Bill Mercer

William Alfred "Bill" Mercer (February 13, 1926 – March 22, 2025) was an American sportscaster, educator and author. He was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. In 2002, he was honored into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.[1] Mercer was best known for doing the play-by-play announcing for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) from 1982 to 1987.

Mercer was also a radio announcer for baseball, football, basketball and wrestling. He was also a news reporter for Dallas, Texas, television station KRLD, covering the John F. Kennedy assassination in 1963. He and fellow reporters George Phenix, Wes Wise and Bob Huffaker wrote, When the News Went Live, about their experiences during that time.[2]

In his 60-year career, Mercer did the play-by-play broadcasting for some minor league teams: First, the Muskogee Giants of the Class C Western Association, then the Dallas Rangers (Triple A baseball) from 1959–64, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs (Texas League baseball) from 1965 to 1971. He then moved up to broadcast for major league baseball's Texas Rangers (major league baseball) in 1972 (with Don Drysdale) and Chicago White Sox in 1974.

Mercer retired to Durham, North Carolina after a long residence in Richardson, Texas. He died on March 22, 2025 at the age of 99.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Bill Mercer Bio". Texas Radio Hall of Fame.
  2. ↑ Huffaker, Bob; George Phenix; Wes Wise; Bill Mercer (October 15, 2004). When the News Went Live: Dallas 1963. Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 1-58979-139-8.
  3. ↑ Wedding, Paul (March 23, 2025). "Bill Mercer, legendary sports announcer and broadcast journalist, dies at 99". WFAA. Retrieved March 23, 2025.




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