The voice of Auburn passes away

AUBURN | The voice of the Auburn Tigers has passed away.

Rod Bramblett, who was recently honored along with Andy Burcham for their 25 years as the play-by-play announcers for Auburn baseball, was killed Saturday evening along with his wife, Paula, in a two-car accident near campus.

Bramblett, who has also served as the lead announcer for Auburn football and men’s basketball since 2003, has called some of the biggest games and most iconic plays in Auburn history. He was named the Alabama State Broadcaster of the Year in 2006, 2010 and 2013, and the National Broadcaster of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 2013.

Some of Bramblett’s most revered calls include the 1997 Tallahassee Regional when pinch-hitter David Ross hit a walk-off home run against Florida State, Cadillac Williams’ 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of the 2003 Iron Bowl and the unforgettable Kick Six when Chris Davis returned a missed field goal 109 yards for the winning touchdown in the 2013 Iron Bowl.

He called Auburn’s 2010 national championship win over Oregon to end a 53-year drought and Auburn’s first ever Final Four appearance earlier this year.

A 1988 Auburn University graduate in political science, Bramblett began his broadcasting career in Lanett, Ala., working part-time at WZZZ/WCJM radio stations while attending Auburn. From there he went on to work in Auburn at WAUD from 1989-1991 and then again from 1993-1996. It was at that time he did play-by-play for Lee-Scott Academy and Auburn High School athletics. In the one year away from WAUD he worked in Morristown, Tenn., for two different radio stations where he served as the play-by-play voice of Morristown West High School football.

Paula and Rod Bramblett are survived by their children, Shelby and Joshua.