‘Setting the pace for others to trace’

Eugene “Genial Gene” Potts, one of the “Original 13” black radio announcers in the South, began his 30-year career at Charlotte’s WGIV (“We’re G.I. Veterans”) in 1948.

His trademark was a rhyming, rap-like patter invented to overcome a stammer — as in “We’re setting the pace for others to trace.”

A man sought for killing a police officer once walked into WGIV and proposed a deal: Play a song for my mama and I’ll surrender. Potts played it, then dialed the cops. The man went peacefully.

Isn’t this a cool design? Wish I knew who did it.