Bill King Looking Down from Heaven on 2015 Warriors NBA Championship

 "The Warriors are Champions of the World Once Again!---HOLY TOLEDO!"


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Talking Shop with A's Ace Play-By-Play Broadcaster Ken Korach; Writes The Definitive Book on Bill King; Saturday Schmooze

 Friday night I went over the Coliseum and met with the great Oakland A's play-by-play broadcaster, Ken Korach.

We talked shop, we schmoozed --those of you that come here know of my fond appreciation of Korach and his partner, Vince Cotroneo, --probably one of the most talented and underrated broadcast crews in Major League Baseball.


The A's are my hometown team. Love the Green and Gold. I go back to the days of Reggie Jackson, Gene Tenace, Campy Campaneris, Captain Sal Bando and Joe Rudi. Rickey Henderson too. A's and Raiders. Warriors too. It's a Tower of Power of Back to Oakland Superstars, some Hall-of-Famers.


Let's not forget the greatest broadcaster ever; the guy that described the action from the Coliseum; the place that Curt Gowdy referred to as "The House of Thrills"; Bill King, Holy Toledo!


Korach has been with the A's for almost 20 years and recently wrote a book about Bill King. Finally got it and couldn't put it down. Riveting stuff. Poignant, happy, what a ton of memories and then some.


I knew Korach could do great play-by-play. I didn't know he was a great writer. This is a terrific book, a must read not only for those of you that appreciated Bill King, but also like good stories.
There's a ton of stories in "Holy Toledo--Lessions from Bill King: Renaissance Man of The Mic"


Read the book.


The Foreword was written by Jon Miller.


It's one of those books that brings back great memories from the beginning of King's career; I began listening to Bill in the early 70's when he was doing the Raiders. Of course he would soon broadcast the A's, Raiders and Warriors. A three-sport broadcast superstar.


In the book, Korach describes his first introduction to Bill King--as a kid growing up in West LA:


 It was a magical experience, having a game four hundred miles away come out of the little box next to my bed, and Bill King made me feel like I was sitting courtside with him.




The book is entertaining and perfect reading if you appreciate great broadcasters. Korach worked with King for 10 years and took over for Bill when he died in 2005. There's stories about that and more. Like I said it's nostalgic, it's funny and there's quite a bit of interesting things to read, some good inside dope too, hilarious and things even I didn't know about Bill King.


It's Summer. Reading time.


This is worth it. 
































































































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Bill King Doesn't Need The Hall of Fame For Affirmation

 Does Bill King belong in the HOF? Of course. But the thing is, were Bill alive today, he'd be laughing and saying, "enough, please, just enough," along with a few other coarse things not appropriate but we won't go there.

 

The thing is ...BILL KING doesn't need the baseball HOF, or any hall for that matter. And Bill, again, would be the first to say that. Those of us who had the pleasure and honor of listening to the master for many of those years knew Bill was Bill and Bill doesn't need any damn affirmation to be the legend that he is and was. Damn the awards, the accolades, the fake, pimped-up, vote-stuffing, contests to get Bill in some kind of artificial contest.

 

I was fortunate to get to know Bill and beyond being just a great broadcaster, a real announcer, Bill King was one of nicest people in the business. He was gracious, kind, had an incredibly terrific sense of humor and was the consummate professional in and out of the booth. A gentleman.

 

Awards are great. But Bill King not being elected to be in the HOF doesn't mask the affinity nor diminish Bill's legacy in the history of the play-by-play business. All of us who listened to him courtside doing the Warriors; the Raiders, the A's, Bill being Bill was good enough for us. We don't need, nor did Bill, any superficial award--his work transcended any sort of award. Bill is up there in heaven looking down and laughing. I'm pretty damn sure.

 

The HOF needs Bill King more than Bill King needed the HOF.

 

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Tribute: Bill King Passing Eight Years Ago Today; The Greatest Ever; Holy Toledo

 I'm reminded it was eight years ago Friday of the passing of longtime Bay Area broadcaster, Bill King.

More than just the greatest broadcaster in Bay Area history, King was classy; the consummate professional; a master wordsmith who transcended sports and was a part of the Bay Area cultural landscape--oh, and a very nice gentleman too.

Miss you Bill King.

Holy Toledo!




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