Donohue, John Jack, 1931-2003 : John "Jack" Donohue was born on June 4 1931, in Yonkers, New York. He obtained a bachelor's degree in economics from Fordham University (1952) and a Masters in Health Education from New York University (1964). Donohue was a high school teacher and basketball coach at St. Nicholas of Tolentine and Power Academy Memorial high schools in New York City during the 1950s and early 1960s. During his tenure at Power Memorial (1959-1965), the boys' basketball team won 71 consecutive games from 1962 to 1965, led by the legendary Lew Alcindor. The 1963-1964 team was honoured as the High School Team of the 20th century by USA Today in 1999. In 1965, Donohue went on to coach at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he was twice voted NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year in his conference. In 1972, he was named head coach of Canada's national men's basketball team, which he led for the next 17 years. Under his guidance, the team became a force on the international basketball scene, finishing 4th at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and winning the gold medal at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton and the bronze medal at the 1985 Games. Donohue also served as interim coach of the Canadian national women's basketball team from 1974 to 1975.
He was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Association of the National Coaches in 1986 and the development of the Coaches Association of Canada. After his retirement from coaching in 1988, he continued promoting and being involved on the Canadian basketball and sports scene, including stints as marketing and publications consultant for Basketball Canada and spokesperson for the Coaching Association of Canada's Year of the Coach in 1989. Donohue was Director of international relations and director for Canadian development for the Vancouver Grizzlies professional basketball team (1995-1997). In 1994, he co-chaired the men's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship, also known as the Gold Cup, with Rick Hansen, in Edmonton. He also built a national reputation as a public speaker and motivator, who was sought out to speak to all kinds of audiences. As a broadcaster, Donohue hosted a weekly television series, Donohue's Legends, and did color commentary for the CBC and TSN television networks. He won the ACTRA Sportscaster Award (1993) and two Can-Pro medals as well as being nominated for two Gemini awards. Donohue married Mary Jane Choffin in 1963 and had six children: Carol, John Joe, Kathy, Marybeth, Bryan and Maura. .
Donohue was awarded posthumously the Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal (civil division) in 2005. He was also inducted in numerous Halls of Fame, including the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (1991), Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (1992), Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2003), the New England Basketball Hall of Fame (2013) and in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Hall of Fame, Coaches category (2013). He was also given the King Clancy Award (1995), the Geoff Gowan Award (1999) and the "Coach Mac" award by the Toronto Raptors professional basketball team (2003).
Jack Donohue passed away in April 2003.
