Jim Hill (sportscaster)
Encyclopedia
James Webster "Jim" Hill (born October 21, 1946 in San Antonio, Texas
) is a retired American football
defensive back
who played in the National Football League
. He is now a Los Angeles
-based sportscaster
and currently lead sports anchor and sports director at KCBS-TV
. He also serves as Studio Host for the both the LA Dodgers and LA Lakers games for KCAL 9
Played college football at Texas A&M University–Kingsville
(formerly Texas A&I University).
Following his pro football career, Hill began on the NFL on CBS
in 1980 as an analyst. But in 1984, 1985, and 1992-93, he was the play-by-play announcer on selected games.
Hill started in 1976 at KCBS-TV (then KNXT), where he was a sports anchor for 11 years. He also served as Sideline Reporter for CBS Sports
's coverage of the 1984 Super Bowl He left KNXT/KCBS in 1987, and spent a near five-year stint at rival KABC-TV
, where he anchored the sports segments on its 5, 6, and 11 p.m. newscasts. He also worked for ABC Sports's coverage of the 1988 Winter Olympics
as a Correspondent in Calgary
and as Sideline Reporter for the 1988 Super Bowl. He returned to KCBS in March 1992, and has remained there since. In addition to KCBS-TV duties, Hill files sports reports for sister station KCAL-TV
. Hill is also one of the hosts for pay-per-view
boxing telecasts produced by the Showtime cable network.
Prior to becoming a sportscaster, Hill was a football player, playing for the Green Bay Packers
and San Diego Chargers
. He has appeared as himself in movies and television shows such as Rocky III
and Arli$$.
A popular broadcast personality in southern California for years, Hill has been active in community activities. He is a member of the Los Angeles Urban League's board of directors, as well as serving on the board of directors of the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks, California. He is a spokesman for the City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, and is involved in developing youth outreach and fitness programs.
Hill has been honored by the Associated Press
, Los Angeles Press Club, United Press International
, the California Press Television and Radio Association, and USA Today
for his outstanding work in sports reporting.
Hill was honored on May 9, 2006, with the 2,311th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
. Colleagues, friends, family and dignitaries such as Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
were in attendance to honor the popular sportscaster. Mayor Villaraigosa declared May 9, 2006 in Los Angeles as "Jim Hill Day."
Hill is an avid golfer who often plays at Wilson & Harding Golf Courses at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
He was formerly married to Erma White (1965 - 1973). Hill has one son Walter J. Hill, San Antonio, Tx
He is divorced from actress Denise Nicholas
. His younger brother is former Los Angeles Rams tight end David Hill
.
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
) is a retired American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
who played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He is now a Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
-based sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
and currently lead sports anchor and sports director at KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Los Angeles, California. KCBS-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KCAL-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter...
. He also serves as Studio Host for the both the LA Dodgers and LA Lakers games for KCAL 9
Played college football at Texas A&M University–Kingsville
Texas A&M University–Kingsville
Texas A&M University–Kingsville is a U.S. national university with a multicultural student body that is 62 percent Hispanic and includes students from 35 states and 43 foreign countries...
(formerly Texas A&I University).
Following his pro football career, Hill began on the NFL on CBS
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
in 1980 as an analyst. But in 1984, 1985, and 1992-93, he was the play-by-play announcer on selected games.
Hill started in 1976 at KCBS-TV (then KNXT), where he was a sports anchor for 11 years. He also served as Sideline Reporter for CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
's coverage of the 1984 Super Bowl He left KNXT/KCBS in 1987, and spent a near five-year stint at rival KABC-TV
KABC-TV
KABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
, where he anchored the sports segments on its 5, 6, and 11 p.m. newscasts. He also worked for ABC Sports's coverage of the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
as a Correspondent in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and as Sideline Reporter for the 1988 Super Bowl. He returned to KCBS in March 1992, and has remained there since. In addition to KCBS-TV duties, Hill files sports reports for sister station KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV, channel 9, is an independent television station in Los Angeles, California, USA, owned by the CBS Corporation. KCAL-TV shares its studio facilities with KCBS-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.-Digital...
. Hill is also one of the hosts for pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
boxing telecasts produced by the Showtime cable network.
Prior to becoming a sportscaster, Hill was a football player, playing for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He has appeared as himself in movies and television shows such as Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
and Arli$$.
A popular broadcast personality in southern California for years, Hill has been active in community activities. He is a member of the Los Angeles Urban League's board of directors, as well as serving on the board of directors of the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks, California. He is a spokesman for the City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, and is involved in developing youth outreach and fitness programs.
Hill has been honored by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Los Angeles Press Club, United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
, the California Press Television and Radio Association, and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
for his outstanding work in sports reporting.
Hill was honored on May 9, 2006, with the 2,311th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
. Colleagues, friends, family and dignitaries such as Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
were in attendance to honor the popular sportscaster. Mayor Villaraigosa declared May 9, 2006 in Los Angeles as "Jim Hill Day."
Hill is an avid golfer who often plays at Wilson & Harding Golf Courses at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
He was formerly married to Erma White (1965 - 1973). Hill has one son Walter J. Hill, San Antonio, Tx
He is divorced from actress Denise Nicholas
Denise Nicholas
Denise Nicholas is an American actress and social activist who was involved in the American Civil Rights Movement...
. His younger brother is former Los Angeles Rams tight end David Hill
David Hill
-Politicians:* David B. Hill , Governor of the U.S. state of New York, 1885–1891, U.S. Senator from New York, 1892–1897* David Jayne Hill , politician from New York, United States Assistant Secretary of State, 1898–1903...
.