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'Voice of the Vandals' Bob Curtis passes
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July 26, 2012 |
 MOSCOW,
Idaho – The University of Idaho community is
deeply saddened by the loss of legendary
broadcaster Bob Curtis, who served as the voice
of the Vandals. He was 87.
His voice was a regular every Vandals game day
on AM 1450, KBFI, until his retirement.
“Today the University of Idaho suffered a great
loss with the death of Bob Curtis,” said
University of Idaho President M. Duane Nellis.
“Bob was the voice of the Vandals for more than
50 years. He brought the Vandal spirit to more
than 500 football games and hundreds of
basketball games. Bob is a Vandal icon that will
be missed dearly. Our hearts go out to the
Curtis family.”
As a senior attending Washington State
University, Curtis started calling games for
Idaho, Montana and Washington. In 1958, the
University of Idaho hired Curtis as its
play-by-play announcer for football and
basketball. He remained in the position until
his retirement in 2004.
Curtis had the honor of calling the 1998 season
finale when the Vandals beat Boise State on a
risky two-point play in the last seconds of the
game. The win would send Idaho to the
Humanitarian Bowl.
Throughout a 50-year span, Curtis called 540
consecutive football games, including one season
while recovering from hip surgery he had during
a bye week. The next game he was back at the
microphone. Along with football, he also called
hundreds of basketball games.
During his career, Curtis was chosen 33 times as
the Idaho Sportscaster of the Year by the
National Sportscasters and Sportswriters
Association. In 2008, he received the 2008
National Football Foundation Chris Schenkel
Award. He also served as the Northwest
representative for the Heisman Trophy.
Curtis was inducted into the Vandal Athletics
Hall of Fame, the North Idaho Hall of Fame and
the Inland Empire Hall of Fame. Of the many
athletes he watched during his years in the
press box and courtside, 41 athletes became
members of the Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame.
Curtis died Wednesday night at his home in
Colfax, Wash. A service will be held on Friday,
August 3, at 10 a.m. at the Baptist Church, 200
N. Mill St., in Colfax, Washington. |
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