The voice of University of Hawaii baseball is being succeeded by the voice of UH sports.

Jim Leahey, who narrated telecasts of UH sports at KFVE and then OC Sports for four decades, will be the radio play-by-play announcer for Rainbow Warrior baseball games this season, according to Mike Kelly, president/general manager of KKEA 1420-AM and KHKA 1500-AM.

Leahey, 74, replaces Don Robbs, who retired the past May after announcing UH baseball games for 40 years.

“When Don Robbs retired, we talked a lot about who was going to take his place,” Kelly said. “We had a list of people. Don was real helpful in that. Jim was on that list. “

Kelly said Scott Robbs, Don Robbs’ son, will be the color analyst for home broadcasts.

“It’s a real nice combination,” Kelly said.

Mel Proctor will be the play-by-play announcer for road broadcasts.

“Mel might not be as legendary as Jim and Don, but he had quite a national career,” Kelly said. “He started here doing the (Hawaii) Islanders. He’s the only guy I know who got married at the Columbia Inn.”

Leahey welcomes a return to the radio booth. His father, Chuck Leahey, was a pioneer in Hawaii broadcasting. His son, Kanoa Leahey, is OC Sports’ play-by-play announcer for UH men’s basketball, men’s volleyball and baseball games, as well as an announcer for OC 16 on high school sports.

“I was raised on the cusp of the technological leap from radio to television,” said Jim Leahey, who recalled a childhood of listening to radio serials while lying on his living-room floor.

Leahey used to call broadcasts of Hawaii Islanders baseball games at the old Honolulu Stadium, as well as recreations from a radio station atop the Victoria Station restaurant.

“It is a terrific opportunity because I can go back and do what I truly believe is the highest form of creativity in broadcasting, and that is doing it on radio,” Leahey said. “You are doing it for people who cannot see it. It is your responsibility to describe what is being done so that people who are listening can enjoy it and see it and live the same emotions that you are living. On television, you enhance the picture. The picture is already there. But in radio, you provide the picture.”