Long-time Denver sports talk radio host Irv Brown passed away on Sunday morning at the age of 83.
Locally, several people who knew and worked with Brown took to social media to share their thoughts.
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’s career began at KHOW and spanned four decades, much of it with Joe Williams as part of the “Irv and Joe” show. Despite retiring in 2016, Brown continued to join Williams weekly on his radio show on Mile High Sports. Brown spent years coaching baseball, basketball and football at Arvada High School and officiated numerous NCAA Final Fours.
I was at @MileHighSports the first time I met Irv Brown. He asked who I was during a break. A new weekend host I told him. He immediately brought me on his show w/@TFrei and let me promote my program to his listeners. Absolute class act. Local legend no doubt.
— JGoRadio 🇺🇦 (@JGoRadio) February 3, 2019
“I can safely say that without Irv Brown, there would be no Mile High Sports,” said Mile High Sports co-founder and Editor in Chief, Doug Ottewill. “He was one of the first people who agreed to be a part of our very first advisory board, and someone I could go to for anything – advice, introductions, or just words of encouragement.
“Early on, I’d lead a lot of conversations with ‘Irv Brown said to give you a call.’ That was all you ever needed to get in the door. That’s just the kind of guy Irv was – everyone loved him. I’m going to miss him.”
In 1997, Brown was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
This one is tough. Irv taught me so much about radio, how to be a good man and treat people right. RIP to one of the greatest men I ever met. https://t.co/aCb4XUdKUg
— Josh Dover (@JoshuaDover) February 3, 2019
“A Denver legend and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame inductee who covered the Broncos, and all sports, during an incredible four-decade career,” wrote Broncos Executive Vice President of Public and Community Relations Patrick Smyth on Twitter Sunday morning. “Irv was an all-time great in the sports landscape. There truly was nothing like ‘The Irv and Joe Show’ and he will be missed by many.”