Hall of Fame
Don Feltner, a four-year letterman for Coach Turkey Hughes’ Maroons baseball team, compiled a 21-3 career record from 1952-55. On May 13, 1954, he pitched one of only eight no-hitters in school history in defeating Morehead State 10-0 as the Maroons won their third Ohio Valley Conference championship. His career record included four shutouts and an ERA of 1.92. Scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers in his hometown of Hazard, he chose to pursue a college degree, putting a professional baseball career on hold, turning down signing with the National League club on three occasions. As a student-athlete, he also served as sports information director and is credited with establishing the school’s sports publicity program. Following his four-year playing career, in 1956, he served as graduate assistant pitching coach for Turkey Hughes in 1956 before entering military service as a commissioned officer. On his return to Eastern in 1959, he resumed his career as an administrator and Assistant Head Baseball Coach in 1959 and 1960, guiding Eastern to back-to-back OVC championships. After the 1960 season, under new president Robert Martin, his administrative career that spanned 42 years broadened as he established and nurtured programs in all areas of university relations as director, dean, and from 1970-99 as Vice President for University Advancement. In this role, he designed and directed a number of capital campaigns for campus buildings and improvements, was instrumental in the acquisition of the Arlington estate, and began Eastern’s major giving programs and constituency support programs including the Colonel Club and, with Coach Jim Ward, the baseball team’s Diamond Boosters. Since his retirement in 1999, he has served the community on a number of charitable boards and commissions including chairman of the Madison County United Way campaign, the American Cancer Society, campaigns to build the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Hospice Compassionate Care center, among others.
