ABOUT BOB

Born in the small town of Albemarle, North Carolina, Bob Harris was the Voice of Duke football and basketball for more than 41 years.

His Duke sports announcing career spanned 13 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours, 10 championship game appearances and all FIVE NCAA titles. He was at the microphone for 471 consecutive Duke Football games, including the 2015 Pinstripe Bowl game and ACC Football Championship in 2013.

Harris has advised young broadcasters: "Don’t try to be the next somebody. Be the best “your name” that you can be. Listen to all these other broadcasters, listen to the veterans to see how they do things, what they say, how they describe things...I think sometimes the younger people get a little bit antsy. They wanna have it happen now, and it’s not going to. You’ve got to pay your dues."

Photo by Wayne Bumpass, Blue Devil Lair

Sept. 3, 2016 at Wallace Wade Stadium

Since 1975, Duke Men's Basketball fans have had Bob Harris on the radio to be their eyes. From "The SHOT!" "They throw it the length of the floor... Laettner catches, comes down, dribbles… Shoots… Scores! ... Christian Laettner has hit the bucket at the buzzer! The Blue Devils win it 104 to 103. Look out Minneapolis! Here come the Blue Devils!" to every home game from The Crow's Nest and away game in hostile territories, Bob Harris has been the Voice of the Duke Blue Devils... calling more than 1,200 Duke basketball games. For 41 years, Bob Harris has been the Voice of the Duke Blue Devils... calling more than 1,200 Duke basketball games.

Duke Football...the 2013 Duke Football season set many records including the first 10-win season, playing for the conference championship and consecutive bowl appearances as the Blue Devils played New Years Eve in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Since 1975, Bob has never missed a Duke Football Broadcast and has called more than 420 consecutive Duke football games in his career. Bob is entering his fifth decade in radio sportscasting.

Bob will be honored Dec 1 & 2 at the ACC Football Championship Game in Charlotte as Duke’s Football Legend for 2017

PHYLLIS’ Thoughts on Bob’s career:

We started dating in August, 1961 and I had never watched a football game in person. That was about to change when Bobby was a sophomore at NC State.

It was Homecoming Day, Bobby gave me a corsage, and he sat with me at the NC State/South Carolina game explaining that whole game to me. That night was a formal dance at State and from then on, I was hooked. What an experience! I actually wished that I would get to see more games with Bobby but little did I know that I would attend 50 years of games. Whew....you better watch what you wish for.... sometimes those wishes come true. It’s been a great life. Bob made it great and I still get a chill when we attend a Homecoming game at Duke each year.

Yes, in those early years in Albemarle, our entire family would go to each and every game with Bob and we learned to love sports during those years. We went early and stayed late...that’s the schedule you keep in radio broadcasting. I wonder how many hours I’ve spent waiting for the game to start or waiting to leave after each game. Somebody should add up those hours someday. But it’s been a great life.

Frankly I don’t know what we would have done if it were not for sports broadcasting. I’m sure our lives would have been boring so I’m very happy we had the great experience along the way.

We have surely been blessed.

Phyllis Harris