[1] On August 8, 1985, morning DJ Gary "Mountain Man" McMahan began raising funds to rescue 4-year-old Barney the Buffalo, who weighed 1,650 pounds (750 kg).
Newton musician Buddy Rhodes wrote "The Ballad of Barney the Buffalo" and recorded it with his band Hard Times for WSPF.
In January 1986, Cooke sold the ranch, but WSPF operations manager Scott Conley said a Catawba farmer agreed to take Barney if necessary.
Deal, retiring at age 68, sold the station's equipment and property—but not the license—for $450,000 to Westcom Ltd., the owners of WIRC and WXRC.
DJ Scott Conley, who had been part of WSPF for 18 years, moved to WKGX in nearby Lenoir.