Francis Patrick GILHOOLEY

GILHOOLEY Francis Patrick Francis Patrick Gilhooley, a true gentleman, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, and a Toledo sports broadcasting legend for nearly 60 years, died on Friday, November 19, 2010 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio-Perrysburg after a long illness. He was 86. Frank was born June 15, 1924 to Frank Sr., and Mae Gilhooley. They preceded him in death, as did his wife, Lydia DellaBona Gilhooley (March 16, 2010), to whom he was married 56 years, and his sister, Irene Gilhooley. He is survived by sister, Mary Francis Conklin; daughter, Suzanne (Michael) Schlee; granddaughter, Shannon (Jaime) Ostermyer; grandson, Matthew Schlee of Pittsburgh; great-grand-daughters, Ellie and Cassie Ostermyer, and numerous nieces and nephews. A man of great faith and a proud Irishman, Frank graduated from Rosary Cathedral Grade School, Central Catholic High School, and the University of Notre Dame. Frank's father was a professional baseball player who was in the major leagues from 1911-19 with the Cardinals, Yankees, and Red Sox, where his roommate was Babe Ruth. He played and managed in the minor leagues until 1933. That sparked his son's lifelong love affair with baseball and Frank starred in that sport, as well as basketball, at both Central Catholic and Notre Dame. Frank began his association with Toledo's minor league baseball teams as a batboy for the Mud Hens at Swayne Field in 1937. In the spring of 1953, after playing with the semi-pro Toledo Jeeps, a basketball team that toured with the famed Harlem Globetrotters, he began his broadcasting career as the radio voice of the Toledo Sox. Over the next 35 years, Frank worked in both radio and TV. He was one of the stars of a pioneering daily radio talk show, the Four Star Sports Final, with the Taberner brothers; Doug, Joe and Orris. Frank and Joe Taberner did radio broadcasts of Ohio State football during the 1960's and early '70s. After moving to TV and becoming sports director at Ch. 13, Frank not only anchored evening sportscasts but also did play-by-play of Toledo and Bowling Green college basketball games. "What a man,""Joe Taberner said recently of his longtime friend and colleague. "Friends always wanted to be with Frank to enjoy his stories and jokes. And everyone he ever met became a friend. He was a kind gentleman." Frank retired from Ch. 13 in 1987, but it wasn't a typical retirement. He would work for another 21 summers, returning to the baseball broadcast booth with Jim Weber for all Mud Hens home games. Illness sidelined Frank near the end of the 2008 season, but he continued to contribute pregame segments during the past two seasons. When the Mud Hens moved to Fifth Third Field downtown, they honored Frank by naming two concession areas, one on each concourse level, "Gilhooley's Grill." This past May, the Hens held "Frank Gilhooley Day" at which time he became the first recipient of the "Spirit of the International League" award. One of the ceremony's participants was a representative of the Toledo Fire Department, which made Frank an honorary Fire Chief in 2008, culminating a long personal relationship with the department. Frank's professional life was very public, but to his family he was a kind, generous, modest dad and grandfather with a warm sense of humor. The family would like to thank Hospice of Northwest Ohio In-patient and Out-patient for its kind care in Frank's final days, and suggests memorials to Hospice of Northwest Ohio-Perrysburg. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 26th, at Historic St. Patrick's Catholic Church with Mass to follow at 11:00 a.m. Keep Frank and Lydia in your prayers and "tip a cold one (Blatz)..." they are together again!!