Inducted: 2013
JOE HANCOCK (1929-2014), publisher of the Hobart Democrat-Chief, began working in newspapers at age nine, five years before his father bought the Democrat-Chief. He worked as a fill-in Linotype operator during summers for papers at Anadarko, Mangum, Frederick and Duncan. While a student at OU, he worked as operator at the Norman Transcript and Oklahoma Daily. After a two-year stint in the Army, he returned to the Democrat-Chief in 1953, selling advertising and writing sports. He became publisher in 1974 when his father died. He was active in civic and state associations including the Kiwanis Club and served on the OU Athletics Council. Named Hobart Citizen of the Year in 1998, he was president of the Hobart Housing Board starting in 1972. He was president of OPA from 1991-92, and earned the Milt Phillips Award in 2006, OPA’s highest honor.
