Staff file photo / Chris Dortch signs a copy of his book, "Northwest Georgia Bank" at the Ringgold Depot.Former Chattanooga Times sports writer Chris Dortch is one of three media members included in the Tennessee Sports Writer Association's Hall of Fame class of 2022. Dortch will be joined by former Knoxville News-Sentinel reporter Dan Fleser and former Nashville Banner writer Mark McGee
Dortch, a native of Illinois, graduated from East Tennessee State University and began his writing career with the Kingsport Times-News, where he worked from 1978-82 and later became sports editor of the Johnson City Press from 1982-86. He was a columnist and covered the University of Tennessee basketball beat as well as local golf for the Chattanooga Times from 1987-99.
He has been editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook since 1996 and later also became its publisher. He has written for Sports Illustrated, NBA.com and has published six books, including "String Music: Inside the rise of SEC basketball."
Fleser primarily covered Lady Vols basketball from 1988 until 2019, covering six of the late Pat Summitt's eight NCAA championships. He has been honored by both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. McGee worked for the Nashville Banner from 1981-1994, covering Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Tennessee State and the Nashville Sounds during that time.