So who’s Don Hawley?

By Capt. Bob Johnson for Free Press June, 1995

Recently, an inquisitive young angler with a new fly rod was overheard asking, “Who was this guy Don Hawley anyhow? I’ve heard about the tournament and the Hawley Foundation, but who was Don Hawley.”

Don Milligan Hawley was born in July, 1889 in Lake City, Minn., and died in March of 1974. He grew up in Washington State where he was an engineering graduate of the University of Washington. He then coached the Aderdeen high school football team for many consecutive winning seasons. According to Hawley’s daughter, Pat McLaughlin, even the town’s Mayor would turn out to help put spikes in the player’s shoes when the field was muddy.

In 1917, shortly after he married Mary Wood from Aberdeen, Washington, Hawley answered to call-to-arms for WW I and, over there, made a most unconventional entrance to Europe.

Off the coast of Ireland, Hawley’s troop ship, The Steamship Tuscania, was torpedoed and sank. The moon’s illumination had been shut out by overcast and the new officer could only hear from his lifeboat the sound of waves crashing against the rocks of the rugged Irish coast. While some of the other survivors perished in the violent surf that evening, Don ordered his doughboys to remain in heavy seas throughout the night.

They arrived safely the following morning. In fact, he was made honorary Mayor of a small Irish town named Clonmany after declaring his middle name was “Milligan” in the midst of a joyful celebration that acknowledged the Yank’s arrival.

Celebrations were sparse after that as the young forward artillery observer proceeded to engage in the world’s bloodiest war. He was three times decorated with Gold Chevrons for participating in action at Lucey, Meuse-Argonne and Saint Mihiel, France. Hawley survived the war to end all wars but carried back a severe cough that persisted the rest of his life due o a German gas attack on October 12, 1918.

After the war Hawley became a successful businessman in Saint Charles, Illinois, where he produced war materials and supplies for the next unpleasant world conflict that dealt with Adolf Hitler. Once again peacetime came and Hawley turned his attention to creating innovative manufacturing techniques of various consumer products that included American Tourister Luggage. Also he became a major supplier of auto parts to Detroit based automotive companies.

It was in the late forties when Don first brought Mary to the Keys. They stayed at Cecil Green’s Green Acres which is now part of the Chesapeake Resort complex in Islamorada. After many visits the Hawley’s finally became residents and an integral part of the Key’s fishing community.

Captain George Hommell became one of Don’s first friends along with being his first backcountry guide. Hommell fondly reflects back to the fishing days with Hawley.

“Don was constantly puffing on a pipe. I would yell bonefish! Bonefish! Don would take his time and empty his pipe by tapping it on the side of the boat. That did it! The bonefish were history. My following comments were not positive and Hawley responded by saying, ‘Well, I can’t put a hot pipe in my pocket!’

Aside from spooking a few bonefish, Hawley’s greatest Key’s achievement came when he enlisted the help of the great Ted Williams and avid angler Lynette Simon to organize the first Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in 1964. Its proceeds spawned the Don Hawley Foundation that has helped so many sick guides and aided in early tarpon research.

Conservation was on his mind when this committee proceeded to disallow any tarpon to be brought in less than 70 pounds. This group also decided to make the release trophy almost as big as the Grand Champion Trophy. In essence, they initiated some of the first catch-and-release practices that now dominate most modern tournaments.

There are so many great fish stories about the Gold Cup and Don Hawley that it would take an entire book to describe Hawley’s role in the birth of the entire industry of backcountry fishing. One such story happened when Hawley was fishing with the late Capt. Jack Brothers. Don was in his eighties when he fought a monstrous tarpon for three hours and somehow the men hoisted it on to the dock, which broke under its weight. When Don went home to freshen up for the awards he couldn’t turn on the faucet. His hands completely froze up from the fight.

Yes, Don Hawley had been there and done that. He watched the transition from 5 HP outboards to 22 HP Evinrude that opened up the entire backcountry to the adventurous angler. He watched George Pinder rig up two outboard engines to a skiff, so he might arrive at Buchanan Bank’s prized pocket position first after the shotgun start, only to see the bow point to the heavens and the stern sink like a rock.

He had watched the world grow up.

His name has become synonymous with sportsmanship, conservation and backwater fishing. It was Dick Pope Jr. that organized and initiated The Don Hawley Fly Fishing Tournament in 1974 to honor the man after his death. Once again, the proceeds went to the Hawley Foundation. And once again, that’s quite an honor.

When Pat McLaughlin was asked to describe the essence of her dad and his love of the Keys, her eyes welled up and while graciously holding back tears, she spoke slowly. “He loved the Keys and he really loved people. There were so many warm and deep and positive friendships then. He brought so many people to the Keys. Sometimes Dad couldn’t remember names so he affectionately called people, ‘kid’. He would say, ‘Hey kid and people loved him.”

So who was Don Milligan Hawley? Hey kid, now you know.