thomas t goldsmith jr thomas toliver goldsmith jr january 9 1910 march 5 2009 was an american television pioneer the coinventor of the first arcade game to use a cathode ray tube and a professor of physics at furman university biography goldsmith was born in greenville south carolina on january 9 1910 he chaired the synchronization panel of the national television system committee and also the radio manufacturers association committee on cathoderay tubes goldsmith died on march 5 2009 in lacey washington first arcade game with a crt us patent 2455992 filed by goldsmith and estle ray mann in january 25 1947 describes the worlds first cathode ray tube based game the cathoderay tube amusement device it was inspired by the radar displays used in world war ii awards and honors goldsmith was awarded five patents essential to the improvement of television production and broadcasting goldsmith was a life fellow of the society of motion picture and television engineers a comprehensive collection of artifacts and ephemera of his life and his inventions is housed in the library of congress in 1967 he was selected as an honorary member of phi mu alpha sinfonia the national mens music fraternity by furman universitys gamma eta chapter which confers an annual award in goldsmiths honor to the universitys rising senior nonmusic major student who does the most to advance music in america authority control worldcat identities isni 0000 0003 8132 5992 lccn n96011529 snac w6k36f4k viaf 261139505 