Hall of Fame
A fixture at ETSU athletic events for more than two decades, John Cathey served as sports information director at East Tennessee State for 25 years. A 1951 graduate of Jacksonville State University in Alabama, Cathey came to ETSU in 1969 from the Greenville News in Greenville, S.C. In his career, Cathey witnessed over 700 basketball games, and worked 271 consecutive football contests; a streak that still ranks 5th in the nation among retired sports information directors. A Korean War veteran in the U.S. Air Force, Cathey was known both regionally and nationally for the quality of his work, and was considered a legendary storyteller by his peers. In 1980 the NCAA recognized him for his “outstanding contributions to the success of the 1980 National Collegiate Rifle Championships.” Over his career, Cathey received multiple citations for excellence from College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), and received the College Football Centennial Award of Sports Information Directors. Cathey passed away in 1994, and is survived by his wife Mariel, and three children Leigh, Shannon and Ward.
