John Routh became the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame & Museum’s first ever Executive Director in October 2009. His duties include day-to-day operations of the Tom Kearns Sports Hall of Fame Building on the Coral Gables campus, fundraising, curating items donated to the Hall, as well as working with the various committees to organize the Hall’s four major events: the induction banquet and the golf, bowling and fishing tournaments.
Prior to his duties with the Hall, Routh performed as a professional mascot for nearly 25 years. A 1982 graduate of the University of South Carolina where he performed as Cocky, he was brought to Miami by legendary baseball Coach Ron Fraser to perform as The Miami Maniac mascot for baseball (1983-1993) and later Sebastian the Ibis (1984-1992). Routh then went on to work as Billy the Marlin (1993-2002) for the Florida Marlins. Named an Honorary Alumnus of the University of Miami in 1988, he was tapped into Iron Arrow, the highest honor one can attain at the university, in 1990.
