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{{Short description|American radio personality and sports announcer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
|name = Bill Wilkerson
|name = Bill Wilkerson
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|caption =
|caption =
|birth_name =
|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|1|1}}
|birth_date = 1945
|birth_place = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], U.S.
|birth_place = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], U.S.
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|11|2|1945|1|1}}
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|11|2|1945|1|1}}
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}}
}}


'''Bill Wilkerson''' <!-- (born '''James Harold Hummell III'''; --> (1945 &ndash; November 2, 2017) was an American [[Presenter|broadcaster]] and [[radio personality|radio]], as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for sports broadcasting, and as a host on [[KMOX]] (1969–1996), and [[KTRS (AM)|KTRS]] (1996–2006).
'''Bill Wilkerson''' <!-- (born '''James Harold Hummell III'''; --> (1945 &ndash; November 2, 2017) was an American [[radio personality]] and [[sports announcer]] who enjoyed a long career on [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] stations [[KMOX]] (1969–1996) and [[KTRS (AM)|KTRS]] (1996–2006).


==Early life==
==Early life==
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==Radio career==
==Radio career==
In 1969, he got his first job on [[KMOX]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]]. He partnered with [[Bob Costas]] for the first year of [[Spirits of St. Louis|St. Louis Spirits]] ([[American Basketball Association|ABA]]), 1975-76. His coverage of [[History of the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]] ("Big Red") teams lasted from 1973 until it left for [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] after the 1987 season. He became the first black to be the main play-by-play man for an [[National Football League|NFL]] team, and the first color announcer when he teamed up with [[Dan Kelly (sportscaster)|Dan Kelly]] to do [[St. Louis Blues]] ([[National Hockey League|NHL]]) games. He also broadcast [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri Tigers]] from 1976 until 1993. While handling football games, he also co-hosted KMOX's "Total Information AM" (The Morning Show) with [[Bob Hardy (radio)|Bob Hardy]] and [[Wendy Wiese]] for many years. He and Wiese changed stations in St. Louis for rival [[KTRS (AM)|KTRS]] in 1996. He retired from radio in 2006.<ref name=StLPD />
In 1969, Wilkerson got his first job on [[KMOX]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]]. He partnered with [[Bob Costas]] for the first year of [[Spirits of St. Louis|St. Louis Spirits]] ([[American Basketball Association|ABA]]), 1975–76. He served as a radio [[play-by-play]] announcer for [[History of the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]] ("Big Red") football from 1973 until the team left for [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] following the 1987 season, and returned for one season in 1994, the franchise's first as the Arizona Cardinals. He became the first black to be the main play-by-play man for an [[National Football League|NFL]] team, and the first color announcer when he teamed up with [[Dan Kelly (sportscaster)|Dan Kelly]] to do [[St. Louis Blues]] ([[National Hockey League|NHL]]) games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caesar |first=Dan |date=2022-11-04 |title=Media Views: Pioneering sportscaster Bill Wilkerson remembered 5 years after passing |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/media-views-pioneering-sportscaster-bill-wilkerson-remembered-5-years-after-passing/article_3a3c8338-b2ee-53a9-b34b-23cd191ee257.html |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en}}</ref> He also broadcast [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri Tigers]] football from 1976 until 1993. While handling football games, he also co-hosted KMOX's "Total Information AM" (The Morning Show) with [[Bob Hardy (radio)|Bob Hardy]] and [[Wendy Wiese]] for many years. He and Wiese changed stations in St. Louis for rival [[KTRS (AM)|KTRS]] in 1996. He retired from radio in 2006.<ref name=StLPD />


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
He started [[MPS Worldwide]], a bulk chemical company after he retired from KTRS. He was a longtime board member of [[Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club]] in St. Louis, and served on the boards of the [[American Red Cross]], [[St. Louis Children's Hospital]], and the [[St. Louis Zoo|St. Louis Zoological Society]].<ref name=StLPD /> He is a member of the Mizzou Media Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/former-mu-football-voice-wilkerson-dies/article_ceb00802-d836-5694-83fc-dfb9ffceb9e3.html |title=Former MU football voice Wilkerson dies |work=[[Columbia Missourian]] |date=November 3, 2017}}</ref>
He started [[MPS Worldwide]], a bulk chemical company after he retired from KTRS. He was a longtime board member of [[Mathews-Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club]] in St. Louis, and served on the boards of the [[American Red Cross]], [[St. Louis Children's Hospital]], and the [[St. Louis Zoo|St. Louis Zoological Society]].<ref name=StLPD /> He is a member of the Mizzou Media Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/former-mu-football-voice-wilkerson-dies/article_ceb00802-d836-5694-83fc-dfb9ffceb9e3.html |title=Former MU football voice Wilkerson dies |work=[[Columbia Missourian]] |date=November 3, 2017 |access-date=November 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112021844/https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/former-mu-football-voice-wilkerson-dies/article_ceb00802-d836-5694-83fc-dfb9ffceb9e3.html |archive-date=November 12, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
Wilkerson died on November 2, 2017, at his home in [[Florissant, Missouri]] after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, Margie Wilkerson; two daughters, Kimberli Wilkerson and Kristen Wilkerson; one son, Jermaine Wilkerson; and 12 grandchildren.<ref name=StLPD />
Wilkerson died on November 2, 2017, at his home in [[Florissant, Missouri]] after a brief illness.<ref name=StLPD /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-04 |title=Media Confidential: R.I.P.: Longtime St. Louis Radio Voice Bill Wilkerson |url=https://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2017/11/rip-longtime-st-louis-radio-voice-bill.html |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=Media Confidential}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkerson, Bill}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkerson, Bill}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:American radio personalities]]
[[Category:African-American radio personalities]]
[[Category:African-American sports journalists]]
[[Category:American Basketball Association announcers]]
[[Category:American radio sports announcers]]
[[Category:Culture of St. Louis]]
[[Category:Culture of St. Louis]]
[[Category:National Football League announcers]]
[[Category:Missouri Tigers football announcers]]
[[Category:National Hockey League broadcasters]]
[[Category:People from Carbondale, Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Carbondale, Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Florissant, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from Florissant, Missouri]]
[[Category:People from St. Louis]]
[[Category:People from St. Louis]]
[[Category:Mass media people from Missouri]]
[[Category:Southern Illinois Salukis football players]]
[[Category:St. Louis Blues announcers]]
[[Category:St. Louis Cardinals (football) announcers]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American people]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]

Latest revision as of 17:48, 24 October 2024

Bill Wilkerson
Born1945
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
DiedNovember 2, 2017(2017-11-02) (aged 72)
Florissant, Missouri, U.S.
EducationB.A. (Journalism)
Alma materSIU
OccupationRadio personality
Years active1969–2006
Spouse
Margie
​
​
(m. 1977; died 2017)​
Children3

Bill Wilkerson (1945 – November 2, 2017) was an American radio personality and sports announcer who enjoyed a long career on St. Louis stations KMOX (1969–1996) and KTRS (1996–2006).

Early life

[edit]

Wilkerson was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He majored in journalism and received his B.A. at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, where he played football.[1]

Radio career

[edit]

In 1969, Wilkerson got his first job on KMOX in St. Louis. He partnered with Bob Costas for the first year of St. Louis Spirits (ABA), 1975–76. He served as a radio play-by-play announcer for St. Louis Cardinals ("Big Red") football from 1973 until the team left for Phoenix following the 1987 season, and returned for one season in 1994, the franchise's first as the Arizona Cardinals. He became the first black to be the main play-by-play man for an NFL team, and the first color announcer when he teamed up with Dan Kelly to do St. Louis Blues (NHL) games.[2] He also broadcast Missouri Tigers football from 1976 until 1993. While handling football games, he also co-hosted KMOX's "Total Information AM" (The Morning Show) with Bob Hardy and Wendy Wiese for many years. He and Wiese changed stations in St. Louis for rival KTRS in 1996. He retired from radio in 2006.[1]

Personal life

[edit]

He started MPS Worldwide, a bulk chemical company after he retired from KTRS. He was a longtime board member of Mathews-Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club in St. Louis, and served on the boards of the American Red Cross, St. Louis Children's Hospital, and the St. Louis Zoological Society.[1] He is a member of the Mizzou Media Hall of Fame.[3]

Death

[edit]

Wilkerson died on November 2, 2017, at his home in Florissant, Missouri after a brief illness.[1][4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Joe Holleman (November 4, 2017). "Bill Wilkerson, longtime radio news/sports announcer, dies at 72". St. Louis Post-Dispatchl. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  2. ^ Caesar, Dan (November 4, 2022). "Media Views: Pioneering sportscaster Bill Wilkerson remembered 5 years after passing". STLtoday.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "Former MU football voice Wilkerson dies". Columbia Missourian. November 3, 2017. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  4. ^ "Media Confidential: R.I.P.: Longtime St. Louis Radio Voice Bill Wilkerson". Media Confidential. November 4, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
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