R.I.A Jim Leahey, colleague, friend and ‘Cuz’

The Star-Advertiser summed it up best on breaking news today.

Jim Leahey, an eloquent and ever-present voice synonymous with Hawaii sportscasting for nearly 60 years, died this morning after a long illness.

+++++

I knew things weren’t good when speaking with Pal Eldredge on Jan. 15. He told me “Jimmy” was in Leahi Hospital and wasn’t having visitors. Sadly, I suggested to the Star-Advertiser sports editor Curtis Murayama that the paper perhaps start working on an obituary.

On Jan. 22, at the UH men’s volleyball fundraiser, had a chance to chat with Jim’s son Kanoa. Asked how his dad was doing, but also how his mom Toni was.. And, of course, how he was doing.

The sports media community was a lot tighter back in the 80s when I was first hired by the Star-Bulletin. The sports staffs of the papers, radio and the up-and-coming TV types often socialized.

As we like to say, “Back in the Day” ….

The first time I met Jim Leahey was  in October 1981 during the week UH football was playing UNLV (homecoming). UH SID Eddie Inouye would bring the head football coach (and SID) to Columbia Inn to meet with the Hawai’i media. On that particular occasion, Star-Bulletin sports editor Bill Kwon thought it was a great idea to bring me along to the luncheon and get introduced to the rest of the local sports media peeps.

He introduced me to Ferd Lewis of the Advertiser and Leahey saying, “Hey, we got another Portagee on the staff.” (the SB also had Paul Carvalho).

So Jim and Ferd and I eventually got together at the end of the table to talk. Ended up Leahey’s grandmother was a Luis from Madeira (where my grandparents were from) and Ferd’s name originally was Luis but changed to Lewis when his family came from the Azores.

Kwon came over and said, “Typical Portagee. You’re going to sit around for an hour to talk about who you might be related to and people you don’t know but might.”

But it is so true.

At least in Jim’s case, we were related. And we always greeted each other after that as, “Cuz.” Or Pariente (relative). Of course we pronounced it Padent which is how we grew up saying it.

At the Jan. 22 UH function, I told that story as well as another to those at Kanoa’s table. Jim was the first person outside my family to know I was pregnant. We were at a luncheon to introduce the new UH Hilo basketball coach (think Bob Wilson) and Jim says to me, “You’re hapai.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact. i was about 3 months and not showing.

I asked how did he know. He said, “Because I know the glow.”

We had great times on road trips, especially UH men’s basketball and UH baseball. We had great times on press row at Blaisdell and the SSC. We had great times up in the press box at Rainbow Stadium. He and Pal used to tease me about my scorebook, which I kept in pen. “Oh, so neat, da scorebook.”

I am blessed to have such great memories of Jim. I regret we won’t make more.

Rest in Aloha, Cuz. Rest in Amar, Padent.

 

3 Comments

  1. I loved listening to him call the volleyball matches. Near the end of his on-air career, many criticized him, saying that he wasn’t keeping up with the flow of the matches. But he remained my favorite, as always. He had a way of making every play an interesting story. And when UH pulled off the big upsets…no one else better to call it. He contributed so much to UH Athletics. I will miss him very much…

  2. You may not make anymore new memories, but you are envied for the memories you were able to make with Jim Leahey. May God Bless you, your ohana and the Leahey Ohana. Have fun in the announcer’s booth in the sky, Jim!

Comments are closed.