Retired BJ Circulation district manager Don Phillips passed away Wednesday, April 1.

Don was at 44 E. Exchange Street for 32 years. Before that he was in the Akron Police Department.

His sister, Sue, is married to Linc Hackim.

Hackims are legendary in Summit County sports.

The first Linc Hackim was the president of the American Amateur Baseball Congress for 17 years who brought its national headquarters to Fairlawn. He is in the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame.

So was Linc Hackim, Jr., who was a Class AA minor league baseball all-star for 13 years.

Linc Hackim III also is in the GAB Hall of Fame and was on Akron A’s teams that won the Roy Hobbs World Series 3 times and helped his father, Linc, Jr., coach at Cuyahoga Falls, Hoban and St. Vincent/St. Mary’s.

I coached in the Dayton Amateur Baseball Association program with its president Dick Burrows. 

My award for my 40 years, off and on, of coaching children in baseball came from the Greater Akron Touchdown Club.

I was Class H (8-10 age group) president and Class G manager (11-12 age group) with the Cougars and later the Camaros for 11 years, then taught my grandson’s pitching staff later in life.

My other coaching years were in West Virginia where I founded and supervised the first baseball program that included children of color in Mingo County on the Tug River border with Kentucky and in Dayton.

In Cuyahoga Falls I spearheaded the integration of girls into the Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Baseball Association program, including Tammy who later was on the Green High girls softball team that made it to the state finals.

In 1987 I became one the first 10 people enshrined into the CFABA Hall of Fame.

Don is on a 1981 list of BJ employees that I have, along with Cleveland Phillips, no relation, who was in maintenance. Cleveland passed away in 2009.

Don’s obituary:

Donald J. Phillips died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones after a short battle with pancreatic cancer on April 1st, 2020.

Don was born to Richard and Phyllis Phillips of Akron, OH on March 23rd, 1941. He was a graduate of Archbishop Hoban High School class of 1959. Don continued his education at the University of Akron. He joined the Akron Police Department in September of 1968, until the time came for a career change. He was recruited as a district manager for the Akron Beacon Journal until his retirement 32 years later.

Don was a compassionate, loving husband and a kind, patient father. He was a true outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping with his family and friends over the years. Don was also a skilled marksman and an avid bowler. He always enjoyed a good cigar and a game of chess with any one of his grandchildren.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Phyllis Phillips, and Troy Metzner, his son-in-law. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Tricia E. (Osborne) Phillips; and their 4 children, Ellen (Phillips) Metzner of Conway, SC, James (Robyn) Phillips of Springfield Twp., OH, Sean (Janeen) Phillips of Brimfield Twp., OH, Matthew (Catherine) Phillips of Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Don is also survived by his sisters, Sue (Linc) Hackim, Nancy (Bob) Eggers and June (Jim) Meech; brothers-inlaw, Dave (Kate) Osborne, Thomas (Deborah) Osborne and many nieces and nephews.

Due to current health concerns, a celebration of life will be held at a later date.