John Eric Lake (born February 18, 1930; disappeared December 10, 1967), an American journalist, was the sports editorofNewsweek until his mysterious disappearance.[1]
John Lake
| |
|---|---|
| Born | John Eric Lake February 18, 1930
Albany, New York, U.S.
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| Disappeared | December 10, 1967 (aged 37) New York, U.S. |
| Status | Declared dead in absentia 1975 (aged 45) |
| Education | Syracuse University |
| Occupation(s) | Sports journalist and editor |
| Employer(s) | New York Herald Tribune Newsweek |
| Spouse | Alice Conlon |
| Website | johnlake |
John Eric Lake was born February 18, 1930, in Albany, New York.[citation needed] He graduated in 1951 with a B.A. degree in journalism from Syracuse University, where he met his wife Alice Conlin.[1] The couple married in 1952 while Lake was serving in the U.S. NavyinHonolulu, Hawaii.[1] He returned to graduate school at Syracuse after he was discharged from the U.S. Navy.[1] The couple had a daughter and a son.[1][2] His wife and children later moved to New Jersey and then to Islesford, Cranberry Island, Maine.[1] John Lake was declared missing in December 1967 and deceased by a court in New Jersey in 1975.[1][3]
The Binghamton News Press hired both John Lake and his wife in 1952, and he worked in sports while she wrote features.[1] In 1959 Lake became a staff writer at the New York Herald Tribune.[1][3] Lake worked with Red Smith while at the Tribune.[citation needed] In February 1964, he moved to Newsweek to become its sports editor.[1][2][3] He succeeded Dick Schaap in this role.[citation needed] In his last year at the magazine, Lake authored three cover stories (nine in four years) on such varied topics as "The Black Athlete", the Indy 500 and the World Series.[citation needed] Lake was hired as a ghost writer for Bob Gibson's autobiography and had all but submitted the work.[4][5] Lake's last issue for Newsweek was the December 11, 1967, issue with a cover featuring a dark-haired, bespectacled Robert McNamara, asked, "Why is He Leaving?"[citation needed] After Lake's disappearance in 1967, he was replaced as sports editor six months later by Pete Axthelm, a writer for Sports Illustrated.[citation needed]
John Lake was last seen in midtown Manhattan, New York City, on December 10, 1967. At that time, he was walking toward the subway to go home.[3][6][7] A missing persons report was filed by his wife, Alice, four days later.[3] His disappearance was investigated by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, which was hired by Newsweek.[3] Years after, a police officer from missing persons showed his son a February 1968 photo of a corpse who closely resembled Lake but could not be positively identified.[3]
Missing Person documents:
Lake was admired by other journalists and athletes. Peter Benchley, author and screenwriter, who edited the Radio/TV section at Newsweek at the time, admitted to being intimidated by him.[citation needed] Mario Andretti, auto race driver, called him the most prepared journalist from the national media that ever interviewed him.[citation needed] Bert Sugar, boxing raconteur, recalls it was John Lake that moved press conferences from showmanship to seriousness with a single question.[citation needed]