Remembering Bill King by Jerry Feitelberg
Today started off like any other day. I got up, made coffee,
had breakfast with my wife and at about 12 noon I went out
to do some errands. I was on Doolittle drive on my way to the UPS depot to pick up a package. I was tuned to KNBR and
listened to Rick and Rod when the news came that Bill King,the longtime voice of the Oakland Athletics had passed
away. I was stunned. I was shocked and saddened that Bill
was gone. I enjoyed the pleasure of meeting him at the Coliseum several times and it was always exciting. This year, while at spring training, Bill was gracious enough to give me an interview for my local show in Alameda. He talked about how he became a broadcaster and his journey
in broadcasting. I will never forget that day. He was a terrific
announcer.I heard him do Raider games as well but I loved his baseball work. His passing will be felt by all those who knew him, worked with him and listened to him. He is irreplaceable.
Jerry Feitelberg
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Bill’s accounts of "The Sea Of Hands" conclusion, The last second Wells catch vs the Jets in 1970, "The Ghost To The Post" overtime thriller, "The Holy Roller", and Super Bowl XI attest to his verbal artistry which arrested logical reasoning and left you in mindless awe.
I also found King’s radio calls during painful, last second losses equally compelling. Bill’s ability to convey the thrill of victory during the agony of defeat would oftentimes leave one wondering "Which team is he working for"?
But Bill never switched jerseys of loyalty. He simply knew that great and historic sports moments required necessary allotments of acceptance and jubilation to be truly appreciated. That is to say, no matter how the outcome affected your team. There are many "homer" announcers today who could take that page from Bill King’s playbook and find themselves less obnoxious in the process…
I salute Wilbur "Bill" King. A man whose words eye view elevated him to a mountaintop in a valley of want to be soundalikes. Bill has been elected "King" of the world! This man has tied the San Francisco Bay Area into a knot from which it may never extricate itself again! This is stringing it right to the end. We may not get another one! All give chase but none will catch! His legacy will be relived…FOREVER!!!
Mark Gaston
Oxnard, CA
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