Bert Wilson | |
|---|---|
 Wilson in 1949 | |
| Born | Ralph Bertram Puckett (1911-02-05)February 5, 1911[1] Columbus, Ohio, U.S.[1] |
| Died | November 5, 1955(1955-11-05) (aged 44) Mesa, Arizona, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Awards | Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame |
Bert Wilson (bornRalph Bertram Puckett; February 5, 1911 – November 5, 1955), was aplay-by-play broadcaster forMajor League Baseball'sChicago Cubs from 1943 to 1955.
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Wilson was born inColumbus, Ohio,[1] and attended theUniversity of Iowa, studying voice and trumpet performance.[2] He began his radio career inCedar Rapids, Iowa, before moving toIndianapolis and thenChicago.[3] Wilson spent his first year broadcasting for theChicago Cubs asPat Flanagan's assistant, then took over in 1944.[2]
Wilson was an unabashed "homer," known for two catchphrases: "I don't care who wins, as long as it's the Cubs!"[2] and "Sic 'em, Cubs!" He also invented a short-lived catchphrase for the double play combination ofErnie Banks,Gene Baker andSteve Bilko: "Bingo to Bango to Bilko"; the phrase did not threaten the fame of "Tinker to Evers to Chance". He also had other well-known phrases, such as "It's a beautiful day in Chicago"[2] and, when the Cubs were doing poorly near the end of the season as they frequently were, "Bring on the Bears."[2] Wilson also calledChicago Bears football in the 1940s.
The Cubs were contenders when Wilson first began covering them forWGN, but by the mid-1950s were engaged in an annual battle with thePittsburgh Pirates for last place in theNational League. Following the 1955 season, Wilson, worn out by travel and suffering from heart trouble, left the Cubs and signed with theCincinnati Reds to do a less taxing schedule of play-by-play on television in 1956.[3] Wilson, however, died at age 44 from heart failure that November near his winter home inMesa, Arizona.[2] He was survived by his wife and three children.[3]
Wilson is an inductee of theChicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.[4] He has twice been a finalist for theFord C. Frick Award, presented by theNational Baseball Hall of Fame.[2][5]