Sports world mourns death of legendary Arkansas sportswriter Bob Holt

The sports world is mourning the death of legendary Arkansas sportswriter Bob Holt, who passed away late Wednesday night at the age of 65.

Holt’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette colleague Wally Hall confirmed the news on X.

“Bob Holt, one of the last great true Journalist passed at 10:38 tonight,” Hall wrote. “Ironically the doctor on duty was a former Razorback baseball player. Bob was an amazing person. Kindest most gentle man in the world, always lifting people up and helping them.”

A native of Missouri, Holt has been a staple of the Arkansas sports scene for the past four decades. After graduating from the University of Missouri, he began covering Razorbacks athletics in 1981 and went on to develop a cult-like following among fans and media members alike thanks to what Alabama.com’s Michael Casagrande described as his “folksy midwest charm and aggressive interviewing methods.”

If you’ve attended or watched an SEC Media Days before, you’re likely familiar with Holt, who once famously asked Nick Saban if he can control the weather. He had reportedly been hospitalized in recent days, prompting Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari to call for prayers for “one of the good guys in this profession.”

Holt’s final byline came following the Razorbacks football team’s loss to his alma mater, Missouri, on Saturday.

As news of Holt’s death spread across social media on Thursday morning, many responded with tributes and memories of the four-time Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year.

And that’s just a fraction of the tributes that are out there.

Whether it’s his colleagues or the people who Holt covered, everyone seems to have a lasting memory and nothing but kind things to say about him. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and many, many fans.