After 52 years of calling sports for the Washington State Cougars, iconic broadcaster Bob Robertson has decided to retire, effective immediately.
“I’ve been with the Cougars a lot of years, more than half a century, calling basketball, football for the fans around the Northwest and elsewhere around the country and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Robertson said via the video above. “It’s been great to be with you Cougars at your meetings and get-togethers, and I hope we can do it again and I’m sure we will.
“But as of this moment, I’ve now asked the athletic department at Washington State University to list me as a retired, former sportscaster for the Cougars. It is a matter of getting old, is what it is. Everything seems to move a lot faster around me, I move more slowly. I hope to see you soon; I’m not going to go away. I like Washington State people and the school itself too much to do that. But I am going to be on the retired list, starting immediately.”
Robertson was the play-by-play voice of the football program from 1964-2011, known for his enthusiastic “Touchdown Washington State!” and signature sign off, “Always be a good sport, be a good sport all ways.” He spent the past seven years as an analyst on the broadcast, and at one point, he made 568 consecutive broadcast appearances as the distinctly recognizable voice of the Cougs.
You can read WSU’s full release here, which includes a lengthy list of Robertson’s accomplishments, which include 12 sportscaster of the year awards in Washington state.
I’m sure Bob will get a proper send off from the booth in the near future. For now, share your favorite memories of his broadcasts below.