By Cynthia Charlene Greason
FROM INSTAGRAM
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Donald Drake Hogestyn (/ˈhʌdʒstən/; September 29, 1953 – September 28, 2024) was an American actor best known for his long-running role as John Black on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Hogestyn was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he graduated from North Side High School. He attended the University of South Florida in Tampa on a baseball scholarship, majoring in pre-dentistry. One of his teammates with USF was LHP Chris Welsh, who pitched in the majors with Padres, Expos, Rangers and Reds and currently a TV and radio broadcaster for Cincinnati. He graduated with a double major in microbiology and applied sciences. He was then drafted by two professional baseball organizations: the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees. Hogestyn signed with the Yankees and played third base for one of their farm teams until he was injured in 1977.
Hogestyn married his childhood sweetheart Victoria. The couple had four children: three daughters, Whitney, Alexandra and Rachael; and one son, Ben.
Hogestyn died on September 28, 2024, at the age of 70. In a statement, his family revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
