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Terry McLean

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Terry McLean
Born
Terence Power McLean

(1913-07-15)15 July 1913
Whanganui, New Zealand
Died(2004-07-11)11 July 2004
Auckland, New Zealand
OccupationSports journalist

Sir Terence Power McLean KNZM MBE (15 July 1913 – 11 July 2004), often known simply by his initials as T. P. McLean, was a New Zealand sports journalist and author specialising in rugby union.

Early life and family

McLean was born in Wanganui and died in Auckland. He was educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School. He married Margaret Coyle in 1940; they had one son and two daughters.[1]

He came from a rugby family, and several other McLeans were notable in the New Zealand rugby union, including Hubert McLean who was an All Black in the 1930s. His father and four uncles played for Wanganui, and his brothers Gordon (Taranaki) and Bob (Wellington) played at the provincial level.

Career

McLean commenced as a journalist on the Auckland Sun in 1930, subsequently working on the Hastings Tribune, New Zealand Observer, Taranaki Daily News, and Evening Post (Wellington). After service in World War II, he joined the New Zealand Herald in Auckland as sports editor in 1946.[2]

For the next 30 years, McLean accompanied most All Black teams overseas and visiting sides in New Zealand, writing a series of tour books and other books on rugby, 32 in total. He retired from the Herald in 1978.

Honours and awards

In the 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours, McLean was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to sporting journalism.[3] In the New Year Honours 1997, McLean was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, also for services to sporting journalism.[4] He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007.

References

  1. ^ Lambert, Max (1991). Who’s Who in New Zealand (12th ed.). Reed, Auckland. pp. 402–3. ISBN 0 7900 01306.
  2. ^ Ron Palenski; Rod Chester; Neville McMillan (2005). The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Rugby (4th ed.). Hodder Moa, Auckland. p. 388. ISBN 1 86971 026 6.
  3. ^ "No. 47551". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 3 June 1978. p. 6271.
  4. ^ "New Year honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 15 December 2019.