Sports writer Joe Nugent followed in Ed O'Neill's footsteps

Continuing on my series of profiles on people from the past who helped shape the character of the Courier-Post, Joe Nugent rates recognition. He didn't retire from the Hannibal newspaper, but he sure is well rememb

ered by many of its readers.

Joe died in September 2001, while working for a newspaper in Champaign, Ill.

He was a native of St. Louis and was an avid Cardinals baseball fan. He became interested in journalism while in junior high school. He was playing second clarinet in the band when he heard an announcement over the public address system that writers were needed for the school newspaper. His fate was sealed.

His love for sports made him a natural for sportswriting. He graduated from the University of Missouri, and held sports writing positions for the newspapers in Pryor and Claremore, Okla., before moving to Hannibal to accept the sports editor post. He had big shoes to fill in Hannibal; veteran sports editor Ed O'Neill had recently retired, and still had a presence in the community.

"I'm hooked on the business," Joe said in 1982.