Holy Toledo: Lessons From Bill King, Renaissance Man of the Mic

Bill King, longtime voice of the Oakland A’s, Golden State Warriors and Oakland (and Los Angeles) Raiders, was a beloved figure in California for decades, celebrated for his passion and precision in calling a game and for his colorful life away from sports, an utterly original figure who lives on today in the hearts and memories of countless fans. Bill was also one of the most influential broadcasters of all time, an inspiration to legions of his fellow broadcasters who looked up to him. In Holy Toledo, Ken Korach, longtime voice of the A’s and Bill’s partner for ten seasons until King’s death in 2005, brings Bill to life on the page. A half-century ago, Ken Korach was a kid in Los Angeles, spinning the night dial to tune in Warriors basketball games from faraway San Francisco for one reason: He just had to hear Bill. Now he tells the remarkable story of King the legendary baseball, basketball and football broadcaster, the student of Russian literature, the passionate sailor, the fan of eating anything and everything from gourmet to onions and peanut butter, the remarkable painter. Korach draws on a lifetime of listening to and learning from King – as well as extensive research, including more than fifty interviews with King’s family members, colleagues, friends and associates – to create this rich portrait. Holy Toledo features a moving foreword by Hall of Fame broadcaster Jon Miller, previously of ESPN, and a brilliant cover by Mark Ulriksen, internationally recognized for his New Yorker magazine covers, that captures King’s flair and personality.