John Beatty:
CLASS OF 1958
Hirsch High SchoolClass of 1958
Chicago, IL
Arthur Dixon Elementary SchoolClass of 1954
Chicago, IL
John's Story
Following graduation from Hirsch, my father was transferred to St. Louis which I greatly enjoyed because I'm a big Cardinals, along with the White Sox, fan.
In 1962, I graduated from Michigan State University and then served two years as a U.S. Army lieutenant with a branch assignment in armor with duty at Ft. Riley, Kansas, and Camp Kaiser, Korea. Was in tank battalion and armored cavalry squadron respectively,
Enjoyed a 34-year career in college sports information (publicity) work, including one as the director at North Dakota State in Fargo, three as asst. director at Indiana University, and 30 as director at Western Michigan. Worked with the first of 16 national sub division FB champions at NDSU and Phil Jackson was in his junior year of basketball at bitter arch rival North Dakota. Was at IU for its lone Rose Bowl appearance in 1967 (14-3 loss on 2 OJ Simpson TDs) plus 1968 and 1969 NCAA swimming titlists. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Charlie Hickcox on both teams and nine-time gold medalist Mark Spitz was a freshman in 1969. Still do talent stats now for WMU football telecasts...Expand for more
and did so for new Blackhawks broadcaster Chris Vosters for a 2018 contest.
Wanted to be a sports writer since 7th grade and was very fortunate to have worked in my "dream job." In the 1960s, sports information had few openings and what helped my entry was three years as a student assistant at MSU, which was then considered the nation's top operation.
Retired from Western in 1999 and still live in Kalamazoo, 140 miles from Chicago. Employed part-time 23 years as a H&R Block senior tax advisor and still as a used car driver for a local auto auction.
Enjoy going to Class A+ baseball games with daughter, son-in-law and grandson for Thirsty Thursdays ($2 beer) at either Grand Rapids (West Michigan, 45 miles away), South Bend (77) or Lansing (84). Married since 1990 and have two RN daughters and an RN granddaughter. Wife is a East Chicago, Ind., native and a grad of Hammond Bishop Noll High School.
Loved Blackhawks' 2010, 2012 and 2015 Stanley Cup wins. I saw the previous clincher in 1961 from balcony standing room at old Olympia Stadium in Detroit.
Member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
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