After 59 years of writing about Catawba College athletics, Salisbury native and Salisbury Post reporter Horace Billings probably knows more about athletics at the institution that any other living individual. Billings was honored when the establishment of the Horace Billings Scholarship was announce...

After 59 years of writing about Catawba College athletics, Salisbury native and Salisbury Post reporter Horace Billings probably knows more about athletics at the institution that any other living individual.

Billings was honored when the establishment of the Horace Billings Scholarship was announced Feb. 10 during halftime of a Catawba basketball game. Dozens of former Catawba basketball players, many of whom Billings had written about during their college careers, were on hand for the announcement made during a basketball reunion weekend.

"We are privileged to be able to acknowledge Horace's contributions to Catawba in this way," said Catawba College senior vice president Tom Childress. "He has a better historic perspective of Catawba College athletics than almost any other individual. Game after game, he's followed the Catawba Indians through thick and thin,and we still count him among our most loyal supporters. "

Billings, the son of the late Rev. and Mrs. R.L. Billings of Winston-Salem, began his newspaper career working at the Winston-Salem Journal while a student at Old Town High School in Winston. While a student at High Point College, now High Point University, he continued reporting for the High Point Enterprise. After he graduated from college in 1948, he took a job at the Salisbury Post as a sports editor. It was a job he relished until he officially retired 15 years ago. But retirement is all relative, Billings will tell you, today, he continues to work part-time at the Post, covering Catawba College basketball and other special assignments.

"I've really enjoyed it," Billings said of his long career. "I'd like to go 50 more years. I'm certainly thrilled with this honor and have enjoyed reporting on Catawba athletics since 1948.

"I believe that Catawba is a fine institution with outstanding faculty, staff and students," he continued, "and I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this scholarship. I'm sure a future recipient will enjoy it and be thankful as well."

Although not an alumnus of Catawba, Billings' late wife of 48 years, Joyce Clement Billings, was a 1950 honor graduate of the College. A scholarship was established in her memory in 2002 by the Billings' son, Bill, of Charlotte. Preference for that scholarship was given to female students from Rowan County.

Endowed scholarships at Catawba are established with gifts of $10,000 or more. Those wishing to make contributions to the Horace Billings Scholarship should contact the Catawba College Development Office at (704) 637-4394.

After 59 years of writing about Catawba College athletics, Salisbury native and Salisbury Post reporter Horace Billings probably knows more about athletics at the institution that any other living individual. Billings was honored when the establishment of the Horace Billings Scholarship was announce...

After 59 years of writing about Catawba College athletics, Salisbury native and Salisbury Post reporter Horace Billings probably knows more about athletics at the institution that any other living individual.

Billings was honored when the establishment of the Horace Billings Scholarship was announced Feb. 10 during halftime of a Catawba basketball game. Dozens of former Catawba basketball players, many of whom Billings had written about during their college careers, were on hand for the announcement made during a basketball reunion weekend.

"We are privileged to be able to acknowledge Horace's contributions to Catawba in this way," said Catawba College senior vice president Tom Childress. "He has a better historic perspective of Catawba College athletics than almost any other individual. Game after game, he's followed the Catawba Indians through thick and thin,and we still count him among our most loyal supporters. "

Billings, the son of the late Rev. and Mrs. R.L. Billings of Winston-Salem, began his newspaper career working at the Winston-Salem Journal while a student at Old Town High School in Winston. While a student at High Point College, now High Point University, he continued reporting for the High Point Enterprise. After he graduated from college in 1948, he took a job at the Salisbury Post as a sports editor. It was a job he relished until he officially retired 15 years ago. But retirement is all relative, Billings will tell you, today, he continues to work part-time at the Post, covering Catawba College basketball and other special assignments.

"I've really enjoyed it," Billings said of his long career. "I'd like to go 50 more years. I'm certainly thrilled with this honor and have enjoyed reporting on Catawba athletics since 1948.

"I believe that Catawba is a fine institution with outstanding faculty, staff and students," he continued, "and I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this scholarship. I'm sure a future recipient will enjoy it and be thankful as well."

Although not an alumnus of Catawba, Billings' late wife of 48 years, Joyce Clement Billings, was a 1950 honor graduate of the College. A scholarship was established in her memory in 2002 by the Billings' son, Bill, of Charlotte. Preference for that scholarship was given to female students from Rowan County.

Endowed scholarships at Catawba are established with gifts of $10,000 or more. Those wishing to make contributions to the Horace Billings Scholarship should contact the Catawba College Development Office at (704) 637-4394.