The longtime radio voice of the Mizzou football Tigers and the St. Louis football Cardinals has died.

Bill Wilkerson died Thursday, at the age of 72. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports Wilkerson died after collapsing at his home in Florissant, in north St. Louis County.

Learfield executive producer Keith Sampson notes Wilkerson was Mizzou football’s radio play-by-play broadcaster from 1982 to 1993. Wilkerson handled color commentary on Mizzou football radio broadcasts before that, seeing stars like Phil Bradley, James Wilder and Kellen Winslow.

Wilkerson called numerous memorable games, including the 1990 “Fifth down” home game against Colorado and the big 1984 home game against Notre Dame, a day in which Don Faurot was honored.

Mizzou athletics spokesman Chad Moller tells Missourinet Wilkerson is in the Mizzou Media Hall of Fame. Wilkerson’s photo is in the Faurot Field press box in Columbia.

Wilkerson’s work in the community was recognized nationwide.

Then-FBI Director Robert Mueller honors Bill Wilkerson in Washington D.C. in April 2010 (photo courtesy of the FBI’s St. Louis Division)

In 2009, the FBI’s St. Louis Division selected Wilkerson for the Director’s Community Leadership Award. Wilkerson traveled to FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. in April 2010 to accept the award from then-FBI Director Robert Mueller III.

The initiative Wilkerson was honored for involved stemming the dropout rate at four St. Louis schools, and keeping St. Louis-area youth out of gangs.

Wilkerson also co-hosted the top-rated “Total Information” morning show on KMOX Radio (AM 1120) in St. Louis for years, with Bob Hardy and Wendy Wiese.

KMOX reports Wilkerson was a member of the first crew to broadcast an NFL event outside of the United States, doing pro football in London and Tokyo.

The station also notes Wilkerson was a board member for the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club for 40 years, and that he volunteered for many other organizations.

Wilkerson was the guest speaker at the Mizzou Tiger QB Club luncheon in November 2013 in Columbia.

 

Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth interviewed Bill Wilkerson in August 2012, to preview Mizzou’s first season in the Southeastern Conference and to reflect on Wilkerson’s career. Brian was working for Missourinet Moberly affiliate KWIX Radio (AM 1230) at the time. Click here to listen to the full interview: