When the News Went Live: Dallas 1963

Book TV Reruns "When the News Went Live" Texas Book Festival’s Author Panel with Dan Rather from Texas House Chamber

Program Also Available on DVD

C-SPAN-2's Book TV will rebroadcast When the News Went Live's Texas Book Festival author panel, moderated in October 2005 by Dan Rather in the Chamber of the Texas House of Representatives.

This second Book TV appearance of Bob Huffaker, Bill Mercer, George Phenix and Wes Wise is also sold on DVD through C-SPAN. Their vivid and compelling book is approaching its third printing since it was released in autumn 2004.

Reviewers unanimously praise the book for its authority and readability.

CSPAN will announce broadcast rerun times for this program at
http://www.booktv.org/

The program is available on DVD here.

The authors' BookPeople Book TV program is also available here.

 

Dan Rather to Moderate Texas Book Festival Panel on "When the News Went Live"

As a feature of the Texas Book Festival, C-SPAN's Book TV will
broadcast When the News Went Live's author panel, moderated by Dan
Rather, live from the Chamber of the Texas House of Representatives
Saturday afternoon October 29th.

This is the second Book TV appearance for Bob Huffaker, Bill Mercer,
George Phenix and Wes Wise, as their well-received book approaches its
third printing since it was released in October 2004.

CSPAN will announce broadcast and rerun times for this program at
http://www.booktv.org/

**********

Previous review of When the News Went Live: Dallas 1963 can be read here.

Author Appearances: "When the News Went Live"

Updated 22 Aug 05

Aug 31 Wed            AUSTIN         

George Phenix speaks to Metropolitan Breakfast Club
7:30am University Club, University of Texas

Sept 8  Thurs    GRANBURY         

Tarleton State University: Huffaker, Mercer, Phenix & Wise
Langdon Weekend
1pm Langdon Center 308, E.Pearl St. Granbury, TX

Sept 8 Thurs    ARLINGTON         

Northeast Reading Group: Huffaker, Mercer, Phenix & Wise
7:30 pm. Arlington Public Library
NE Branch, 1905  Brown Blvd.

Oct 8 Sat                 DENTON      

Huffaker & Mercer Emcee Denton County Donkeyfest

Oct 12 Wed              DALLAS       

Bill Mercer Lectures at McDermott Library
3:30 pm. University of Texas at Dallas

Oct 21-22 Fri-Sat       BRYAN      

Bob Huffaker at  50th HS Class Reunion

Oct 28-30 Fri-Sun      AUSTIN       

Texas Book Festival: Huffaker, Mercer, Phenix & Wise
Featuring "When the News Went Live"
Panel  Presentations.

Nov. 3 Thurs DUNCANVILLE       

Huffaker, Mercer, Phenix & Wise:
Southwest Authors of the Year
7:00pm Banquet

Nov 5   Sat   DALLAS

Wes Wise inducted into Texas Radio Hall of Fame
Dallas-Addison Marriott Quorum near the Galleria
Tickets at www.texasradiohalloffame.com

Nov. 10 Thurs COLLEGE STATION

Huffaker speaks at Primetimers
10:30am

Nov 13 Sun  SAN MARCOS

Texas Author Day, San Marcos Public Library
1-4pm 625 E. Hopkins St. San Marcos, TX 78666

Nov. 14  Mon  FORT WORTH

Tarrant County College
South Campus: Presentation 7:30-8:50

Nov. 17  Thurs      DALLAS

Book Club: Mercer, Wise & Huffaker
Church of Transfiguration
Hillcrest N.of LBJ

Nov. 22 Tues            AUBURN, ALA

Auburn University: Huffaker, Mercer, Phenix & Wise
Communications Dept.
Q&A & Nationwide Online Chat

Dec 1-3 Thurs-Sat COLUMBUS

Veva Vonler & husband Bob HuffakerVonler's "The Movie Lover's Tour of Texas: Reel-Life Rambles Through the Lone Star State"
Released October
Thursday Dinner and Friday Luncheon
Authors' Panel

"Play-by-Play" Tonight: Bill Mercer Live at Gateway Center

Mercer to speak at Gateway Center

UNT to honor former broadcaster

Originally published August 18, 2005 in the Denton Record-Chronicle (registration required)

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

Curiosity led Bill Mercer to the University of North Texas for the first time all the way back in 1957.

Mercer was a young sports broadcaster at the time in Dallas and decided to take a trip north to see where UNT was located and film a little bit of football practice. A few minutes and a few U-turns later, Mercer found what he was looking for and never really left the school behind.

Mercer ended up teaching at UNT, helped start the campus radio station and spent more than 30 years as the voice of the Mean Green.

The campus community and broadcasters from across the country will honor the legacy Mercer left along the way with a dinner at 7 p.m. tonight in the Gateway Center.

Mercer will speak at the event that will also feature several media personalities, UNT coaches and administrators.

The cost of attending the event is $50 per person. All proceeds will go to Building Believers, Inc., a non-profit organization that serves youth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area through basketball training.

"North Texas will always be a special place for me," Mercer said. "I was the first sportscaster to show highlights of a UNT football practice when I came up in '57 and I will still teach a class there this fall."

Mercer broadcast a wide variety of sports from football games to professional wrestling during his career, but still found time to carve out a niche in Denton. He was the voice of UNT football from 1959-93 and had also broadcast basketball games from 1966-94, a career that earned him a place in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

The legacy Mercer built in Denton was one of the reasons former UNT basketball players Deon Hunter and Wendell Williams decided to ask him to headline an event to benefit Hunter's Building Believers, Inc., organization.

Hunter and Williams wanted to make it easier for families to afford the cost of their program that aims to instill a sense of purpose in young people through basketball.

When the discussion turned to a banquet, Mercer's name came to mind.

"We realized that Bill had not had an event to honor him and we felt he needed to be recognized," Hunter said. "This has been long overdue. When you look at the track record he has had, it shows that he has paid his dues."

Mercer's resume reads like a dream list of broadcasting jobs. Mercer broadcast Dallas Cowboys games for seven years, in addition to working Texas Rangers games. And those were not Mercer's most interesting assignments. He also worked Chicago White Sox games with Harry Caray and broadcast professional wrestling in Dallas.

Even with those duties on his plate, Mercer hung on to his job at UNT and chronicled some of the memorable moments and players in Mean Green history.

Mercer watched Abner Haynes develop into one of the first black college football stars in Texas during late the 1950s and saw "Mean" Joe Greene lead UNT to a pair of Missouri Valley Conference championships in the late 1960s.

Mercer also squeezed into the old men's gym on campus for basketball games.

"The old men's gym was great because about 5,000 people would come," Mercer said. "It was a great experience to broadcast games there."

Some of those fans joined Mercer a few years later in watching UNT win 11 straight games in the 1987-88 season to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Hunter and Williams were both members of the team that lost to North Carolina in the first round and came to be friends with a man they knew of long before they arrived at UNT.

"I remember Bill from when I was a kid and wrestling was big," Williams said. "When I came to North Texas and started playing basketball, he was doing all my games. We got to know him over the years and wanted to celebrate his career."

The number of games Mercer broadcast and great moments he chronicled are just a few of the ways Mercer left his mark at UNT. He also taught generations of students who followed him into broadcasting in addition to helping found KNTU.

Mercer retired in 1996, but was lured back to the university to resume teaching in 2001.

Mercer's UNT connections have helped him keep track of Hunter and Williams.

When they called Mercer and asked if he would be willing to headline an event to benefit Building Believers, Inc., he was more than happy to help a pair of former players from a university he has been affiliated with since the late 1950s.

"Those guys are great people," Mercer said. "Both are giving a lot back to the community."

"When the News Went Live" -- Coming Appearances

Aug 18 Thurs            DENTON UNT Gateway Center: "Play-by-Play"
                                        An Evening Honoring  Bill Mercer
                                        Building  Believers Banquet. 7:00pm

Sept 8  Thurs           GRANBURY Tarleton State Univ
                                        Langdon Weekend
                                        1pm Langdon Center 308, E.Pearl St. Granbury,  TX

Sept 8 Thurs            ARLINGTON Northeast Reading Group
                                        7:30 pm. Arlington Public Library
                                        NE Branch, 1905  Brown Blvd.

Oct 21-22 Fri-Sat     BRYAN Bob Huffaker at  50th HS Class Reunion

Oct 28-30 Fri-Sun    AUSTIN Texas Book  Festival
                                                 Featuring "When the News Went Live"
                                                  Panel  Presentations.

Nov. 3 Thurs.         DUNCANVILLE
                                            Honored as SW Authors of the Year 
                                            7:00pm Banquet

Nov. 10 Thurs.          COLLEGE STATION
                                            Bob Huffaker at Primetimers
                                            10:30am 30-40min w/Q&A

Nov. 14  Mon            ARLINGTON/FW Tarrant  County College
                                            Presentation 7:30-8:50

Nov. 17  Thurs          DALLAS  Book Club
                                            Church of Transfiguration
                                            Hillcrest N.of LBJ

Nov. 22 Tues            AUBURN, ALABAMA Auburn University
                                            Q&A & Online Chat
            
Aug 18 Thurs            DENTON UNT Gateway Center: "Play-by-Play"
                                            An Evening Honoring  Bill Mercer
                                             Building  Believers Banquet. 7:00pm

"Play-by-Play" to Honor Bill Mercer

PLAY-BY-PLAY, AN EVENING HONORING SPORTSCASTER BILL MERCER
        Set for August 18th in Denton, TX

On the evening of Thursday, August 18th, a dinner honoring longtime Dallas TV and radio sportscaster Bill Mercer has been planned at the Gateway Center on the University of North Texas campus.  The event will begin at 7pm and feature Mr. Mercer's colleagues and associates who will be speaking.  Cost of the event is $50 per ticket. Valet parking will be available, and black tie is optional.

Featured speakers include:  Dave Barnett, ESPN's leading football and basketball play-by-play announcer, Craig Way, the voice of Texas Longhorn athletics, KTCK sports personality Norm Hitzges,  Bill Blakeley (most wins by an NT basketball coach), Jimmy Gales, who coached the Mean Green to the NCAA basketball tournament in 1988,  KOIT Radio manager (San Francisco) Bill Conway, Doug Adams, President and CEO of the Colorado Symphony, former pro wrestler Carl "Killer" Cox, former Fort Worth Ranger Bob Baillargeon,  former North Texas professor and current movie producer, Mickey Grant, KNTU Radio station manager Russ Campbell and former North Texas sports information director Fred Graham.

The dinner is a fundraiser for Building Believers, Inc., a non-profit organization that serves D/FW youth, both urban and rural, through fundamental basketball training.  Building Believers, Inc. enriches the lives of young people by teaching valuable life lessons and skills through basketball.

Former NCAA basketball players instill such core principles as hard work, determination , perseverance, patience, respect for others, self-confidence, self-control, desire and purpose.  Building Believers, Inc. is sponsoring the event.

Tickets to the dinner can be obtained a number of ways.  Orders can be made by telephone by calling 817-491-9602, by Internet at Hoophunter@hoophunter.com or can be purchased at two locations in Denton: Joe Holland's Denton Bicycle Center at 1700 N. Elm or at Denton Athletics at 908 W. University Drive.  Will call tickets will be available with prior payment.

Mercer was the Voice of North Texas Athletics for 35 years and broadcast games of the Dallas Texans, Dallas Cowboys, The Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, twenty years of minor league baseball, Southwest Conference football and basketball as well as professional wrestling.  He was instrumental in starting the university radio station, KNTU-FM.  He served as an instructor in the Radio/TV Department since 1966 and is currently teaching two broadcast classes at UNT.
Mercer started his sports broadcasting career in Dallas in 1953 at KRLD AM-FM and TV.  He with his partners founded the commercial frequency 99.1 in 1986.  He is the co-author of a book about radio-tv coverage of the Kennedy assassination and a history of a World War II ship.  He currently assists with broadcasts of the Round Rock Express and Frisco Rough Riders.  He is also a member of the University of North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame and the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

INTERVIEWS WITH MERCER CAN BE SCHEDULED BY CALLING JIM HOBDY AT 940-391-6814 OR WENDELL WILLIAMS AT 940-206-8588.

                                                              --30--

Where were you when Kennedy was killed?

By George Phenix

At our book signings, strangers come up to tell us where they were and what they were doing. It seems they want to talk about it. That dark day was a tipping point for the entire world and for everybody living in it.

Our account of those terrible days has struck a common nerve. And people want to talk about it. That's cool.

For a time after the assassination, we were a nation united in grief. Much like the aftermath of 9/11. While I hope we never again feel that collective grief, I would hope we could ramp up the "united" part again.

The red state/blue state divide is tearing this nation apart. And the knee-jerk-offs on both sides are either too dumb or too jaded to care. I am really weary of the 24-hour attack cycle from spinmeisters on both sides of the political morass.

This is a bit of a ramble and I'll admit to getting sentimental, but someone recently sent me an email that kinda got to me.

Here goes:

A four-year-old was looking at the baby in the crib and said, "Tell me again what the voice of God sounds like. I'm beginning to forget."

Well, I'm beginning to forget what "united we stand" feels like.

Updated Author Appearances

Want to come see us?  Here's where we'll be:

May 26 Thurs    DALLAS Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

                            College English class
                        
Sept 8 Thurs     ARLINGTON Arlington Public Library Book Group 7:30 pm
 
Oct 21-22         BRYAN Bob's 50th High School Reunion

Oct 28-30          AUSTIN Texas Book Festival features When the News Went Live 

Nov. 3 Thurs.     DUNCANVILLE All honored as SW Authors of the Year

                              7:00pm Banquet
                        
Nov. 10 Thurs.   COLLEGE STATION Bob at Primetimers

                              10:30am 30-40min w/Q&A
                        
Nov. 17 Thurs    DALLAS Book Club, Church of Transfiguration

                             Hillcrest N.of LBJ
                 

Come see us: Author Appearances

UPDATED  4/2/05: 

Here's a list of our future and past appearances, books signings and speaking opportnities.

We like to talk, so all suggestions welcome. 

FUTURE APPEARANCES:

Apr. 3, Sun       AUSTIN book club.

Apr. 22-23 F-S  DALLAS Best SouthWest Book Festival 11am-4pm Fri, 10am-4pm Sat
                        UNT Dallas Campus 8915 S. Hampton Rd. Dallas, TX 75232
                        Friday 12:30-1:15pm Rm 225 Wes, George, Bill & Bob.
                       [Janet Harris 1:30-2:15pm Rm 222, Jim Lee 2:30-3:15pm Rm 225]
                        [Reception w/goodies 7-9pm Library Rm 155]
                        Saturday 1:30-2:15pm Rm 224 Wes, George, Bill & Bob
                        [3:15-4:00pm All participate in Q&A Panel] Download BSWBookfest05.doc

Nov. 3 Thurs.     DUNCANVILLE All honored as SW Authors of the Year 7:00pm Banquet

Nov. 10 Thurs.   COLLEGE STATION Bob at Primetimers 10:30am 30-40min w/Q&A

Reschedule     HOUSTON  Unique Books at River Oaks, 5-7pm?
                        Mark Thibodeaux, 713 520-0061, FAX 520-9871 (no email)
                       3270 Westheimer Rd.  Houston, TX 77098

Reschedule     MARFA  Marfa Book Co.,
                        Louis Dobay mailto:marfabkco@marfatxcom 432 729-3906
                       105 S. Highland, Marfa, TX

Schedule        FORT DAVIS Limpia Hotel Bookstore
                       Diane Moore, 432 426-3241 (no email)
                       Box 1838 Fort Davis, TX 79734

Schedule        COLLEGE STATION Barnes & Noble
                       Debra Anderson crm2875@bn.com 979 764-8969, 764-8969

Schedule       Beaumont-Port Arthur, Shreveport, Waco, San Francisco.                            

PAST APPEARANCES:

Oct. 23, Sat.     MUSKOGEE, OKLA.    Bill Mercerat Hastings Book Store:

Oct. 28, Thurs.  DALLAS  Good Day Dallas, Ch 4 Studios 7:45 AM  6thFl 5-7pm

Nov. 6, Sat.       AUSTIN  Borders #103,  3pm

Nov. 7, Sat.       DALLAS  Bill & Wes on KVIL Radio 6:30am

Nov. 9, Tues      DALLAS Bill & Wes on KMSR w/Kevin McCarthy  10:00am

Nov. 13, Sat.    SAN ANTONIO  Bob on KENS-TV 7:45am; Borders # 186,  3pm

Nov. 14, Sun    SAN MARCOS  SM Public Library, 1-5pm

Nov 18, Thurs  TYLER Bill & Bob tape Tyler TV

Nov. 19, Fri.     GALVESTON  Midsummer Books 5-7pm

Nov 20, Sat.     HOUSTON  Borders # 381, 3pm

Nov 22, Mon.  DALLAS Good Morning Texas, Ch 8 Studios 8:30am
                       KERA-FM Glenn Mitchell Show 11:45am-1pm
                      Borders at Preson & Royal, 7pm

Nov 23, Tues  DENTON Barnes & Noble, 12:30noon

Dec 3, Fri.       SAN ANTONIO  Twig Book Shop, 4-6pm George & Bob

                       Fort Worth Bill & Wes at TCU Autograph Extravaganza

Dec 4, Sat.      MARATHON  Marathon Books, 6:30-8:30pm

Dec. 5, Sun.    ALPINE  Front Street Books, 3-6pm

Dec 8, Wed.     DALLAS-FtW Wes at KRLD Lunch 11:00am; Bill & Bob at TCU 10:30 am

Jan 19 Wed     AUSTIN  BookPeople 1 hour reading & Q&A & Signing 7pm-

Jan 26 Wed     DALLAS Wes & Bob guide Shreveport kids on Oak Cliff Tour 12:00 Noon

Feb 5 Sat        DENTON Chili Supper: Mercer & Huffaker emcee & sign books.

Feb 26 Sat      DALLAS Wes, Bill & Bob guide tour & sign books. 10:45am-4:00pm

Mar 9 Wed      DALLAS KRLD Lunch   11:00am Casa Linda Cafeteria

Mar 13 Sun      GRUENE Bob emcees Texas Summer Nights at Gruene Hall all day

Mar. 22 Tues    BROWNWOOD Brownwood Woman's Club 11:00am

Additional suggestions welcome.