Sportscaster Bob Barry Sr. to retire from OU play-by-play after 50 years

Bob Barry Sr., radio play-by-play voice of the Oklahoma Sooners, announced Aug. 31 that his 50th year announcing Division I sports will be his last. The 79-year-old Barry plans to retire after these current football and men's basketball seasons.

"It's time," he said. "I had been thinking about it for a couple years and kind of pointing toward this year as my last. The time just felt right. I've been so fortunate and so lucky to have the job I've had."

Barry first announced OU's football and basketball action from 1961-72. Barry called University of Tulsa basketball during the 1973-74 season, then worked Oklahoma State's football and basketball games from 1973-90. He returned to the OU microphone in 1991, spending the last 20 years there. He also was a longtime sportscaster on KFOR-TV 4, before retiring there two years ago.

He has been named Oklahoma Sportscaster of the Year 15 times. He was inducted into the Journalism Hall of Fame in 1998, as well as the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

"Bob Barry is an Oklahoma treasure," Joe Castiglione, OU vice president for intercollegiate athletics and athletics director, said. "Over this extraordinary era, millions of people have become familiar with our program and grown to love it more because of Bob's work and his fan-friendly style of describing the action."

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