I know that you have heard me say, “Part of me died today.” That is how I feel with the news that legendary (former) Wilmington College Coach Bill Ramseyer died (on Feb. 18). Without a doubt, Bill Ramseyer was The Best football coach I was ever associated with.

When I came to Wilmington at WKFI Radio, we taped a 15-minute coach’s show which aired on Saturdays. We did not carry a live broadcast of the games. It was my mission to get those games on the air. So, Wilmington High School Coach John Moore, as my color analyst, sat in the stands with home fans and I did play-by-play. We played them back on Sundays after church programming. I ran commercials in-between and read live scripts between quarters.

When WKFI & WDHK merged, we got the ball rolling. By 1981 those games — all home and road games — were on the air live. Roger Barber and I started out doing them; when I departed to join the ABN Farm Network, Jeff Hibbs became the play-by-play announcer. He and Roger were the best team to call Quaker action.

We all know Coach Bill is in a better place. Prayers for Mary and the Ramseyer, Earley and Eads families. Bill left quite a legacy. We never know the date or the time when we are called home, but it’s my understanding that Bill passed at 1:30. Ironically, kickoff time for home football games was at 1:30 p.m., at Williams Stadium of Townsend Field.

Walking into that entrance will help me relieve those glory days when Bill, Bruce Wasem, Greg Oliver and Camm H. Richmond were on those WC home sidelines … memories forever.

Bill Liermann

Wilmington