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Bill MercerAmerican sportswriter, writer and educator
Date of Birth: 13.02.1926
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Bill Mercer: A Sports Broadcaster, Journalist, and Educator
- Education and Career
- Broadcasting Career
- Teaching and Radio Ownership
- Minor League Sports Commentary
- Professional Sports Broadcasting
- World Class Championship Wrestling
Bill Mercer: A Sports Broadcaster, Journalist, and Educator
Early Life and Military ServiceBill Mercer, an influential figure in American professional wrestling, was born in the United States. Although he never entered the ring as a wrestler, he became renowned as a professional sports commentator. Aside from wrestling, Mercer also covered baseball, football, and basketball, achieving notable success in those fields as well.
During World War II, Mercer served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 as a signalman aboard the USS Rixie and USS LCI. His ships participated in five major military operations: Marshall Islands, Guam, Leyte, Luzon, and Okinawa.
Education and Career
After the war, William Mercer pursued higher education at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1949. He later obtained a master's degree from Texas State University in 1966.
Mercer married his wife, Ilene Hargis, and they spent nearly 70 years together until her passing in late 2014. They had four children and seven grandchildren.
Broadcasting Career
Mercer gained prominence as a radio and television broadcaster, covering baseball, football, basketball, and wrestling events. He also anchored news broadcasts, including the coverage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination for KRLD-TV in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. His recollections of that day were later published in the book "When the News Went Live," co-authored with colleagues George Phenix, Wes Wise, and Bob Huffaker.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Mercer worked for KVIL radio in Dallas-Fort Worth alongside renowned broadcaster Ron Chapman.
Teaching and Radio Ownership
For over 35 years, William Mercer dedicated himself to education as a lecturer in the Radio and Television Department at the University of North Texas. He played a significant role in training future sports broadcasters.
Despite not having much success, Mercer established an FM radio station at 99.1 frequency in Denton, Texas, in the early 1980s. The station, initially named KWDC and featuring a jazz format, was sold to Larry Greene three weeks after its launch on September 15, 1988.
Minor League Sports Commentary
Throughout his 60-year career, Mercer called games for various minor league teams, including the Muskogee Giants of the Class C Western Association, the Dallas Rangers baseball team, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs of the Texas League. He eventually progressed to higher-level teams like the Texas Rangers and the Chicago White Sox. Additionally, Mercer covered football and basketball games for the University of North Texas.
Professional Sports Broadcasting
William began broadcasting professional football in 1960 with the Dallas Texans of the American Football League, alongside Charlie Jones. He later covered the Dallas Cowboys, initially with Jay Randolph and subsequently solo after Randolph moved to St. Louis. In the 1980s, Mercer called football and basketball games for the Southwest Conference.
Early in the 21st century, Mercer partnered with Mike Capps to call minor league baseball games in Texas and later worked with Scott Garner for three years. He also spent seven years with CBS Radio, broadcasting college football games. Mercer's memorable appearances included the iconic "Ice Bowl" game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers for the NFL championship.
While covering games for the University of North Texas, Mercer called matches featuring Kevin Adkisson and Steve Williams, who later became renowned professional wrestlers.
World Class Championship Wrestling
Although Mercer never wrestled himself, he played a crucial role in the world of professional wrestling. He commentated extensively for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) based in Dallas. The broadcasts initially aired locally on KXTX and later gained national and international exposure, significantly boosting Mercer's popularity.
Mercer's accidental involvement with wrestling began in the 1950s in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he covered local sports events for KMUS radio. Upon moving to Dallas, he continued covering wrestling on television, eventually landing at KTVT's "Saturday Night Wrestling" program in early 1976.
During his time with WCCW, Mercer became a prominent voice for the organization and contributed significantly to its success. The rise and fall of WCCW was later chronicled in the documentary film "The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling," to which Mercer provided insights along with other key figures.
