Bill Mercer facts for kids

William Anderson "Bill" Mercer (born February 13, 1926) is an American sportscaster, educator and author. He was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. In 2002, he was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. Mercer's best-known work in the field of exhibition wrestling was when he provided play-by-play announcing for the internationally acclaimed World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW,) based in Dallas, from 1982-87.

Mercer is best known as a play-by-play 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.

In his 60-year career, Mercer provided play-by-play broadcasting for several 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 has retired to Durham, North Carolina after a long residence in Richardson, Texas.