Veteran sports broadcaster Tony Roberts, best known for his 26-year tenure as the voice of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, passed away on August 25 in Gainesville, VA. He was 94 years old. The cause of death was not disclosed by his son, Lance Roberts, who mentioned that his father had entered hospice care the day before his passing.
Roberts, a Chicago native, launched his broadcasting career in local radio stations in Iowa and Indiana after graduating from Columbia College with a journalism degree. He achieved broader recognition in Washington, DC, where he covered games for the MLB’s Washington Senators and the NBA’s Washington Bullets, now known as the Wizards.
His career with Notre Dame football began in 1980, and he became famous for his signature call, “Touchdown, Irish!” One of his most memorable moments came during a game against Michigan, where Notre Dame clinched the win with a 51-yard field goal on the game’s final play, a moment immortalized by Roberts’ enthusiastic commentary.
In addition to his work with Notre Dame, Roberts worked for Mutual Broadcasting, later known as Westwood One, where he covered a variety of sports including the Olympics, NFL, and golf. He is a member of both the National Radio Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
Roberts is survived by his second wife, Shirley Roberts, four children from his first marriage, three stepchildren, a brother, and six grandchildren. No memorial plans have been announced yet.
