Longtime Notre Dame football radio voice Tony Roberts has passed away. He was 94.
News of his passing came from U.S. Naval Academy sports information director Scott Strasemeier.
I am saddened to hear from his daughter Tracey the passing of HOF broadcaster Tony Roberts. Roberts is best-known as the voice of Notre Dame Football, but he also called Navy football early in his career and we have been friends for more than 30 years. RIP to a legend.
— Scott Strasemeier (@ScottStras) August 26, 2023
Roberts had a long radio career starting in Illinois and Iowa before going to the old Mutual Radio Network, now Westwood One Radio. He started calling Notre Dame football in 1980 and continued to call the Irish through the 2005 season. He would be replaced by Don Criqui.
Roberts was a quintessential radio man. He not only called Notre Dame football for Mutual, but also NFL games, college basketball, the College World Series and reported on multiple Summer and Winter Olympics for both Mutual and Westwood One.
But Roberts did not just focus on play-by-play, he was a daily presence on Mutual/Westwood One’s daily America in the Morning program where he anchored sports while legendary newsman and talk show host Jim Bohannon read the headlines. His sports reports would turn into commentaries often egged on by Bohannon.
Roberts’ calls of Notre Dame were legendary. From 1980 through 2005, Roberts was in the booth for many great moments in Irish football history. In 1980, Roberts called Harry Oliver’s 51 yard field goal to defeat Michigan. The late Regis Philbin who was a huge Notre Dame fan narrated this retrospective. You can hear Roberts’ attention to detail knowing his audience was not watching TV and needed his description.
Here’s another Notre Dame moment against Michigan. In 1989, Raghib Ismail, nicknamed the Rocket, made his name with this return against the Wolverines:
Westwood One Radio remembered Roberts with some of his most memorable calls:
RIP to an absolute legend.
The great Tony Roberts, our friend and colleague, and for 26 seasons the voice of @NDFootball.
Tony was 94. pic.twitter.com/pxndYIV2j7
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) August 27, 2023
Roberts worked with partners such as Al Vester, Tom Pagna and Allen Pinkett. When he was replaced, Roberts was very vocal in his disappointment and expressed a desire to return, but that never happened. After Westwood One removed Roberts from play-by-play, he for all intents and purposes left radio and retired.
He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2016.
The Voice of the Maryland Terrapins, Johnny Holliday, tweeted his thoughts about Roberts:
My friend Tony Roberts passed away yesterday Tony was the last voice of the Washington Senators, also did Navy Football and for 25 years was the voice of Notre Dame football. Tony also did NFL games, Olympics, and the Bullets…He would have been 95 in October. Rest in Peace Tony
— Johnny Holliday (@hollidaykid) August 26, 2023
The tributes to Roberts came from all over.
“Notre Dame is #1!”
Tony Roberts had an iconic sound. He was the perfect voice of the Irish from 1980-2006.
What a thrill to listen to some of his calls after learning the news of his passing.
Audio compilation courtesy of the Radio Hall of Fame, which Tony entered in 2016. pic.twitter.com/F7iZDiO0oZ
— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlo) August 26, 2023
https://twitter.com/bruce_straughan/status/1695449620384453097?s=20
RIP to the voice of Notre Dame for so much of our childhoods☘️ Tony was the best #NotreDame pic.twitter.com/HoUysevazJ
— Always Irish ☘️ (@AlwaysIrishINC) August 26, 2023
We wish Tony Roberts’ family our condolences.
About Ken Fang
Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.
He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.
Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.