I must admit, I was stunned when the news broke Tuesday night that John Lowe was retiring from the Detroit Free Press after 29 years on the baseball beat.
John loves being a beat writer so much -- loves the game, his relationships with baseball people, even the day-to-day grind -- I never thought he would stop.
Still, very few beat men stay at it as long as John did; the hours are long, the demands ever-growing, the travel constant. Even fewer baseball writers take such joy in what they do.
John told our Jon Paul Morosi -- one of the many young writers he mentored -- that the decision was his alone. Of course it was. He is retiring at the peak of his powers.
John still can write an evocative game story, a lost art in today's Internet age. And at a time when the beat is for much younger men, his ability to connect the present to the past was unmatched among us.
Many will remember John for inventing the quality start, a statistic that measured how often a pitcher worked at least six innings and allowed three or fewer earned runs. But those of us who knew him will remember him for his warmth, his endearing quirkiness, his passion for baseball and for writing.
He saw the best in people. He cared deeply about every word. And he never lost his curiosity or enthusiasm.
Ask John how he was doing at any point of the season, and he always would utter his trademark phrase, "Out-standing." When he checked into a hotel and was asked, "Business or pleasure?" he would respond, "Business. But it's a pleasure."
Here, really, is all you need to know about John Lowe:
Nearly 25 years ago, he attended my wedding. Every year, without fail, he sends me a note, wishing me a happy anniversary. And he did this long before we had calendars on our phones, offering reminders.
I can only hope the Baseball Writers Association of America votes John its highest honor, the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
Rarely will it be more deserved.
