Bob Davis, the long-standing voice of basketball and kansas Jayhawks football, died, confirmed his family on Friday via the Ku sports department. He was 80 years old.
Davis died a week after the death of his wife Linda more than five decades. A cause of death was not immediately released. Kansas basketball coach Bill Self remembered Davis like an “altruistic person”.
“Bob was not only superior to his job, but he was also a great, humble and disinterested person who gave so many people so many himself,” said self. “Our hearts go to the whole family, especially with her wonderful wife Linda last week.”
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Kansas Jayhawks Bob Davis’ broadcasting speaks to his retirement after a match between the cyclones of Iowa State and the Kansas Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse on March 5, 2016, in Lawrence, Kan. (Images Jamie Squire / Getty)
The Jayhawks of the seventh seed of self was turned upside down this week by the Arkansas in the NCAA tournament. The Davis radiudiffusion mandate in Kansas began in 1984 and lasted until his retirement in 2016. He added his voice to some of the school’s greatest sports moments.
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There was the 1988 national championship team known as “Danny and the Miracles” for his star, Danny Manning, who was led by the renowned temple coach Larry Brown. And the national title team 20 years later, led by Self, which became known for “Mario’s Miracle”. Mario Chalmers equally for 3 forced overtime against Memphis in the final.
The retirement of the Kansas broadcaster Jayhawks, Bob Davis, is recognized by the sports director Sheahon Zenger at halftime of a match against the Iowa state cyclones in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., March 5, 2016. (John Rieger / USA TODAY SPORTS)
Davis covered eight trips by the Jayhawks in the Final Four, six bowl games in football and thousands of regular season football and basketball games. Many were spent alongside Max Falkenstien, his predecessor and later his colleague and close friend, who spent 60 years broadcast the Jayhawks before his retirement. Falkenstien died in 2019.
The former coach of Kansas and North Carolina, Roy Williams, described Davis as a “giant” of the University of Kansas.
Logos of Kansas Jayhawks and Big 12 on December 4, 2018, in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan. (Nick Tre. Smith / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Bob Davis was a fantastic advertiser and loved Ku,” said Williams. “I was a new coach, and he helped me enormously. He placed the bar for all those with whom I worked later. He is a Ku giant.”
Davis also called the Final Four Female for CBS six times, and he spent 16 years calling the Kansas City Royal Games on radio and television. He was elected Kansas Sportscaster of the year 14 times.
Davis is survived by his son, Steven, his daughter-in-law Katie and four grandchildren.
