Bob Harris (sportscaster)
Encyclopedia
Bob Harris, the "Voice of the Blue Devils
" is a Hall of Fame-inducted play-by-play announcer for Duke University
men's basketball
and football
teams.
Born in 1942,Harris grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina
. Beginning in 1960, Harris attended North Carolina State University
for two years before leaving college to work for Goodyear
. He later returned to his hometown for a job selling insurance, where he began working part-time for WZKY
, in 1967. Harris volunteered to provide coverage of local football for the station, which led to him being hired as a full-time sports announcer, as well as sports director for eight years.
In 1975, Harris and his family relocated to Durham where Harris had been offered a sales job on WDNC
. A week later, he was hosting a sports talk show. Eventually, he served as color commentator to then-Duke sportcaster, Add Penfield
, broadcasting Duke football and basketball games. When Penfield experienced health problems, Harris filled in. Penfield retired in the spring of 1976, opening the door for Harris to become the "Voice of the Blue Devils" beginning with the 1976 football season.
Over the course of more than 36 football and basketball seasons, Harris has broadcast about 1,200 Duke basketball
games and more than 400 Duke football games, including twelve Final Four
games, nine championship games and four NCAA titles. Many of the broadcasts originated from the so-called "crows' nest" in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium
. Nationally, Harris is best known for his play-by-play of Christian Laettner
's buzzer beater
in Duke's victory over the University of Kentucky
in the 1992 East Regional
of the NCAA Basketball Tournament
, as his description is heard with the video footage more often than that of the television commentators:
Harris was inducted into the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
In December, 2010, Harris published his autobiography,"How Sweet It Is!: From the Cotton Mill to the Crows' Nest", recounting his 35 year career as the "Voice of the Blue Devils". He has been courtside to witness all four of Duke's National Championship wins.
Harris devotes one entire chapter in his book to “The Shot,” the 1992 Duke/Kentucky basketball game in the NCAA Tournament made famous by Christian Laettner’s buzzer-beating shot to lift the Devils to the Final Four. Included with the book is an 80-minute CD that features some of Harris’ legendary interviews, including Muhammad Ali and Red Skelton, along with famous radio calls like “The Shot.” .
The book, which Harris spent five years writing, was scheduled for a March 2010 release, but delayed until December.
"It was all set to be released, but then Duke won another national championship." Harris said, "So I had to add another chapter for obvious reasons."
Harris is active in book signings, often for the benefit of charities. He participated in a "red carpet book signing event" for Pantry, Inc. as part of their "Battle for Bean Street" competition, with the prize being a $20,000 corporate donation to the Duke Cancer Institute. Recently, Harris partnered with Kangeroo Express to host "Salute Our Troops", a fundraiser that raised $2.5 million in support of military service men and women. Reflecting on the retirement of a fellow broadcaster, Harris had this to say: "As long as my health is good and as long as my passion is still there for the games, the broadcasts and the kids, and as long as I'm still doing the job that Duke needs and wants me to do, I really don't want to retire anytime soon because I have fun doing it".
Says, Harris, "I don't want to rust away. I want to wear out.”
On Oct. 15, 2011 Harris celebrated his 400th consecutive Duke Football radio broadcast. “It just means that the good Lord has given me good health for 36 plus years and enabled me to be there,” says Harris. “It was not something that I had as a goal. I’m so happy that I’ve got a job like mine and I get to do something that I love.” During his football career, Harris has worked with nine coaches, has called plays for All-Americas and future NFL players and has stayed upbeat through four winless seasons. After 400 games, Harris maintains there is still an element of excitement to this work. “A Saturday afternoon in Wallace Wade Stadium in late October is just as exciting to me as a Wednesday night in February in Cameron Indoor Stadium,” says Harris.
Lewis Bowling, respected author and teacher at N.C. Central University and Duke University, declares that Harris is "a favorite among fans, and Duke athletes through the years have looked to this affable man as a father figure and friend. With Bob Harris' voice in Duke fans' ears, many of us can say to him, "How sweet it is!".
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
" is a Hall of Fame-inducted play-by-play announcer for Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
teams.
Born in 1942,Harris grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle is the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina. The population was 15,680 at the 2000 census. It is governed by Mayor Elbert L. "Whit" Whitley, Jr...
. Beginning in 1960, Harris attended North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
for two years before leaving college to work for Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
. He later returned to his hometown for a job selling insurance, where he began working part-time for WZKY
WZKY
WZKY is a radio station licensed to serve Albemarle, North Carolina, USA. The station is owned by Stanly Communications.WZKY broadcasts an oldies music format that includes programming from the Classic Hits network by ABC Radio....
, in 1967. Harris volunteered to provide coverage of local football for the station, which led to him being hired as a full-time sports announcer, as well as sports director for eight years.
In 1975, Harris and his family relocated to Durham where Harris had been offered a sales job on WDNC
WDNC (AM)
WDNC is a Sports Talk radio station licensed to Durham, North Carolina but based in Raleigh, North Carolina with a frequency of 620 AM. WDNC and branded 620 the Buzz and is affiliated with the ESPN Radio Network...
. A week later, he was hosting a sports talk show. Eventually, he served as color commentator to then-Duke sportcaster, Add Penfield
Add Penfield
Add Penfield, a pioneer in North Carolina sports radio, was the original radio "Voice of the Blue Devils".A native of Meriden, Connecticut, Penfield moved to North Carolina to become a Duke University student in 1938...
, broadcasting Duke football and basketball games. When Penfield experienced health problems, Harris filled in. Penfield retired in the spring of 1976, opening the door for Harris to become the "Voice of the Blue Devils" beginning with the 1976 football season.
Over the course of more than 36 football and basketball seasons, Harris has broadcast about 1,200 Duke basketball
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
games and more than 400 Duke football games, including twelve Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
games, nine championship games and four NCAA titles. Many of the broadcasts originated from the so-called "crows' nest" in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium is an indoor arena located on the West Campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. It is home to the Duke Blue Devils men's and women's basketball teams, the women's volleyball team, and the men's wrestling team....
. Nationally, Harris is best known for his play-by-play of Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
's buzzer beater
Buzzer beater
In basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken just before the game clock of a period expires, when the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that win or tie the game, but also refers to shots that beat an end-of-quarter or halftime buzzer...
in Duke's victory over the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in the 1992 East Regional
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
of the NCAA Basketball Tournament
1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
, as his description is heard with the video footage more often than that of the television commentators:
Harris was inducted into the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
In December, 2010, Harris published his autobiography,"How Sweet It Is!: From the Cotton Mill to the Crows' Nest", recounting his 35 year career as the "Voice of the Blue Devils". He has been courtside to witness all four of Duke's National Championship wins.
Harris devotes one entire chapter in his book to “The Shot,” the 1992 Duke/Kentucky basketball game in the NCAA Tournament made famous by Christian Laettner’s buzzer-beating shot to lift the Devils to the Final Four. Included with the book is an 80-minute CD that features some of Harris’ legendary interviews, including Muhammad Ali and Red Skelton, along with famous radio calls like “The Shot.” .
The book, which Harris spent five years writing, was scheduled for a March 2010 release, but delayed until December.
"It was all set to be released, but then Duke won another national championship." Harris said, "So I had to add another chapter for obvious reasons."
Harris is active in book signings, often for the benefit of charities. He participated in a "red carpet book signing event" for Pantry, Inc. as part of their "Battle for Bean Street" competition, with the prize being a $20,000 corporate donation to the Duke Cancer Institute. Recently, Harris partnered with Kangeroo Express to host "Salute Our Troops", a fundraiser that raised $2.5 million in support of military service men and women. Reflecting on the retirement of a fellow broadcaster, Harris had this to say: "As long as my health is good and as long as my passion is still there for the games, the broadcasts and the kids, and as long as I'm still doing the job that Duke needs and wants me to do, I really don't want to retire anytime soon because I have fun doing it".
Says, Harris, "I don't want to rust away. I want to wear out.”
On Oct. 15, 2011 Harris celebrated his 400th consecutive Duke Football radio broadcast. “It just means that the good Lord has given me good health for 36 plus years and enabled me to be there,” says Harris. “It was not something that I had as a goal. I’m so happy that I’ve got a job like mine and I get to do something that I love.” During his football career, Harris has worked with nine coaches, has called plays for All-Americas and future NFL players and has stayed upbeat through four winless seasons. After 400 games, Harris maintains there is still an element of excitement to this work. “A Saturday afternoon in Wallace Wade Stadium in late October is just as exciting to me as a Wednesday night in February in Cameron Indoor Stadium,” says Harris.
Lewis Bowling, respected author and teacher at N.C. Central University and Duke University, declares that Harris is "a favorite among fans, and Duke athletes through the years have looked to this affable man as a father figure and friend. With Bob Harris' voice in Duke fans' ears, many of us can say to him, "How sweet it is!".
External links
- Bob Harris' entry in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
- Bob Harris website
- WRAL Anchor Bill Leslie interviews Bob Harris
- "My Carolina Today" host Valonda Calloway discusses the Bean St. Charity promotion and Bob's book