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September 1, 2010

Bob Barry Sr. calling it quits in 2011

By JEFF LATZKE

Associated Press

NORMAN — Bob Barry Sr. announced Tuesday that he plans to retire as the radio play-by-play voice of Oklahoma football and men's basketball after the upcoming season.

Barry has been the radio voice of the Sooners for the last 20 years and he also had a 12-year stint in the job at the beginning of his career. In between, he handled the play-by-play for Tulsa basketball games and then for Oklahoma State football and basketball.

This will be his 50th year calling Division I games in the state.

"Something you love to do your entire life and you're able to do it and get paid for it, it's hard to let go," Barry said. "Really, part of me doesn't want to let go but the other part says, 'It's time.'"

Barry, who will turn 80 in February, said he reached his decision because of health considerations and because he didn't feel his vision allowed him to perform up to his standards.

"You can't quite see as well as you used to, and the press boxes keep getting farther away," he said.

Barry has been the voice of the Sooners since 1991, when he returned for his second stint at the university.

He started out doing football and basketball games at Norman High School and got noticed by Sooners football coach Bud Wilkinson, whose sons attended the school.

"Bud Wilkinson was not only a great football coach," university president David Boren said. "He was very good at selecting the voice of the Sooners."

Barry went through a tryout and was selected as the play-by-play announcer in 1961, holding the job until the team's radio rights changed in 1972.

"Bob is in rarefied air," athletic director Joe Castiglione said. "You don't get a chance to celebrate someone's legacy, don't get a chance to see people stay attached to a team as long as a person did in Bob Barry."

Boren said Barry will continue to handle special projects for the university and do color commentary and pregame shows for the Sooners.

"It simply would not be the same at OU without Bob Barry," Boren said.

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