photo by: Nick Krug

Broadcaster Bob Davis pats his heart as he receives a standing ovation from the fieldhouse before the final game of his 37-year career during a halftime ceremony on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Bob Davis, the venerable University of Kansas sports commentator who served as the longtime voice of the Jayhawks, died on Thursday, his family announced on Friday afternoon. He was 80.

“For more than three decades, Bob represented Kansas Athletics in exemplary fashion and connected Jayhawk fans everywhere with his famous one-liners and detailed storytelling,” athletic director Travis Goff said in a press release. “We send our deepest love and prayers to his family and will forever be grateful for his service to KU.”

From 1984 to 2016, Davis provided commentary for some of the most memorable moments in KU Athletics history, including eight men’s basketball Final Four appearances with a pair of national titles and six bowl games for the football team.

“The people are what made it amazing,” Davis said in 2015 upon announcing his impending retirement. “All the people I’ve been able to get close to — great players, the coaching staffs, administrators. I’m going to miss it a lot, but it’s been really fun. I’ve also been able to tack on a little baseball on the other side and do that, too, was a dream come true. It’s been a real lucky situation for me.”

Davis grew up in Topeka, where he graduated from Topeka West High School and Washburn University, but made his first foray into sports broadcasting at the radio station KAYS in Hays, a role in which he spent 16 years covering Fort Hays State and other local sports. He later worked for about the same duration calling Kansas City Royals games, during a period that coincided with his time at KU, and called six editions of the women’s Final Four.

He received numerous honors over the course of his broadcasting career, including 14 selections as the state’s sportscaster of the year and an induction into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

Davis spent much of his career working with longtime broadcast partner Max Falkenstien, who has a retired jersey in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters, and he also overlapped with current fixtures of the Jayhawk Sports Network like football color analyst David Lawrence and men’s basketball color analyst Greg Gurley.

Davis’ wife of 53 years, Linda, died on March 13. He is survived by his son Steven and daughter-in-law Katie, as well as four grandchildren.

“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,” KU coach Bill Self said in the release. “Our hearts go out to the entire family, especially with his wonderful wife Linda passing just last week.”

Added Self’s predecessor, Roy Williams: “Bob Davis was a fantastic announcer and loved KU. I was a new coach, and he helped me immensely. He set the bar for all those I worked with later. He is a KU giant.”