Greg Baum retires at the top of his game – but there is some good news

Sports stars rarely step down at their peak. A champion’s determination wills them to fight on while the world watches them struggle against the tide of age – an opponent one can resist but not defeat. That same attitude that drives them to excellence, titles and adoration encourages them to keep going, until they have squeezed body and mind for every last drop.

We saw this with Novak Djokovic during the Australian Open earlier this month. The 10-time AO winner played through injury, obstacle and much younger opponents to the delight of fans, before eventually withdrawing.

Greg Baum is retiring but will return as a columnist.Credit: Simon Schluter

Occasionally, a legendary player willingly steps aside to make room for the next generation. Within that cohort, there are many who love the game so much that they cannot walk away from it entirely. Some become administrators, some become coaches, others move into commentary. Tennis has Jelena Dokic, cricket has Ricky Ponting. The Age has Greg Baum.

Yes, dear subscribers, the inimitable and articulate Greg Baum today retires from his role as sports editor, associate editor and captor of the nation’s mood during our most iconic sporting moments. Of course, Baum would find a better way to describe them; “iconic” is a terrible cliche in sports writing and he is always original when describing the indescribable emotion sport inspires in us.

During the Australian Open and the recent Test series against India, he was at his eloquent best. This piece on Novak Djokovic’s defeat of Carlos Alcaraz was one of my favourites of the tournament.

His piece on the dazzling debut of opening batsman Sam Konstas in the recent Test series against India shone with excellence. One correspondent, via letters to the editor, said the “new conqueror”, Konstas, should be rejoicing that in Baum “he has found his own Plutarch at the start of his first big campaign”.

Luckily for Konstas, Baum is not retiring altogether. Relax, dear subscribers, and exhale. He plans to return as a columnist in the future.

The Age’s sports desk is packed with talented reporters and editors, thanks in no small part to the example set by Baum and veteran colleagues like Caroline Wilson and Jake Niall. We recently welcomed Sam McClure back to our sport team, and he has already had a huge impact. McClure, a prolific news breaker, has also turned his hand to fly-on-the-wall observation during the Australian Open and teamed up with Nick McKenzie and Kate McClymont – you’ve probably heard of them – to break the news of a multi-agency strike force investigation probing possible match-fixing in two matches involving former world No.17 Bernard Tomic.

Under the guidance of our head of sport, Chloe Saltau, and newly recruited sports editor Eliza Sewell, and thanks to the many talented reporters at their disposal, The Age consistently generates what I believe is the highest quality sports reporting in the country. The team’s coverage of this month’s Australian Open has surely reminded us all of that.

During farewell speeches today, Baum was mentioned in the same breath as some legends of The Age’s sports desk: Martin Flanagan, Wilson and Les Carlyon. Praise he absolutely deserves. Baum spoke of his high hopes for our current generation of reporters, acknowledging their immense talent and drive. I am hopeful that among them is the next Baum, Wilson, Flanagan or Carlyon.

I leave you with a quote from Baum himself, written after Ben Stokes’ match-winning innings at Leeds in the August 2019 Test. The quote could equally be applied to Baum’s glittering career as it was to Stokes’ batting.

“Call off Test cricket. In fact, call off all cricket. Not because it could never get any worse than this, but because how could it ever be better, surely? Let’s all die happy now, or only a little bit sad, and permanently awe-struck.”

See you next summer, Greg.

• With thanks to Chloe Saltau and former sports editor Patrick Smithers, who contributed to this newsletter.

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