Don Robbs, the “Voice of Rainbow Baseball” for more than 40 years, died on January 23 at the age of 88.
Recognized as a pioneer in college baseball broadcasting, Robbs called more than 2,000 games during his legendary career. He will be remembered for bringing to life some of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa baseball program’s greatest moments, including the 1980 College World Series and all 13 of UH‘s NCAA Tournament runs.
A 2015 inductee into the UH Sports Circle of Honor, Robbs was the general manager of KKEA 1420AM, and helped develop a radio partnership with UH Athletics.
Born in 1937 in Minnesota, Robbs moved to Hawaiʻi in the 1960s after serving in the U.S. Army and began working at various TV and radio stations in Honolulu. While working as a broadcaster for KHVH radio in the 1970s, he hosted UH coaches shows and was the play-by-play announcer for the first-ever statewide Rainbow Wahine volleyball broadcast. He emceed many UH athletic banquets and was the host of the UH Sports Circle of Honor induction ceremony.
Robbs began broadcasting Hawaiʻi baseball games in the 1970s and was on the call throughout the program’s rise to national prominence under head coach Les Murakami. He called his final baseball game in 2016, and on March 28, 2024, the Les Murakami Stadium press box was renamed the Robbs Leahey Press Box in honor of him and long-time TV broadcaster Jim Leahey.
Statement from UH Athletics
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Don Robbs, the ‘Voice of Rainbow Baseball’ for over 40 years. You can’t tell the story of Hawaiʻi baseball without talking about Don, who brought the program’s greatest moments to life. Don was more than just a baseball broadcaster, he was a true pioneer who had the vision to bring Rainbow baseball and volleyball to the airwaves and helped connect generations of Hawaiʻi fans with their teams. He was an icon not only at UH, but in the Hawaiʻi sports community as a whole, and has passed the torch to his son, Scott, who continues his legacy today. Our hearts are with the entire Robbs ʻohana at this difficult time.”
