Jim Leahey, the voice of UH sports for six decades, dies at 80

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Jim Leahey, the voice for University of Hawaii sports for over 60 years, has died, his family confirmed. He was 80 years old.

His family issued the following statement:

“Today we lost the patriarch of our family. A man known by his supreme talents for storytelling, an unrelenting passion for Hawaii and the teams and athletes that represent it, and a lifelong love for the craft of sports broadcasting. Jim Leahey was also a loyal and loving husband, father and grandfather who placed his family and his faith above all. He took tremendous pride in supplying the narration for some of the University of Hawaii’s greatest athletic achievements, and cherished seeing the community come together, united, to root for the home team. We thank everyone for their well wishes and support at this mournful time. As our dad would always say to close his broadcasts, malama pono kekahi i kekahi.”

Leahey is survived by his wife Toni, three children and one grandchild. Services are pending.

Leahey officially began his decades-long involvement with UH as the announcer for the inaugural Rainbow Classic in 1964.

He often joined his father, Chuck Leahey, who was also a longtime sports broadcaster, in the radio booth.

Jim Leahey then took over play-by-play duties in 1973.

In a career that that saw him appear on both television and radio, Leahey appeared on KGMB, KIKI, KHNL, KITV, KHET and cable over the past few decades.

Leahey, who provided commentary over 1,000 games in his broadcasting career, witnessed some of UH’s greatest athletic achievements across all sports.

His voice become synonymous with Hawaii athletics, and his impact on radio and television broadcasting went far beyond the world of sports.

Leahey was inducted into the University of Hawaii’s Sports Circle of Honor in 2016 and retired in 2018 at age 75.

His son, Kanoa, continued his legacy as a sportscaster, often working with his father. Together, they hosted a TV sports talk show called “Leahey & Leahey” for nearly a decade.

Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.