Tony Roberts obit

Notre Dame football: Legendary radio voice Tony Roberts has died

 

He was not on the list.

It’s a bittersweet morning for Notre Dame football fans as the legendary voice of Fighting Irish football Tony Roberts has died.  Roberts, who called Notre Dame football on the radio from 1980-2005, was 94-years old.

Any sports fan has a play-by-play voice they associate with their team.  For so many Notre Dame fans that voice belongs to Roberts because of the quarter-century he spent calling Fighting Irish football.

Harry Oliver to beat Michigan in 1980.

Allen Pinkett and Notre Dame knocking off Dan Marino and No. 1 in 1982.

Timmy Brown’s Heisman season of 1987.

Beating Miami and the national title run of 1988.

Knocking off No.1 Florida State in the 1993 Game of the Century.

Arnaz Battle against Michigan State in 2002.

Arnaz Battle a month later against Florida State.

Zbikowski’s punt return against USC.

Roberts was there for them all with each call being as memorable as the previous.

Thanks for being the soundtrack to so many great memories for all of us.  Rest easy, Tony.

And go Irish.

Bruce Straughan

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness to report the loss of my friend and the voice of my childhood NDFB Legend Tony Roberts aka “The voice of

@NDFootball

 “ I will cherish and miss our weekly talks about the

@FightingIrish

 Bye now Tony and may God love you forever!!

Darin Pritchett

Heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of the great #NotreDame broadcaster Tony Roberts.   He would always welcome us into his booth at the stadium to chat. He would also call into the post game show.

We lost a sweet gentlemen and a “voice of God”

He is a member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Holiday Bowl Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. In 2005, he won the Chris Schenkel Award. In 2006, he was replaced by Don Criqui as play-by-play announcer for Notre Dame.

Roberts is from Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Columbia College with a degree in journalism. He began his career working for radio stations in Iowa, Indiana and Washington, D.C. He has also worked covering the NFL, MLB, NBA, golf, and the Olympic Games. Roberts was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2016.