This Friday, John McIntyre retires after 34 years at the Baltimore Sun.
by Christina Tkacik of the Baltimore Sun
John E. McIntyre retires from The Baltimore Sun this week after 34 years of faithful service.
In his years on The Sun's copy desk, he battled grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and journalistic cliches. No iteration of the word "iconic" was safe on McIntyre's watch.
Says colleague Fred Rasmussen: "He was the guy who had the flashlight who led us out of the forest when we were so lost at times and had written ourselves into unfathomable corners."
"He did his work with grace, style and a sense of humor that defies description and was boundless, and no one, and I mean no one, knows more arcana than Mac. Who do you know who can recite the population of Mesopotamia in the 12th century, for instance, or the depth of the Mariana Trench?"
He embraced evolution in language and usage: Many a stickler came to John seeking affirmation but left disappointed. "Language is always on the move," he told them.
A natural teacher, he hired and mentored generations of editors and reporters, many of whom went on to careers at news outlets across the U.S.
In recent years, he donned his green eyeshade to host a series of web-based videos as “The Old Editor.” In them, he decried “copspeak” and defended "singular they." Some of the videos went viral and led to McIntyre being recognized in public, much to his delight.
In addition to his videos, he wrote a popular blog for The Sun as well as two books: The Old Editor Says: Maxims for Writing and Editing and Bad Advice: The Most Unreliable Counsel Available on Grammar, Usage, and Writing.
We would be remiss not to mention that he was also one of the best-dressed editors in Baltimore Sun history.
Most of his coworkers will miss him terribly. We wish him a happy retirement and plenty of time with his wife, Kathleen, two children, J.P. and Alice, and grandson Julian.
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John and I became friends while filming a video series for The Sun in which he answered questions about language.
The Sun newsroom can be a really intimidating place for an early career journalist. But befriending him while we filmed those videos made me feel like I actually belonged. And of course I learned so much about writing from him. To this day I resist using the “not alone” construction in copy because of one of his videos.
The video series was a complete hit for The Sun, and some of the videos even went viral, getting written up in Buzzfeed and The Columbia Journalism Review. It’s a testament to just what a witty and brilliant guy John is.
While I think most people think of John for his sense of his deadpan sense of humor and impeccable style -- does the man even own a pair of sweatpants? -- what I most recall is his kindness. A few years ago I was grieving a death in the family, and he came over to ask how I was doing. I could tell from the tone in his voice that he wasn’t just being polite, he actually cared. Of course I began bawling immediately. His compassion helped me so much during a very difficult time, and I know of several other people who say that talks with him helped them get through career crises.
Perhaps it came from dealing with his own crisis. John was laid off from The Sun around 12 years ago during a round of budget cuts, and was re-hired a year later. It gave me a lot of hope to see him living out his second act at the paper. The news business can make you crazy, but by showing up each day John gave us all a lesson in how to persevere with your dignity intact.
Now he’s exiting after 34 years at The Sun, and no one deserves a break more. Congratulations, John. We will miss you!