees WCBS) show on WMCA. In 1978 he became co-host of WBZ's "Calling All Sports" with newcomer Bob Lobel. [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.viacomlocalnetworks.com/images_1106503772/&imgrefurl=http://wbz.com/The-1970-s/3780&h=198&w=251&sz=23&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=SUvAEh3NYnz36M:&tbnh=88&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3DUpton%2BBell%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN] He also hosted of sports talk shows on WBZ Radio, WEEI, WDLW [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADEE06AC559B51&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM] , WTAG [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WO&p_theme=wo&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=119EA6A8AFF32D50&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM] , WHDH Radio WSBK-TV, and WNEV-TV. [http://www.getaheadpro.com/upton-bell.html]

In the late eighties Mr. Bell transitioned from sports to general talk radio. During the last few decades he has interviewed news makers, politicians, authors and celebrities. Highlights include former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Henry Kissinger, Ted Kennedy, Geraldine Ferraro, Regis Philbin, Frank McCourt, Jay Leno, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Jackie Mason, Johnny Cochran and Alan Dershowitz.

As a color commentator, Bell worked PBS Ivy League football games alongside play-by-play announcer Dick Galiette and sideline reporter Sean McDonough in 1984 [http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=232841] and Boston College Eagles football radio broadcasts with play-by-play announcers Dan Davis in 1985 and Bob Lobel in 1986. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADEE0E9E38AFE0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM]

*For three consecutive years, the Upton Bell Show was recognized by The Associated Press for for the best Outstanding Talk Show in New England. [http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/pr/pressrelease.cfm?PRID=11919] .

Professional Football Career - NFL, WFL

1961-1971 - Upton Bell's first job in football was as a $65-a-week dressing room attendant for the Baltimore Colts. After working in the Colts' scouting department, Bell became the club's Personnel Director [http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=Upton+Bell&btnG=Search+Archives&hl=en&um=1&as_ldate=1966&as_hdate=1966] . His responsibilities included scouting and negotiating contracts with and signing of all college recruits. During Upton's tenure, the Colts were in one NFL Championship game and two Super Bowl Games, winning Super Bowl V in 1971 under new Head Coach Don McCafferty. Seventeen of the 40-man roster on that winning team were players drafted during Upton's stint as Personnel Director. [http://www.getaheadpro.com/upton-bell.html] . [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70713F83B58107B93C4AB178AD95F428685F9] Bell held the Personnel Director's job until he was hired later that year as General Manager of the then Bay State Patriots (previously Boston Patriots). His first duty was to rename the team, the New England Patriots, to encompass the entire region. At 33 years old, Bell was the NFL's youngest General Manager and under his leadership, the Patriots improved from a 2-12 season to 6-8.

Bell returned to professional football in 1974 with the purchase of the New York Stars. Bell relocated the team to Charlotte, North Carolina where the team was renamed the Charlotte Hornets. This venture would be short lived due to the folding of the World Football League in 1975. One of Bell's co-owners was Arnold Palmer. [http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/pr/pressrelease.cfm?PRID=11919]

In 1974, Bell purchased the New York Stars in the newly formed World Football League. He relocated the team to Charlotte, North Carolina, partnered with co-owner Arnold Palmer and renamed them The Charlotte Hornets. Unfortunately, this venture was short-lived due to the folding of the league in 1975.

RADIO EXPERIENCE

WCRN True Talk 830 AM, 2006 -- present, Talk Show Host and Commentator (general talk)

WBIX1060 AM Business Talk, 2000 -- 2004, The Upton Bell Show (business talk/general talk - national and international guests/topics)"'

WRPT/WMEX, 1998 -- 2000, The Upton Bell Show (business talk/general talk - national and international guests/topics)

WTAG 580 AM, 1992 -- 1998, The Upton Bell Show (business talk/general talk - national and international guests/topics)

WBZ Radio 1030 AM, 1997 -- 20006, Guest on the late David Brudnoy and late Paul Sullivan Shows; 1990 -- 1998, Calling All Sports; 1991 -- 1992, The Upton Bell Show (business talk/general talk - national and international guests/topics); Took over for Dave Maynard; Interviewed President William Clinton; 1978 -- 1980, Calling All Sports with Bob Lobel (sports weekly); 1976, New England Patriots Pre-Game and Post-Game Show

WHDH 850 AM, 1988 -- 1989, The Upton Bell Show (business talk/general talk - national and international guests/topics)

Boston Tunnel, 1985 -- 1988, Live broadcasts throughout Boston city tunnels (commentary)

WRKO 680 AM, 1985 -- 1987, Boston College Football with Bob Lobel and Dan Davis (color commentary)

WEEI 590 AM, 1980 -- 1984, Sports Line

TELEVISION EXPERIENCE

NECN, 1995 -- Present, Guest commentary on politics and sports

WSBK-TV 38, 1989 -- 1996, Host of Sports Beat (First Sports Panel Show in New England) with Joe Fitzgerald of the Boston Herald, Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe and Bob Lobel of WBZ TV 4.

WBZ-TV 4, 1988 -- Present, Sports Final (Guest and Commentator); 1989 -- 1990, Patriots Pre-Game and Celebrity Interviews; Other Interviews -- President George H. W. Bush, Sr. at The White House, Mike Tyson, Joe Montana, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, Howard Cosell, Miami Dolphins Head Coach Don Shula.

PBS National TV, 1984, First National Broadcast of Ivy League Football (commentary); 1976, First NFL Draft with Curt Gowdy, Jr. and Producer Greg Harney.

WHDH-TV 7, 1984 -- 1988, Will and Upton Show (Will McDonough of the Boston Globe and Upton Bell) Sport Commentary

Sports Channel America Television, 1980 -- 1987, Nightly Talk Show (Boston Celtics Fill-In Color Commentator)

PBS Channel 2 Local Television, 1979 -- 1980, Sports Weekly, Host of Sports Nightly with Brian Leary

Channel 27 Worcester, 1978 -- 1984, New England College Foodball (Boston College, Holy Cross and Harvard Football), Color Commentator