Bobby Curran, the celebrated radio voice of the University of Hawaii (UH) football and basketball for almost three decades, died at 69 on Sunday at St. Francis Hospice.
Bobby Curran wasn’t just a broadcaster but a part of the Hawaii sports family. Curran’s journey in broadcasting began in the early 1990s at KGU, where he pioneered Hawaii’s first sports talk show.
For decades, fans tuned in to hear his voice calling the games. He knew the teams inside and out and shared his love for UH sports with everyone.
He graduated with an English degree in 1987. The Long Island, N.Y. native worked at KGU, the Honolulu Star Bulletin, and Compadre’s Restaurant.
Over his 30-year career, he called over 400 football games and countless basketball games. His last game was a UH men’s basketball against Cal State Bakersfield on March 9, 2024. UH won that game by 17 points.
People who knew Bobby say he cared about Hawaii and its sports teams. He knew the players and coaches, told their stories, and made fans feel part of the action.
The University of Hawaii said he was a “storyteller and magician behind the microphone,” adding that his voice was a familiar sound for UH football and basketball.
Rest in Aloha Bobby. You'll be forever missed. 🎙️
— Hawaii Athletics (@HawaiiAthletics) March 10, 2025
➡️ https://t.co/lCdpuDgZl4 pic.twitter.com/gZ0yYam8MD
Hawaii Athletics tweeted that Bobby was so much more than just a voice; he was respected by players and coaches and beloved by his listeners.
Hawaii Athletics said Bobby was more than just a voice and that players, coaches, and fans loved him.
Additionally, a person posted a status in memory of Bobby, stating,
“RIP Bobby Curran. You were one of the guys that played a role in my early days in radio. We had lots of fun back then. Bobby was a trailblazer, hosting Hawaii’s first sports talk radio show on KGU in the early 90s. Along with 30 years as the radio voice of UH sports.
Via Facebook
It’s been a rough start to 2025 for the local sports broadcast community. My dad in January, Lad Panis last month and now Bobby. Rest easy my friend!’
Another posted on Facebook,
“Rest in Aloha, Bobby 🤍 Thank you for being one of the OG supporters of me doing this sports talk thing and for continuing that support even when we were no longer part of the same brand.”
Via Facebook
Bobby Was Named Hawai’i Sportscaster Of The Year Six Times By The National Sports Media Association
In November 2022, Curran underwent a double-lung transplant in Phoenix to remedy life-threatening emphysema.
He recovered in time to witness his son, Finn, graduate from Mid-Pacific Institute and returned to the airwaves with some restrictions about eight months later.
He returned to broadcasting with some limitations. Curran stepped away from football broadcasts in 2022 as he dealt with health issues leading to his lung transplant.
Low blood sugar incidents caused him to retire from men’s basketball duties by the end of the 2023-2024 season and from his longtime morning program, The Bobby Curran Show, shortly thereafter.
His wife, Jo McGarry Curran, said Bobby was “peaceful and resting. No pain and just reflections on a life he loved — made joyful by UH sports and the community you all created together.“
Bobby Curran was inducted into the UH Sports Circle of Honor in 2023 and named Hawaii’s Sportscaster of the Year six times.
Curran will be missed by many. He leaves behind his wife, Jo, and their two sons, Max and Finn.
A private cremation ceremony will be held, with a celebration of life to follow at Murphy’s Bar & Grill on a date to be determined.
Curran’s legacy as a broadcasting icon and his contributions to the University of Hawaii and the local sports community will be remembered for years.
