Sonny Hill

Last updated
Sonny Hill
Born
William Randolph Hill

(1936-07-22) July 22, 1936 (age 89)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
OccupationBasketball announcer
Years active1969-present

William Randolph "Sonny" Hill (born July 22, 1936) is an American former announcer. He is a member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, [1] and current sports radio personality in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also serves as an executive advisor for the Philadelphia 76ers. He is known as Mr. Basketball [2] and "The Mayor of Basketball" [1] in Philadelphia for founding the eponymous Sonny Hill League and for his many contributions to the game.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Hill was born and raised in Philadelphia. After graduating from Northeast High School in 1955, [3] he attended college for two years and then joined the Eastern Basketball League. [4]

Hill is the father of filmmaker K. Brent Hill.

Broadcasting career

Hill began his broadcast career in 1969 as a color commentator with Andy Musser for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also a commentator with the NBA on CBS from 1973 until 1977. [5] He has hosted a weekly show on SportsRadio 94 WIP since 1987.

The Sonny Hill League

The Sonny Hill Community Involvement League is an amateur summer basketball organization in the Delaware Valley. The league was founded in 1968 as a safe haven from gang warfare and other violence. The league, which began as an extension of the Charles Baker Memorial League, today consists of more than 60 teams serving more than 800 student athletes.

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 "INDUCTEES". Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  2. ↑ Steve Young (2008-08-06). "Sonny Hill: Humanitarian Hall of Famer - Making Basketball, Practice for the Real World".
  3. ↑ Missanelli, M. G. (July 12, 1987). "Mr. Basketball A Hero For His Work With Teens, Sonny Hill Is Not Without Critics". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia Media Network (Digital) LLC. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Tom Starner (1991-07-29). "In A League Of His Own". CNN. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.
  5. ↑ Don McKee (2009-01-26). "Morning Report: Sonny Hill in broadcasting's big time".
  6. ↑ "Mannie Jackson's Basketball Human Spirit Award". 2011-06-28.
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