Arkansas Sports Reporter Bob Holt Dies at 65 — Details on His Cause of Death

The sports journalism community is grieving the loss of Bob Holt, a respected reporter covering Arkansas sports. His death was confirmed in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) by Wally Hall, a sports columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Holt was 65 years old.

"Bob was an amazing person," Wally Hall wrote in his tribute. "Kindest, most gentle man in the world, always lifting people up and helping them."

So, what happened? Here's what we know so far about the circumstances surrounding Bob Holt's passing, including the cause of his death.

At the time of writing, the cause of Bob Holt's death has not been disclosed. While details remain scarce, we will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates as more information becomes available.

In his social media dedication, Wally Hall shared that Bob passed away just after 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. He also noted a striking detail: The "doctor on duty was a former Razorback baseball player." This fact carries a special resonance, given that Bob spent more than four decades covering the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, a sports program he held dear as a proud Arkansan.

After graduating from the University of Missouri's renowned journalism school, Bob Holt began his career covering the University of Arkansas Razorbacks athletics — a position he would hold for the entirety of his distinguished career.

Throughout his life, Bob earned numerous accolades for his work. He was named Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year four times and was inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame.

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Bob was also a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America and served on the board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Additionally, he was a voter for both the Heisman Trophy and the AP Top 25 basketball poll.

Since the news of Bob Holt's passing broke, an outpouring of sweet tributes has poured in from across the sports world. One of the first to offer condolences was Hunter Yurachek, the vice chancellor and director of athletics at the University of Arkansas.

"We are saddened to hear the news of the loss of longtime Arkansas sportswriter Bob Holt," Hunter wrote on December 5. "Bob was the consummate journalist who helped tell the stories of Razorback student-athletes, coaches, and fans to millions of readers across our state and beyond for four decades."

Hunter added, "His never-ending curiosity was genuine and allowed him to be inquisitive in a way that would allow him to get to the heart of any topic. Bob will be missed by many in our Razorback Family, throughout the Southeastern Conference and within collegiate athletics. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and all those who had the pleasure of knowing him."

In a particularly touching moment, just one day before Bob's passing, first-year Arkansas head men's basketball coach John Calipari addressed Bob's reported health issues during his postgame press conference following the Razorbacks' win over Miami.

"One of our beat writers, Bob Holt, … I don't know if my prayers will help, but I know they don't hurt," he said. "And I'd tell everybody, just pray a nice prayer for Bob Holt — one of the good guys in this profession. Literally, you think about a good man, that's who he is. So it's a sad day for all Arkansas fans in our state."

Our thoughts are with Bob's family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.