DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 19: The Denver Broncos run an offensive play against the Cincinnati Bengals in a general view as the sun sets at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on November 19, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)The world of sports broadcasting lost one of its true legends today following the passing of longtime Colorado sports personality Irv Brown at the age of 83.
As iconic face in the city of Denver and the state of Colorado, Brown served as an NCAA basketball referee, a coach in baseball, basketball, and football, as well as a radio personality for over 40 years.
Working alongside Joe Williams, Brown co-hosted the popular “The Irv and Joe Show” on Mile High Sports Radio for 25 years until his retirement in 2016.
Per FOX Denver, Brown coached three sports at Arveda High School, baseball at the University of Colorado, and baseball at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
We lost a Colorado icon today. Irv Brown – coach, ref, radio/TV raconteur. He worked for ESPN before it became the world leader. He practically invented sports talk radio here in Denver. He knew EVERYBODY. He helped EVERYBODY.
We are forever indebted my friend. pic.twitter.com/MMSLhnnVrR
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) February 3, 2019
Brown also served as a basketball analyst for ESPN.
Per Benjamin Albright, he was also the color commentator for ESPN’s first-ever college football broadcast, pitting Oregon against Colorado.
Irv Brown, he was a legend.
Pioneered sport talk radio in the 70's, coached baseball at Colorado, refereed six NCAA Final Fours, was the color guy for the first broadcast of college football on ESPN (Oregon/Colorado), an NBA analyst for ESPN & a baseball exec.
RIP pic.twitter.com/JdDjRpiIZE
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 3, 2019
Among Brown’s accomplishments as a referee are the six Final Fours that he officiated, as well as five NCAA championship games.
He oversaw three of John Wooden’s NCAA title wins with UCLA, and the 1976 title game between Indiana and Michigan, where the Hoosiers won 86-68, capping off a 32-0 season that remains the last undefeated NCAA title winner.
In 1997, Brown was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
