The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Athletics Department has officially dedicated the Les Murakami Stadium Press Box to two voices who were synonymous with Hawaiʻi baseball for decades: legendary broadcasters Don Robbs and Jim Leahey.
A ceremony recognizing the dedication of the Robbs Leahey Press Box was held prior to the start of the March 28 game against UC Irvine. Robbs was recognized on the field along with his son, Scott, and Leahey’s son, Kanoa—both of whom are current UH broadcasters. Legendary head coach Les Murakami was also present for the ceremony.
Along with the renaming will come planned improvements to the press box in the coming years, made possible by gifts from Duane Kurisu, and retired UH Athletics Director David Matlin and his wife Dana.
“We are excited to be able to honor two icons of the broadcast booth,” said Director of Athletics Craig Angelos. “Don and Jim brought to life so many great moments throughout the history of our baseball program and this dedication, along with the planned upgrades will ensure that the legacy of their work lives on for a very long time.”
Robbs, recognized as a pioneer in college baseball broadcasting, called more than 2,000 games over a 40-plus year career as the “Voice of Rainbow Baseball.” He was on the call for many of the program’s signature moments, including the 1980 College World Series and all 13 of UH’s NCAA Tournament runs. Robbs was also the general manager of KKEA 1420AM and developed a radio partnership with UH Athletics. A 2015 inductee into the UH Sports Circle of Honor, Robbs called his final Rainbow Baseball game in 2016.
Leahey, known as “The Voice” of UH Athletics for more than 40 years, spent decades broadcasting Hawaiʻi baseball on both radio and television. He officially began broadcasting games on TV in 1984, working for KGMB, and later KFVE and OCSports. Leahey was known for his iconic and colorful calls of some of the program’s biggest moments. A 2016 inductee into the UH Sports Circle of Honor, Leahey passed away on January 30, 2023.
