Bill Mercer facts for kids

William A. Mercer (born February 13, 1926 – died March 22, 2025) was an American sportscaster, teacher, and writer. He was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Bill Mercer became famous for his exciting play-by-play announcing for sports like baseball, football, and wrestling. He was also a news reporter who covered important events, including the John F. Kennedy assassination in 1963. In 2002, he was honored by being added to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

Bill Mercer's Early Life and Education

During World War II, Bill Mercer served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. He worked as a signalman, helping to send messages between ships. His ships were part of five important invasions during the war. After the war, he went to college. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver in 1949. Later, he received a master's degree from North Texas State University in 1966. Bill Mercer's granddaughter, Emma Tiedemann, is also a sports announcer today.

Bill Mercer's Broadcasting Career

Bill Mercer had a long career, lasting over 60 years, as a play-by-play announcer for many different sports. He also worked as a news reporter. He taught new broadcasters for over 35 years at the University of North Texas.

Reporting Important News

On November 22, 1963, Bill Mercer was a news reporter for a radio station in Dallas. That day, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Mercer reported live from the scene. He was even present at a press conference where he spoke with Lee Harvey Oswald, who was accused of the assassination. Mercer later wrote a book about his experiences during this historic time, called When the News Went Live.

Announcing Sports Games

Bill Mercer was well-known for his exciting play-by-play calls. He announced games for many teams:

• He started with minor league baseball teams like the Muskogee Giants and the Dallas Rangers.
• He then moved up to major league baseball, announcing for the Texas Rangers in 1972 and the Chicago White Sox in 1974.
• For college sports, he announced football and basketball games for the University of North Texas from 1959 to 1994.
• He also announced for professional football teams, including the Dallas Texans and the Dallas Cowboys. He called the famous "Ice Bowl" game in 1967 and the Cowboys' second Super Bowl appearance in 1972.
• In later years, he continued to announce minor league baseball for teams like the Round Rock Express and the Frisco RoughRiders.

Wrestling Announcing

Bill Mercer also became a very popular announcer for professional wrestling. From 1982 to 1987, he was the main play-by-play voice for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), which was based in Dallas. He had started announcing wrestling matches in the 1950s in Oklahoma. He later moved to Dallas and continued calling wrestling matches for television. In 2005, he appeared in a documentary about wrestling called Heroes of World Class.

Awards and Honors

Bill Mercer received many awards for his long and successful career:

• Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2020)
• Texas Radio Hall of Fame (2002)
• University of North Texas Athletic Department Hall of Fame
• Texas Baseball Ex-Pro's Baseball Hall of Fame
• The Bill Teegins Award from the Oklahoma Sports Museum
• Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Hall of Fame (2009)
• University of Texas-Dallas Athletic Department Hall of Honor (2011)
• The Bill Mercer Press Club at the University of North Texas's Apogee Stadium was named after him in 2012.
• Muskogee High Athletics Hall of Fame (2014)
• Press Club of Dallas, Legends of North Texas Journalism Awards (2011)