KFOR-TV Oklahoma City and the University of Oklahoma announced that veteran sportscaster and long-time voice of the Oklahoma Sooners Bob Barry Sr. has died of a heart attack. He was 80.
Barry Sr. had retired from KFOR in 2008, where his son, Bob Barry Jr., is still Sports Director. But Barry Sr. didn’t end his broadcasting career until March of this year, when he was on the air for the Big 12 Championships in Men’s Basketball.
“I never saw Bob have a bad day. He loved life. And he loved his job. Even after 50 years of broadcasting he would show up at the stadium like a kid in a candy store. His play by play style was unmistakable, but it is his gentle, kind and fun-loving spirit that I will always remember. His advice and words of wisdom will forever be cherished in my heart. This is a tremendously sad day, but I rejoice that Heaven just got a Legend,” said Toby Rowland, who took over the OU broadcast duties from Barry Sr. this year.
“Bob Barry represented the best of the Sooner spirit. With his contagious enthusiasm, he was one of the best sports broadcast journalists in the entire nation. He was loved by Oklahomans all across our entire state and will be missed by all of us,” said Oklahoma University President David Boren.
Bob Barry Sr. was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
