Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
Harry Donahue, 77, a longtime KYW Newsradio anchor and play-by-play voice for Temple University men’s basketball and football for decades, has died after a fight with cancer, the station said on Wednesday. He was a voice that generations of people in Philadelphia and beyond grew up with in the mornings as they listened for announcements about snow days and then later for a wide array of sports. With the announcement also on Wednesday of the death of Pierre Robert, the longtime WMMR radio host, some reactions on social media said the news was sadder with the loss of two Philadelphia legends. KYW Newsradio said Donahue joined the station as a freelancer in 1974 and became an anchor in 1979. He was the station’s voice for the morning drive and sports until he retired in 2014. Temple Athletics also posted a statement about Donahue’s passing, saying that he had served as the voice of Temple football and men’s basketball for parts of five decades. Donahue began working on select football games for the radio with Temple Athletics starting in 1984, and then expanded to men’s basketball in 1987 for games broadcast on Channel 17. He returned to Temple football in 1993 and later was the regular play-by-play voice for men’s basketball. Kevin Kopp, who now performs the Internet radio play-by-play duties for Temple football and men’s basketball through Van Wagner, a sports entertainment agency, posted a tribute on social media to Donahue. “Before I even knew his name, Harry Donahue was one of the voices of my childhood. Every snow day morning was spent with the living room radio tuned to KYW hoping to hear “307” called and have the day off from school,” said Kopp, who also works for Temple as an associate athletic director for video production. In a phone interview, Kopp said he took over radio broadcasting from Donahue in 2021, though Donahue continued to work on men’s basketball home games for ESPN+. “I feel a responsibility every time I’m referred to as the ‘Voice of the Temple Owls’ to live up to the standard Harry set,” Kopp wrote. Donahue grew up in the city’s Olney section and was stricken with polio at the age of 2 and spent a month lying in a bed in Philadelphia’s Municipal Hospital, he recalled in 2020 at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. He endured surgeries and spent two years in leg braces, but afterward he was committed to leading an active life with the encouragement of his parents, he said. Donahue attended St. Joseph’s Prep, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and St. Joseph’s University, according to the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia wesbite. He had a wide-ranging career that included providing play-by-play for the Philadelphia Stars, a team that was part of of the USFL, a short-lived rival to the NFL during the 1980s. He worked 15 years at NFL Films and did play-by-play for the Eagles pre-season games on KYW-TV. He also did telecasts of 76ers games. Donahue’s voice was featured in the 2006 movie Invincible about football fan Vince Papale joining the Eagles during the 1970s. Papale, who worked with Donahue calling games on the radio for the Stars, recommended Donahue for the movie as the voice of the play-by-play announcer. In 2010, he began hosting Inside Golf, a local weekly TV show. Arthur Johnson, athletic director at Temple, said in a statement that Donahue “was more than the voice of Temple Athletics — he was the heartbeat of our community." Johnson added: “For decades, his passion, professionalism, and love for the Owls brought our football and men’s basketball programs to life for countless fans. His storytelling connected generations of Temple students, alumni, and supporters, and his legacy will forever echo through our university. On behalf of Temple Athletics, we extend our deepest condolences to Harry’s family, friends, and all who were touched by his remarkable career.” In June, Donahue spoke with Dave Uram, who now covers sports for KYW Newsradio, and recalled the famous quote by baseball legend Lou Gehrig about being the “luckiest man on the face of this earth.” Donahue said: “Well, that’s how I felt for all those years, even when [the Philadelphia teams] were losing. ... As a reporter, as somebody who covered those teams, it was special — win, lose, or draw."
