Tom Clancy, the author, Annapolis resident, and part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles, died Tuesday in a Baltimore hospital. Clancy was 66 years old. His best-selling novels, many of which became hit films, included several from the Jack Ryan series: The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. His books were particularly popular with Washington readers because of the authentic detail he brought to stories of espionage and military derring-do. The news of Clancy's death was announced by his publisher.

Clancy was born in Baltimore and went to school and college there and in Towson, Maryland. Before he found his fortune as an author, he was in the insurance business. 

Clancy was unabashed about his conservative politics. One of his most notable fans was President Ronald Reagan.

Other Clancy books include The Sum of All Fears, Without Remorse, Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, Rainbow Six, and his most recent, in 2012, Threat Vector, by which time Jack Ryan is President of the United States and his son is a rising CIA operative. Command Authority is scheduled to be released in December of this year.

From the Archives:

How Tom Clancy Turned the Novel of Revenge Into Earnings of $16 Million a Year

Tom Clancy Talks About How Jack Ryan Would Handle Osama bin Laden