The Duke University athletics department lost a beloved longtime member of of its broadcast team with the passing of radio broadcaster Bob Harris this week. He was 82 years old.
For 41 years Harris served as the voice of both Duke football and Duke men’s basketball. He retired in 2017 as a three-time recipient of the North Carolina Broadcaster of the Year and and tons of other accolades.
A short while ago, the Duke athletics department released a statement on Harris’ passing. Duke Vice President & Director of Athletics Nina King offered condolences and declared that his legacy will “live forever.”
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Harris,” King said. “We send our heartfelt condolences to Phyllis and the entire Harris family. Duke, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the entire collegiate athletics community has lost a true icon. For over four decades, Bob represented Duke with the utmost professionalism while delivering to our fans worldwide an acute account of Blue Devil football and men’s basketball games. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live forever.”
Coach K also released a statement, calling Harris one of Duke’s greatest treasures and praising him for telling the story of Duke athletics “better than anyone.”
“Duke lost another one of its greatest treasures with the passing of Bob Harris,” Coach K said. “For decades as our radio play-by-play broadcaster, Bob told the story of Duke Athletics better than anyone. He was much more than an announcer to all of us. He was a family member who absolutely loved Duke and everything it stands for. We are so thankful that it was his voice that shared our journey each season with so many Duke fans around the world. He was adored by so many of them. The Krzyzewski family offers our deepest condolences to Phyllis and their loved ones. It was my honor to call Bob my friend.”
Our hearts go out to Harris’ family and loved ones.