Jim Hawthorne, the radio play-by-play man for LSU football, baseball and basketball for the last 35 seasons, will retire after the 2015-16 basketball season, the school announced Wednesday.
“I want to sincerely thank the LSU administration, all of the coaches I have had the pleasure to work with and the entire Fighting Tiger nation for their support,” Hawthorne said in a news release. “It has meant more to me than I could possibly describe.”
Hawthorne, 71, joined LSU in 1979 to call Tiger basketball games and has been with the school since, calling six baseball national titles, two football national championships and three Final Four appearances.
He joined the football broadcast alongside John Ferguson in 1983 and took over the play-by-play duties the following season when Ferguson moved to TigerVision.
“Jim is a true LSU legend and one of the very best in the broadcast business,” LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said in a statement. “When you hear Jim’s voice, you immediately think LSU. That’s the mark of a great play-by-play man. His passion and enthusiasm for LSU translates into his broadcast, and he has the innate ability to paint a picture about what’s happening on each play that makes the listener feel as if they are part of the action.
“Our fans have grown up listening to him call LSU sports. We congratulate him on a great career and thank him for all that he’s done for LSU. We are going to miss him.”
In the school’s news release, Hawthorne said it is time to step into a new phase in his life — spending more time visiting with family and traveling with his wife, Carol.
His career highlights include 22 bowl games, all 57 games LSU baseball has played in the College World Series and five Southeastern Conference basketball championships. He has never missed a football game, broadcasting 380 consecutive Tiger matchups.
LSU said a nationwide search for Hawthorne’s replacement will begin immediately.