Bellingham Bulletin sports writer Ken Hamwey will be inducted into the Bellingham Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 17, at the Coachmen’s Lodge. 

The 80-year-old Hamwey, a Bellingham resident who’s worked for the Bulletin for 16 years, was a unanimous choice of the selection committee. In addition to the Bulletin, the veteran sports journalist continues to write feature stories in semi-retirement for Local Town Pages, focusing on seven communities — Medway, Millis, Norfolk, Wrentham, Holliston, Natick and Franklin. 

Hamwey, who’s been a Bellingham resident for 51 years, graduated from Natick High before earning a bachelor’s degree from Babson College. He started his newspaper career in 1967 with the Framingham News, now the Metrowest Daily News. During his first year as a sports reporter, his stories focused on Bellingham’s new football program that achieved varsity status in 1967 and was coached by George Anderson. Early on, his reporting ranged from high school and college sports to the professional beat where he covered the Boston Celtics and the New England Patriots. 

“I’m honored and humbled to be selected for induction into Bellingham’s Hall of Fame,’’ Hamwey said. “It’s heart-warming to have a wonderful community like Bellingham recognize me for my reporting. Some of my fondest memories during a 56-year career involve Bellingham’s athletes and teams.’’

Hamwey covered the Blackhawks’s baseball and softball teams in 2014 that won state championships on Flag Day, June 14. 

“It turned out to be a banner day for the town,’’ Hamwey said. “The baseball team defeated Monument Mountain Regional and the softball team upset two-time champion Grafton. Both triumphs were in Worcester. The boys competed at Holy Cross and the girls captured their crown at Worcester State.’’

Hamwey also covered many of the high school’s elite players and coaches. He broke the story on Rick Santos when he was chosen to compete in the Hula Bowl after a dynamic career at the University of New Hampshire. He was on the scene when the Blackhawks won two state titles in field hockey during the coaching reign of Ron Bonollo. He also covered the BHS boys basketball team that defeated Bromfield for a state championship in 2003.

Others to be inducted include Carrie Wernig (field hockey), Mike Trudeau (baseball), Justin Bernard (football), Bob McManus (hockey), Justin Park (hockey), Beth Thornton (field Hockey), Joanne Paquette (field hockey coach), Dave Gibbs (basketball coach), Rick Smith (contributor) and the 1996 field hockey team.

Hamwey, who’ll be inducted as a contributor, left the Metrowest Daily News in 1973 and was hired at the Providence Journal where he spent the next 35 years working for the four-time Pulitzer-prize-winning newspaper. He finished his career there as the paper’s Night Sports Editor, retiring in 2008. On Hamwey’s last day in Providence, the Rhode Island State Senate read aloud a citation for his efforts and contributions to R.I. athletics. Two years later, in 2010, he was honored by the Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), which presented him with its Distinguished Friend Award. 

At the Metrowest News, which included editions of the Milford News and Country Gazette, Hamwey wrote a popular weekly column — “Yesterday’s Heroes’’ — that focused on athletes’ and coaches’ past achievements. Many of Bellingham’s top-notch coaches and athletes were featured in that column.

In 2007, Hamwey began covering sports for the Bellingham Bulletin. As Sports Editor at the Bulletin, he launched a column similar to Yesterday’s Heroes called “Where Are They Now,” reporting on former Bellingham athletes. For the next 16 years, he extensively covered Bellingham sports while also filing stories for Local Town Pages. 

 Hamwey’s upcoming induction will be his second Hall of Fame honor. He was inducted into the Millis Athletics Hall of Fame last year.

Hamwey and his wife Pauline, who taught at Macy School for 35 years, have been married for 34 years. His son, Travis, is a 1989 graduate of Bellingham High and a 1993 graduate of UMass-Dartmouth.