ST. LOUIS (KTRS) Long-time St. Louis broadcaster Bill Wilkerson has died after a brief illness. He was 72.  Wilkerson enjoyed a 40-year career in St. Louis, first at KMOX and then KTRS Radio, earning a special place in the hearts of sports fans providing both play by play and color commentary for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams; the Missouri Tigers football team; St. Louis Blues hockey team; and Spirits of St. Louis professional basketball team.

Broadcast partners included Jack Buck, Bob Costas, Dan Dierdorf, Dan Kelly, Bob Starr and Mike Shannon.  Wilkerson was a member of the first crew to broadcast an NFL event outside the U.S., working pro football games in Tokyo and London.

Always active in the St. Louis community he loved so much, Bill served as a Board member for the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club for 40 years and volunteering for countless other organizations. The FBI in St. Louis awarded Bill the Director’s Community Leadership Award in 2009 for his work as executive director of the “Reach Out St. Louis” program at Mathews-Dickey. Bill also received the Bob Broeg Award from the National Football Foundation’s Tom Lombardo-St. Louis Chapter in 2014.

Bill leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Margie; their 3 children Jermaine, Kimberli and Kristen; and 12 grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.