{{Short description|American sportscaster}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox sports announcer | name = Bill McColgan | image = | caption = | birth_name = William J. McColgan | birth_date = c. 1926 | birth_place = Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date|1973|04|30}} (aged 47) | death_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | alma_mater = Curry College | team = Cleveland Browns (1954–60)<br>Cleveland Indians (1958–60)<br>Washington Redskins (1961–63)<br>New Orleans Saints (1971–72) | genre = Play-by-play | sport = National Football League<br>Major League Baseball }} '''William J. McColgan''' (died April 30, 1973) was an American sportscaster.
A native of Boston, McColgan graduated from St. Margaret's School and South Boston High School. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he attended Curry College.<ref name=obit>{{Cite news|title=OBITUARIES: W. J. McColgan; Sportscaster|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=May 4, 1973|page=60}}</ref>
McColgan began his career in Vermont. In 1951, he moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where he was the sports director for WFMJ. In 1953, he joined WGAR/WGAR-FM in Cleveland, where he called Cleveland Browns (1954–1960), Cleveland Indians (1958–1960), Ohio State Buckeyes football, and Cleveland Barons games.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bill McColgan Dies at 47; WFMJ Ex-Sports Director |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UhRcAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA19 |access-date=10 January 2024 |work=Youngstown Vindicator |date=May 2, 1973}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Gordon |first1=Roger |title=Cleveland Browns A - Z |date=2015 |publisher=Simon and Schuster}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Schneider |first1=Russell |title=The Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia |date=2004 |publisher=Sports Publishing LLC}}</ref> He then worked for WTOP/WTOP-FM/WTOP-TV in Washington, D.C., where he called Washington Redskins and Maryland Terrapins football games.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Media |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1961/1961-02-27-BC.pdf |access-date=5 April 2021 |work=Broadcasting |date=February 27, 1961}}</ref><ref name=obit /> His final job was with WWL/WWL-TV in New Orleans, where he served as the play-by-play announcer for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1972.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saints on TV |work=The Rayne Acadian-Tribune |date=September 14, 1972}}</ref><ref name=obit />
McColgan died on April 30, 1973, in New Orleans of a heart attack. He was 47 years old.<ref>{{cite news |title=Deaths |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1973/1973-05-07-BC.pdf |access-date=5 April 2021 |work=Broadcasting |date=May 7, 1973}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McColgan, Bill}} Category:1973 deaths Category:American Hockey League broadcasters Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American radio sports commentators Category:Catholics from Massachusetts Category:Cleveland Browns announcers Category:Cleveland Indians announcers Category:Curry College alumni Category:Major League Baseball broadcasters Category:Maryland Terrapins football announcers Category:New Orleans Saints announcers Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football announcers Category:People from Dorchester, Boston Category:Radio personalities from Youngstown, Ohio Category:Radio personalities from Cleveland Category:Radio personalities from New Orleans Category:Radio personalities from Washington, D.C. Category:Radio personalities from Boston Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II Category:Washington Redskins announcers Category:Year of birth missing Category:South Boston High School alumni