KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bob Davis, the "Voice of the Jayhawks" for more than 30 years, passed away at the age of 80, the university said Friday.
Davis died one week after his wife of 53 years, Linda, passed away.
Davis began his career with the University of Kansas in 1984, becoming the play-by-play voice of the football and men's basketball teams. He retired in 2016.
During his tenure with the Jayhawks, Davis called eight trips to the Final Four, six bowl games and two men's basketball national championship victories.
Davis was born in Iola and grew up in Topeka where he graduated from Topeka West High School in 1962.
He then attended Washburn, where he graduated in 1967.
Davis started his broadcast career the following year in 1968 when he was hired by KAYS, a radio station based in Hays.
Along with his work with KU, Davis called the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four for CBS Radio in 1990, 1992 and 1994-97.
Davis also joined the Kansas City Royals in 1997, calling games for radio and television for the franchise for 16 years.
The decorated broadcaster was named the Kansas Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sports Writers Association in 2015, the 14th time he had earned the honor since 1975.
Davis also won the Oscar Stauffer Sports Broadcasting Award by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) in 1975 and 1978.
He is a part of multiple sports hall of fame classes, including the Fort Hays State Tiger Athletics Hall of Fame (1990), Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame (2006), and Topeka West High School Graduates Hall of Fame (2011).
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