7 years, 4 months ago Mike Moyers
Former WTAD announcer to become of a member of Baseball's Hall of Fame.
Earlier this week it was announced that former WTAD play-by-play man Bill King had been named as winner of the Ford Frick Award. King, who started his career in Pekin, Illinois, was a Quincian for a time in the early to mid-50’s. His career took him to bigger and better things as wonderfully described by David Adam in the Quincy Herald Whig.
Two local men, Dick Wentura and Gene Hutter, remember King and his influence on the Quincy sports community. Wentura was just 11 years old in 1952, but remembers King following the Quincy High Basketball program vividly.
“He was good!! He didn’t stutter or stammer,” Wentura laughed. “Bill King let you know what was happening and believe me, when he was doing the game, you could picture what was going on. Bill King was heavily involved in the local sports scene and he would come around and interview all the coaches and players just like they do today. The thing that I remember the best is that he really covered the 1952 run of Quincy High for the state championship. I do remember the state tournament title game against Hebron. When Bruce Brothers fouled out of the game King about came unglued because it was a bad call. And if Bill King said it was a bad call you could believe it was."
Hutter’s relationship with King extended into the 1960’s when King was the voice of the NBA’s San Francisco Warriors (now called Golden State). King had a standing invitation for Hutter, and his son, Jeff, to sit with him while he broadcast the games back to the west coast when the Warriors were in St. Louis.
“He put us to work,” Hutter explained. “King had me on one side and Jeffrey on the other and he had us keeping rebounds and turnovers or something. And we couldn’t keep up! King was really something. Smooth-didn’t miss a thing. And all the while he’s doing play-by-play King is keeping his scorebook and a running score and who knows what else? Bill King really made it look easy.”
As the voice of not only the Warriors, King was the front man for the Oakland Raiders and Oakland A’s and had the good fortune to be there when all three of the franchises were of championship quality.
WTAD has had more than its share of outstanding talent. But it's really great to see one of our own, Bill King, getting the recognition he deserves. Below is audio of Bill on KNBR on his 78th birthday.
