He wrote about the good

Ken Hamwey never missed a deadline, and he had a passion for telling a good story. Getting the word out about something or someone inspirational, conveying its importance, meant the world to him. That kind of drive, a level of investment scarcely seen in the world today, deserved your full attention. Our Town Publishing didn’t just lose a sportswriter when we lost Ken Hamwey, we lost a lion-hearted wordsmith who cared deeply about the people he wrote about, and their moments of glory.

“Ken Hamwey was an amazing sportswriter and a consummate professional,” said Jen Schofield, owner of Our Town Publishing, “He was someone I truly enjoyed talking with, listening to his stories, and his passion and dedication for covering high school sports was unmatched. He genuinely cared about the athletes, teams, and communities he wrote about, which was evident in his work.”

“Ken was very dedicated in getting the stories,” added Chuck Tashjian, who worked with Ken for many years as former publisher of Our Town Publishing, “He went above and beyond, especially with championship games. He really loved what he did. He loved writing, and he loved sports.” 

“He just cared about the kids. If there was anything that stood out about him it was his passion for what he did … He cared so much about making everyone look good, and that was such a good trait, and the way he’d remember things,” said Bellingham High School Football Coach Dan Haddad, who added both he and Ken were motivated by “love of the kids.” Student athletes Ken interviewed would tell the coach that Mr. Hamwey was “probably the nicest guy I’ve ever met.” 

“What was unique about Ken was how he wanted to learn about me personally and what life experiences led me to where I am rather than other reporters who would just ask about jobs and responsibilities listed on a resume,” says Bellingham Town Administrator Joseph Laydon, who says he truly appreciated this approach in Ken’s regular Municipal Spotlight column for the Bellingham Bulletin.

Just 24 in 1967 when he entered the field of journalism, the young graduate of Natick High and Babson College began his career at Framingham News, now known as the MetroWest Daily News, covering the small-town beat of Millis. Ken would get the opportunity of a lifetime a year later, covering the Celtics’ defeat of the 76ers in Philadelphia to win the Eastern conference one day after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. In a lifelong story of his own he’d often tell, the late, great Celtics coach and general manager, Red Auerbach, in fact, held up the press corps bus so young Ken could call in that story. Ken would move on in 1973 to the Pulitzer Prize winning Providence Journal, and after 35-plus years as the Night Sports Editor, he received a citation from the Rhode Island State Senate honoring his excellence as a journalist.

For many years, Ken would follow the trajectory of local sports heroes’ stories in a MetroWest Daily News column called "Yesterday's Heroes." In semi-retirement, Ken would continue to cover high school sports for local papers such as Bellingham Bulletin and Local Town Pages papers. 

Ken was immensely proud of the recognition he received for his efforts. He was inducted into the Millis Athletic Hall of Fame in March 2022, and later, into the Bellingham Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association selected him for its Distinguished Friend Award in 2010.

“High school sports lost a legendary storyteller with the passing of Ken Hamwey,” wrote Millis Athletics on X, “For nearly six decades, Ken dedicated his life to highlighting the achievements of local student-athletes, beginning with his very first varsity football story in Millis back in 1967.” Dover Sherborn Basketball also lauded his “passion and dedication for covering sports in our area...RIP.”

Ken Hamwey once told Dan Haddad, “I want to write about the good.” 

In his own life, Hamwey, the beloved husband for 36 years of Pauline A. (Allard) Hamwey and the late Martha (Loan) Hamwey, and the loving father of Travis M. Hamwey and his wife, Katie, aspired himself to be the best person he could be, volunteering time as a coach and library trustee, devoting himself to his faith, and valuing each individual with whom he interacted. He once told me how much it meant to him that his coverage of young athletes might help them make it into college. He had an energy that drove him to weave a story of pride and potential that would shine a light on and lift up his subject. He offered such respect that you wanted to rise to be worthy of it.

“Ken was kind, dependable, and always willing to go above and beyond. Even shortly before his passing, while battling illness and facing deadline pressure, he completed his last three stories—a testament to his remarkable work ethic and commitment to journalism,” said Schofield, adding, “He was a one-of-a-kind colleague and friend, who will be deeply missed by everyone in his Our Town Publishing family. His legacy will live on through the countless stories he told and the many lives he touched.”