Bob Davis, who spent over three decades calling basketball and football games for the Kansas Jayhawks, died Thursday in Lawrence, Kan.
Davis, 80, passed away just a week after his wife, Linda, died following 53 years of marriage.
He also was a broadcaster for the Kansas City Royals.
“Bob was not only superior at his craft but he was also a terrific, humble and unselfish person that gave so much of himself to so many,” Kansas basketball coach Bill Self said. “Our hearts go out to the entire family, especially with his wonderful wife Linda passing just last week.”
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Self’s Jayhawks were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by Arkansas on Thursday.
Former Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams also praised Davis after his passing.
“Bob Davis was a fantastic announcer and loved KU,” said Williams, who also coached at North Carolina. “I was a new coach [at Kansas] and he helped me immensely. He set the bar for all those I worked with later. He is a KU giant.”
Davis called games for Kansas from 1984 until 2016, including during their title runs in 1988 and 2008. And Davis also did six bowl games for the Jayhawks football team. He was considered the “Voice of the Jayhawks.”
He also broadcast games on TV and radio for the Royals from 1997 to 2013, as well as NCAA games for CBS Radio, covering the NCAA Women’s Final Four four times.
Born in Iola, Kan., Davis grew up in Topeka and attended Washburn University.
His broadcasting career began in 1968 at KAYS, a radio station in Hayes, Kan., where he called American Legion baseball games and Fort Hays State athletics.
He was named Kansas’ sportscaster of the year 14 times and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 after spending most of his career alongside broadcast partner Max Falkenstien.
