TORRINGTON, Conn. -- William P. 'Hank' O'Donnell, retired executive sports editor of the Waterbury newspapers, died today in Hungerford Hospital in Torrington.
O'Donnell, who was 79, spent nearly 61 of those years writing sports for the Waterbury papers. His 'Hot Off The Keys' column spans the sports era that started even before Babe Ruth hit his first home run in Yankee Stadium in 1923.
In Litchfield, where he lived, he served for several years on the Board of Education. His wife, Gertrude, was a member of the Democratic State Central Committee and he accompanied her to many national and state conventions.
One of the state's most sought after speakers, O'Donnell gave hundreds of speeches throughout Connecticut during his career.
Among his most cherished citations was being voted Connecticut Sports Writer of the Year in 1962.
O'Donnell joined the Waterbury American in March 1922, working with the late Dan Parker, on the American, thus doubling the size of the afternoon newspaper's sports staff.
He worked under Parker, who went on to become sports editor of the New York Daily Mirror, until 1923 when he moved to the Republican briefly as a general news reporter and returned to sports in 1924.
He was appointed sports editor of the Republican that year, a position he was to hold for more than 35 years.
In 1959, he became sports editor of the American. He remained there until October 1967 when he was appointed executive sports editor of both newspapers, a newly created position.
He was one of the founders of the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance and served in every office, including the presidency in 1945.
He was a member of the board of directors of the American Football Writers Association and an officer in the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and a member of the National Baseball Writers Association.
In 1950, he participated in the first sports editors seminar of the American Press Institute at Columbia University.
He leaves his wife, Gertrude Phelps O'Donnell; two sons, William P. O'Donnell Jr. of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and Gerald P. of New Haven; two brothers, James A. and Edward J., both of Waterbury; two sisters, Miss Catherine O'Donnell and Miss Ann R. O'Donnell, both of Waterbury; and six grandchildren.
Services will be held Friday at the Torrant Funeral Home in Litchfield with a mass at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony's Church. Burial will be in East Cemetery in Litchfield.
