Darrell Aune, Former Oregon State Radio Voice, Passes Away at 83

Before there was Mike Parker, there was Darrell Aune. Read this piece to learn more about an iconic "Voice of the Beavers".

Sep 14, 2024; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers and Oregon Ducks combined bands on the field during pregame at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Late in the second half of a February 12th 1987 matchup with their hated rivals, the 1986-87 Oregon State men's basketball team seemed destined for defeat.

With just :26 remaining, the green & yellow led by 7, with Ducks' guard David Girley at the stripe for a 1-and-1. Moments later, a miss by the Oregon senior, plus makes by Gary Payton, Eric Knox, and Bill Sherwood, lifted Oregon State to an unforgettable 64-63 comeback win.

While the Beavers' fans in attendance stormed MacArthur Court, countless others across the Beaver State heard this iconic line over their radios:

"Holy jumping up and down, Martha! Can you believe this?"

Earlier this week, the man who spoke that phrase into existence - former Oregon State radio announcer Darrell Aune - passed away at 83.

Aune, who began covering Oregon State in 1970, spent decades beside a microphone. His work left a profound impact on a generation of fans, and broadcasters alike.

The legend's first year calling Oregon State games for KEX-AM in Portland coincided with current Oregon Ducks play-by-play voice Jerry Allen beginning his radio career calling now-defunct Medford High School football games in the Rogue Valley. Yesterday, Allen told KATU that Aune's influence aided his career trajectory.

"He’s the one I really learned how to do play by play from,” Allen said. “I’d been doing high school play by play for a number of years, but it wasn’t until I spent time listening to Darrell Aune and talk with him that I learned how to do it, he was the best."

The Joe Beaver Show, a sports talk show on Oregon State's flagship sports radio station in Corvallis KEJO-AM, led yesterday afternoon's broadcast with Aune's memorable call of Ken Simonton's overtime-walkoff touchdown run in the 1998 Civil War.

Their co-host Mike Parker, Aune's successor as the play-by-play voice of Oregon State athletics since the summer of 1999, spoke glowingly of his predecessor.

"There's no other way that we could have opened this. Hearing that gave me chills, as it always has."

Later in the show, former Portland Trail Blazers television announcer Mike Barrett - an Albany native and Oregon State alum - shared his experiences with the Beavers' legend.

"We didn't have games on TV nearly as much as we do now, and so the radio voice was your link to the team. My dad was a basketball coach in Albany, and [he] knew Ralph Miller, so we were always so close to that [Oregon State] program...when I was a student at Oregon State, and I had this little TV talk show on KBVR, I had Darrell on the show, and I worked with him when I was a student assistant at the [Oregon State University] Sports Information department, I remember asking him about all his catchphrases, how he got them, how he came upon them, and Darrell was always so great to talk to, and so open. [He was] so great to give advice."

After Oregon State parted ways with Aune, the eleven-time Oregon Sportscaster of the Year spent many years covering University of Portland men's basketball, NCAA Division III Linfield College football & basketball, and NCAA Division II Western Oregon University football & basketball.

Aune is survived by his wife Catherine, sons David and Brian, and daughter Marilou.