Robert Pickering

Age 64 Former Evening Sun editor wrote daily handicapping column, enjoyed restoring old homes.

Mr. Pickering was blessed with a sunny disposition and a knack for repairing almost anything.

Robert Michael "Pick" Pickering Sr., a retired Evening Sun makeup editor who enjoyed restoring old homes, died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Wednesday at University of Maryland Medical Center. The Towson resident was 64.

Mr. Pickering was born in Baltimore and raised in Ednor Gardens.

"We grew up in the shadow of Memorial Stadium. It was a great place to grow up. We played handball, stickball, half ball and touch football in the back alleys or the streets," said Mike Ward, a childhood friend who is now a certified public accountant and real estate broker. "Dozens of us would meet on the fields at Eastern High School for pickup baseball games."

In 1961, Mr. Pickering was a member of the first class to graduate from Calvert Hall College High School after its move from Cathedral Street to its new Towson campus. He also attended McCoy College at the Johns Hopkins University.

While in high school, Mr. Pickering began working at the old News American as a part-time copy boy, and in 1964 joined The Evening Sun as a communications clerk.

Working as a Teletype operator, he was assigned to press boxes at Pimlico, Laurel and Bowie race tracks, where he was responsible for transmitting race results to the newspaper and acting as a self-appointed de facto editor.

"When I handed him my copy, he'd take a look and say, 'Hmmmmm, a little treasure map,' " said Dale Austin, former Sun racing reporter. "Or he'd ask, 'Do you really want to write this?' "

Mr. Austin recalled the time when he and Mr. Pickering shared a $2 bet on a horse.

"The horse paid $200, and Pick rolled his eyes and said, 'Only in racing,' " Mr. Austin said.

Joseph B. Kelly, retired Washington Star racing editor and turf historian, recalled meeting Mr. Pickering years ago.

"He was a very good example of a person who was upbeat at all times and was just a wonderful guy to be with in a track press box," Mr. Kelly said. "He was just a pleasant and happy guy."

In 1972, Mr. Pickering was promoted to sports reporter and four years later to makeup editor, where he worked in the newspaper's old fourth-floor composing room, supervising the layout of The Evening Sun's sports pages.

For years, he also wrote a daily handicapping column for the evening newspaper.

"We went to the Timonium track one time, and the crazy race fans recognized Pick and booed and threw food at us," said Mr. Ward, laughing.