Bob Davis, legendary Kansas and Royals broadcaster, dead at 80

“Bob Davis was a fantastic announcer and loved KU,” said Williams, who also coached at North Carolina. “I was a new coach [at Kansas] and he helped me immensely. He set the bar for all those I worked with later. He is a KU giant.”

Davis called games for Kansas from 1984 until 2016, including during their title runs in 1988 and 2008. And Davis also did six bowl games for the Jayhawks football team. He was considered the “Voice of the Jayhawks.”

He also broadcast games on TV and radio for the Royals from 1997 to 2013, as well as NCAA games for CBS Radio, covering the NCAA Women’s Final Four four times.

Born in Iola, Kan., Davis grew up in Topeka and attended Washburn University.

His broadcasting career began in 1968 at KAYS, a radio station in Hayes, Kan., where he called American Legion baseball games and Fort Hays State athletics.

He was named Kansas’ sportscaster of the year 14 times and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 after spending most of his career alongside broadcast partner Max Falkenstien.