Jim Brown, Johnny Lujack, Bobby Hull, and the sports figures we’ve lost in 2023

Former MLB pitcher Tim Wakefield, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox, died Sunday. The knuckleballer was 57. His former Boston teammate Curt Schilling revealed that Wakefield had brain cancer. Wakefield spent 19 years in the bigs, winning 200 games. He famously served up Aaron Boone’s game-winning home run in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. The next year the Sox ended the Curse of the Bambino, and won the World Series again in 2007. Wakefield was 45 when we won his 200th game. He won 186 of them with Boston, which is good for third all-time in franchise history behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens. “Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield, The Red Sox said in a statement. “Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation.”

Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson died Tuesday at 86. The third baseman spent his entire 23-year career with the Baltimore Orioles.

“We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson. An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball,” a joint statement from the O’s and Robinson’s family said.

Robinson was an 18-time All-Star who won the 1964 American League MVP award after hitting .317 with 118 RBI. The Little Rock, Ark.-born infielder was part of Baltimore’s 1966 and 1970 World Series-winning squads, and was the MVP of the latter. Known for his bat and for flashing the leather, Robinson racked up 2,848 hits, 268 homers, and 1,357 RBI, while winning 16 Gold Glove awards — all in a row from 1960-75. He started 15 All-Star games from 1960-74.

Former Rutgers basketball standout Phil “The Thrill” Sellers died, the university announced. Sellers, a forward to helped lead the Scarlet Knights to the 1976 Final Four, was 69. He suffered a stroke after being hospitalized for an internal illness.

Sellers was recruited to RU by the legendary Dick Vitale, who was an assistant at the New Brunswick, NJ school at the time. Considered the school’s best men’s basketball player, Sellers still holds several records including points (2,399) and rebounds (1,115). He was an All-American in 1976 — the Scarlet Knights went 31-2 — his No. 12 was retired in 1988, and he was inducted into Rutgers’ Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.

Sellers, a Brooklyn native, was drafted in the third round of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He spent one year with the team before being released.

Former Rams CB Eddie Meador died, according to the team. The 1960s All-Decade selection was 86.

Meador made six Pro Bowls in his 12-year career. His 46 INTs remain a Rams franchise record. He scored five TDs in his career.

The Rams issued a statement on his passing:

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of an NFL great, Eddie Meador, who was a standout leader for our organization and the Los Angeles community throughout his entire 12-year career,” the team said in a statement. “He was an instinctive and fearless competitor who captained some of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Eddie’s ability to galvanize teammates made him a heartbeat of the Rams and his humility made him approachable to everyone. The Meador family and friends are at the core of our thoughts, and his legacy will live on forever.”

Former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt died Thursday at the age of 91. The Milwaukee native is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor.

He served as an executive for the Rams (1955-57), 49ers (1958-59), and most famously, Dallas (1960-1988), where he was the vice president of player personnel. Brandt is credited with drafting HOFer Roger Staubach and Herschel Walker, and signing undrafted players Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris, and Everson Walls. He was on the staff for the Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI and XII victories.

“We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Gil Brandt – a true icon and pioneer of our sport. Gil was at the very core of the early success of the Dallas Cowboys and continued to serve as a great ambassador for the organization for decades beyond that,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — who fired Brandt in May 1989 — said in a statement. “His contributions cemented his spot in the Ring of Honor. He was my friend and a mentor not only to me, but to countless executives, coaches, players and broadcasters across the National Football League, which rightfully earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame where his legacy will be celebrated forever.”

Former MLB player and manager Pat Corrales died Sunday at age 82, according to three of his former clubs.

Corrales batted .216 with four home runs, and 54 RBI for the Phillies, Cardinals, Reds, and Padres. He managed the Rangers, Phils, and the then-Indians, and served as a coach with the Rangers, Yankees, Braves, and Nationals.

The former catcher compiled a 572-634 record, and was a member of Atlanta’s staff when the team won the 1995 World Series.

Bray Wyatt, a third-generation pro wrestler and one of the most creative minds in the biz, died unexpectedly on Thursday, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque announced on Twitter/X. He was 36.

“Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda — also known as Bray Wyatt — unexpectedly passed earlier today,” the tweet read.

Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, was the son of Mike Rotunda — known to WWE fans as Irwin R. Schyster (IRS) — nephew of Barry Windham, brother of Bo Dallas, and husband of former ring announcer JoJo Offerman. He leaves behind four children, two from a previous marriage.

Wrestling insider Sean Ross Sapp reported that the cause of death was a heart attack. Rotunda had been out of action due to illness, which Sapp said was COVID-19.

Rotunda got his start as Husky Harris in WWE’s developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling, which was later rebranded NXT. He appeared under the moniker on WWE TV before returning to FCW and creating the repackaged Wyatt character.

On the main roster, Rotunda held the WWE title once, the WWE Universal belt twice, and won both the Raw and Smackdown tag titles with Matt Hardy, and Luke Harper and Randy Orton (defending under Freebird Rules), respectively.

As our Sam Fels wrote, no one was more themselves than Bray Wyatt.

“What will be remembered about Wyatt more than anything was that in a company like WWE, where a good portion of the time everything feels the same and formulaic, he always stood out as something completely different,” Fels wrote.

Pro wrestling legend Terry Funk died Wednesday at age 79.

Funk was the son of wrestler and promoter Dory Funk, and brother of grappler Dory Funk, Jr. His career spanned more than 50 years — with some retirements sprinkled in — and Funk wrestled for a multitude of promotions, including Championship Wrestling from Florida, the WWF/E, ECW, All Japan, and WCW.

As Sam Fels pointed out, Funk was so good, so thorough, so necessary that he isn’t identified with WWE or WCW or any company really.

The Amarillo, Texas, native won championships across several of these promotions, including the ECW Heavywight Title, and was known later in his career for his hardcore style.

Some of his career highlights include an “I Quit” match with Ric Flair at WCW’s Clash of the Champions in 1989, his bout with Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, getting covered by chairs in an ECW match against Cactus Jack, and an exploding barbed wire death match against Atsushi Onita.

Outside of wrestling, Funk appeared in the movie Road House, and was friends with Sly Stallone.

Rick Jeanneret, who served as the play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Sabres for 51 years, died of multiple organ failure. He was 81.

“It is with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, Rick Jeanneret, Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Buffalo Sabres,” the team said in a statement. “Rick died on Aug. 17, 2023, with his family by his side after a two-year battle with multi-organ failures. He will be loved forever.”

Read more here from Sam Fels.

Former Notre Dame quarterback Johnny Lujack died Tuesday. He was 98. Lujack led the Fighting Irish to three national titles and won the 1947 Heisman Trophy. He served in WWII for two years after his sophomore season before returning to South Bend. Lujack is a College Football Hall of Fame inductee, and the second of seven Irish players to win the Heisman.

Lujack, a Pennsylvania native, was a QB/DB/K for the Chicago Bears, whom he played for from 1948-1951. He led the NFL in passing yards and TDs in 1949, and rushing touchdowns in 1950. Lujack was a two-time Pro Bowler.

Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz died. He was 70. During his tenure as owner, Chicago won three Stanley Cup titles.

As our own Sam Fels wrote, Wirtz will leave certainly a layered legacy:

Yes, under his watch, the Hawks went from the most irrelevant team in North American sports to the most popular and most successful in the NHL. At the same time, he will be remembered for being the owner of a team that prioritized a Stanley Cup and a video coach instead of a sexual assault survivor, Kyle Beach, who was allegedly assaulted by said video coach.

…

His dad was very wealthy, so he was very wealthy, and he was given this team and the other businesses that he was only sort of capable of running. He hired people he thought were, and he was at least smart enough to stand aside and let the team be what it was, both good and bad without really pulling any of the levers. Wirtz will be a historic figure in Chicago, and mostly it just happened to him because of his last name.

Former professional wrestler “Exotic” Adrian Street died. He was 82. According to his wife Linda, he died from complications following a stroke. Street debuted in 1957 and retired in 2014. Street routinely worked with Linda as his manager.

As the BBC put it: “Street’s flamboyant choice of costume — feather boa, dayglo face paint, and peroxide pigtails — soon captured the attention of the audience.”

Street worked throughout the UK, Germany, Mexico, and Canada before finally settling in the Continental Championship Wrestling promotion in Birmingham, Ala., WWE.com wrote in an obit.

Women’s basketball Hall of Famer Tara Heiss, who starred at Maryland, died on July 7. She was 66.

According to the university, Heiss played for the Terrapins from 1975-78 and led Maryland to its first ACC championship and the 1978 AIAW Final Four. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Maryland State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

She was the first Terrapin to score 1,000 career points, finishing with 1,350. Maryland retired her No. 44 jersey. Heiss played for US Basketball in 1979 and 1980.

Nikki McCray-Penson, a women’s basketball Hall of Famer, died on July 7. McCray-Penson was reportedly battling cancer — she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 but went into remission later that year — and a bout of pneumonia.

McCray-Penson starred at Tennesse — a two-time SEC Player of the Year —before playing in the WNBA from 1996-2006. She was a three-time All-Star from 1999-2001. She finished her collegiate career with 1,572 points, and notched 2,550 points in the WNBA with the Colombus Quest, Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Stars, and Chicago Sky.

She was part of two Gold Medal-winning US Olympic squads (1996, 2000).

McCray-Penson most recently served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Rutgers after head coaching gigs at Old Dominion, and Mississippi State.

Former Arkansas and NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett died Tuesday after drowning at a Florida Beach, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. He was 35.

At Arkansas, Mallett was a two-time second-team All-SEC performer. After his junior year — he skipped his senior year and entered the NFL Draft — Mallett owned 16 school records. His junior season was his best statisically, as he completed nearly 65 percent of his passes for 3,869 yards, and 32 TDs.

Mallett was a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in the 2011 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Houston Texans in 2014, and finished his career with the Baltimore Ravens.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound QB threw for 1,835 yards, nine TDs, and 10 INTs during his seven-year pro tenure — mainly serving as a backup. His first career touchdown pass was to J.J. Watt.

In 2022, Mallett became the head football coach at White Hall High School in Arkansas. “You get to teach kids the right way at a young age, and that’s something I really enjoy,” he told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

“It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett,” reads a post on the school’s website.

Former tackle Bob Brown died Friday night at 81, the Pro Football Hall of Fame — of which he was a member — announced.

Brown spent 10 years in the NFL with the Eagles, Rams, and Raiders. Nicknamed “The Boomer,” he was a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, drafted second overall by Philadelphia in the 1964 NFL Draft.

The Ohio native was described as a soft-spoken person off the field but “the most aggressive lineman that ever played,” according to the Hall.

“Bob Brown demonstrated different personalities on and off the field,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement Saturday. “On the field, he was as fierce an opponent as any defensive linemen or linebacker ever faced. He used every tactic and technique – and sometimes brute force – to crush the will of the person across the line from him. And took great pride in doing so.

“Yet off the field, he demonstrated a quiet, soft-spoken and caring nature that his son, Robert Jr., captured eloquently when he presented his dad for enshrinement in 2004. The Hall extends its thoughts and prayers to CeCe and Robert Jr. for their loss.”

Brown, who was also elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, suffered a stroke in April.

Former New York Giants wide receiver Homer Jones, who is credited as the first player to spike the ball after scoring a touchdown, died Wednesday. He was 82.

Jones spent seven seasons in the NFL — six with the G-Men. He made the Pro Bowl twice — in 1967, when he had 1,209 receiving yards and a league-leading 13 TDs, and in 1968.

“He was one of the first players (if not the first) to spike the ball in the end zone after scoring a touchdown and he quickly became a fan favorite,” Giants CEO John Mara said.

The QB-WR combo of Frank Tarkenton and Jones was dubbed “the most feared combination in the NFL” by Sports Illustrated in 1967.

Jones finished his career with 4,986 yards and 36 scores. His 4,845 yards with the Giants remain sixth-best in team history.

Jim Turner, who kicked three field goals in the New York Jets’ Super Bowl III victory, died at 82.

Turner nailed FGs from 32, 30, and 9 yards in Gang Green’s lone Super Bowl victory.

He was drafted by the then-Washington Redskins in the 1963 NFL Draft, but did not make the roster. Turner played for both the Jets, who signed him the next year, and the Denver Broncos during his 16-year career. He kicked 304 FGs, and converted 95.9 percent of his XPs.

Professional wrestling legend The Iron Sheik has died at 81, according to his official Twitter account.

“Today we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend,” reads a statement on his account, which is run by his managers Page and Jian Magen.

“With his larger-than-life persona, incredible charisma, and unparalleled in-ring skills, he captivated audiences around the globe.”

Sheiky Baby was the real bubba, winning gold in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1971 AAU championships, and later taking the then-WWF title from Bob Backlund. He later lost the belt to Hulk Hogan, whom he’s famously referred to as a “Hollywood blonde jabroni.”

He was also WWF tag champs with Nikolai Volkoff. In an infamous shoot video, Sheiky Baby said that at Wrestlemania 3, in front of “the 93,000 people” at the Pontiac Silverdome, he was going to break Brian Blair’s back and make him humble — until “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan interfered.

Sheik was born Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri in Iran, and served as Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s bodyguard for many years before moving to the United States.

He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Four-time World Series winner — as both a player and manager — Roger Craig died at age 93.

Craig spent 12 years in the bigs for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Phillies. He later managed the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.

A right-handed pitcher, Craig compiled 74 wins, a 3.83 ERA, and 803 strikeouts. As a player, he won rings in 1955 and 1959 with the Dodgers, and in 1964 in his lone season with the Cards.

Craig was also an assistant for the Pads (twice), Astros, and Tigers, who won the 1984 season — his last year with the team before becoming San Fran’s skipper.

Longtime NCAA and NFL coach Bill McGovern died of cancer on May 30. He was 60.

McGovern won a football state title as a player for New Jersey powerhouse Bergen Catholic — McGovern was selected to The (Bergen) Record’s All-Century team — before a four-year collegiate career at Holy Cross, where he starred as a defensive back. McGovern set a Division I-AA record with 24 INTs.

Immediately after college, he went into coaching — most notably having stints with Boston College, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants. He was most recently UCLA’s director of football administration after serving as the Bruins’ DC in 2022.

Jim Brown, the football great, Black lacrosse pioneer, and former social and racist justice activist died at his Los Angeles home on Thursday. The College and Pro Football Hall of Famer was 87.

Brown spent his entire NFL career with the Cleveland Browns (1957-1965) and is considered one of, if not the greatest, players of all time. He was the 1957 Rookie of the Year, a three-time MVP, nine-time Pro Bowler, and NFL champion (1964). He rushed for 12,312 yards, and scored a combined 126 rushing and receiving touchdowns.

“Jim broke down barriers just as he broke tackles,” his former team wrote in a statement upon his passing.

“To the world, he was an activist, actor, and football star,” his wife, Monique Brown, wrote in an Instagram post. “To our family, he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken.”

However, Brown leaves behind a complicated legacy, having admitted in his memoir to slapping women. He was arrested at least seven times for assault.

WWE Hall of Famer “Superstar” Billy Graham died Wednesday at age 79, the company announced.

“A former WWE Champion, Graham’s flashy fashion style, over-the-top interviews, and bodybuilder physique created the archetype for a generation of Superstars that followed in his footsteps,” WWE wrote on its website.

Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino on April 30, 1977, to capture the then-WWWF title. The bout earned PWI’s Match of the Year honors.

“If it wasn’t for Billy Graham, this industry would be so much different than it is,” Dave Meltzer said.

Graham (real name Eldridge Wayne Coleman) was known for his signature catchphrase, “I’m the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour!”

Graham’s look and style influenced Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura, Ric Flair, Scott Steiner, and others.

Following a career in bodybuilding, “Superstar” was trained to be a pro wrestler by the also legendary Stu Hart.

Graham was on life support before his death, according to his wife.

Doyle Brunson, nicknamed “The Godfather of Poker” died Sunday, his family announced. The 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner was 89.

Brunson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988. He earned more than $3 million between the WSOP and Europe, according to WSOP.com

He was one of four players to win multiple main events at the World Series of Poker. With his 10 WSOP bracelets, Brunson is tied with Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan — six behind Phil Hellmuth.

Former Louisville men’s basketball coach Denny Crum died Tuesday, the school announced. He was 86.

Crum led the Cardinals to two national titles — 1980 and 1986 — during his 30-year tenure with Louisville. During that time, 23 of his squads qualified for the NCAA Tournament, with six making it to the Final Four. Crum retired in 2001 with a 675-295 career record.

Nicknamed “Cool Hand Luke,” he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994, and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. He played at UCLA for two years under legendary coach John Wooden.

Former NFL quarterback Joe Kapp, who led the Minnesota Vikings to the Super Bowl in 1970, died at age 85.

Kapp is the lone signal-caller to play in the NFL’s Big Game, the CFL’s Grey Cup, as well as the Rose Bowl.

Kapp was the MVP of the 1969 NFL Championship Game, the final one before the league’s merger with the AFL. While he didn’t have great career numbers, the New Mexico native did throw for seven TDs in a single NFL game.

He was inducted into the College and Canadian football halls.

He was the head football coach at his alma mater Cal from 1982-86.

Vida Blue, a three-time World Series champion, died Saturday at 73. The lefty spent 17 years in the bigs with the A’s — winning titles in 1972, ‘73, and ‘74 — San Francisco Giants, and Kansas City Royals.

Blue was a six-time All-Star, who won both the American League MVP and Cy Young in 1971 after going 24-8 with a league-leading 1.82 ERA with 301 strikeouts in 312 innings. He pitched a no-hitter on Sept. 21, 1970, and was part of a combined no-no on Sept. 28, 1975.

The lefty got married on the mound in Candlestick Park, with Willie McCovey serving as best man.

One thing that eluded Blue was induction into Cooperstown.

“I don’t want to sound morbid, but if it happens, I hope they put me in before I pass away,” Blue told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2021. “I want to enjoy the benefits.”

His enshrinement may not have happened due to serving prison time for cocaine possession, and his subsequent suspension, as well as post-playing career troubles.

“There are some guys in the Hall of Fame who don’t have halos,” the pitcher told the Chronicle.

Tori Bowie, who won three medals at the 2016 Olympics, died, her management company announced on Wednesday. She was 32.

In Rio, Bowie was part of the gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team. She also earned silver in the 100m and bronze in the 200m. A year later, she captured gold in the 4x100m and 100m in London at the World Championships.

“USATF is deeply saddened by the passing of Tori Bowie, a three-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion,” USA Track and Field CEO Max Siegel said in a statement. “A talented athlete, her impact on the sport is immeasurable, and she will be greatly missed.”

Her death was announced along with the passing of Calvin Davis.

Former St. Louis Cardinals player and broadcaster Mike Shannon died, the team announced. He was 83.

Shannon won two rings with the Red Birds in 1964 and 1967. A 3B/RF Shannon batted .255 with 68 HRs, and 367 RBI.

He retired in 1970 after contracting a kidney disease. Shannon joined the Cardinals’ radio booth in 1972 and retired in 2021.

Former MLB shortstop Dick Groat died Thursday, according to his family. He was 92.

Groat starred in both baseball and basketball at Duke. He was an All-American in both sports, and his No. 10 was retired by the school after his senior year.

He signed with his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates shortly before being drafted by the then-Fort Wayne Pistons. He played 26 games, averaging 11.9 points per game as a point guard in his lone season with the squad.

On the diamond, Groat was an eight-time All-Star during his 14-year career — which was interrupted by military service — with the Pirates, Cardinals, Phillies, and Giants.

In 1960, he won the National League MVP after batting .325/.371/.394 with two HRs and 50 RBI, and a ring after his Pirates upset the Yankees in the World Series. He’d win another title in 1964 with the Cardinals.

Former NFL LB Dave Wilcox died Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced.

Wilcox, known as “The Intimidator” spent his entire 11-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, who drafted him in the third round of the 1964 NFL Draft.

The Oregon native recorded 36.5 sacks and 14 interceptions. Wilcox was a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. He was 80.

Former Minnesota Vikings scout Frank Gilliam died Sunday at 89, the franchise announced.

Gilliam was one of the first Black scouts in NFL history. He played football collegiately at Iowa, and professionally in the CFL. His tenure with the Vikings lasted from 1970 until his 2007 retirement.

“…[H]e became the first guy I hired, and we worked together for over 30 years,” Minnesota’s former Director of Player Personnel Jerry Reichow told Vikings.com. “Frank was a great guy and a really good scout. He had grown up in football and really studied it.”

WWE Hall of Famer and one-half of the famous Sheepherders/Bushwhackers tag team Bushwhacker Butch — real name Robert Miller — died Sunday. He was 78.

Miller made his in-ring debut in 1964. He wrestled for several promotions, including the NWA, UWF, WWC, and the then-WWF. Miller retired in 2001 after suffering a neck injury.

No cause of death was given, but the former pro wrestler was reportedly recently hospitalized in Los Angeles.

The Bushwhackers, who were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015, appeared as themselves in an episode of Family Matters.

Former Green Bay Packers fullback died Friday at 74, the team announced.

The Packers selected Brockington ninth overall in the 1971 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound RB was the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, beating out Jim Plunkett and John Riggins. During his eight-year career, Brockington rushed for 5,185 yards and 30 TDs.

The three-time Pro Bowler is still the fourth all-time leading rusher in Green Bay history (5,024 yards). He finished out his career with Kansas City in 1977.

Brockington was part of the 1968 Ohio State squad — which also featured College Football Hall of Famer Jack Tatum — that went 10-0 and defeated USC, 27-16, in the Rose Bowl.

In 2002, he established the John Brockington Foundation after receiving a kidney transplant.

Former NBA champion Willis Reed died Tuesday. The NAIA, College Basketball, and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer was 80.

Reed spent his entire NBA playing career (1964-74) with the New York Knicks. His accolades — in addition to winning two titles — include Rookie of the Year (1965), MVP (1970), and Finals MVP (1970, 1973).

A 6-foot-10 center, Reed was a seven-time all-star, and was named in both the 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams. He had his No. 19 retired by the Knicks.

He averaged 18.7 points per game and 12.9 rebounds. Reed finished his career with 12,183 points and 8,414 boards.

In his post-playing days, the Louisiana native coached the Knicks, Nets, and Creighton’s men’s basketball team, and served as an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings.

Reed had been name-dropped by rappers Kurtis Blow and the Beastie Boys.

Former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone died at 82, his former club announced Monday.

“The Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of former Yankee Joe Pepitone, whose playful and charismatic personality and on-field contributions made him a favorite of generations of Yankee fans even beyond his years with the team in the 1960s,” the statement reads.

The Brooklyn-born Pepitone spent 12 years in the majors, spending his first eight seasons in the Bronx. As a member of the Yankees, he was a three-time All-Star, won three Gold Gloves, and earned a ring in 1962, despite not appearing in the World Series.

Pepitone, who also played for the Astros, Braves, and Cubs, batted .258, hit 219 home runs, and produced 721 RBI.

Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Bud Grant died, the Minnesota Vikings, who he guided to four Super Bowl appearances, announced Saturday. He was 95.

Grant was the 1969 NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Vikings to a 27-7 win over the Cleveland Browns in the final championship game before the NFL-AFL merger. He became the first coach to lose four Super Bowls.

Before joining Minnesota, he coached the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL, after playing for the team for three seasons. Grant won four Gray Cups, was the 1965 CFL Coach of the Year, and was later inducted into the Canadian Football HoF.

Grant was drafted by both the Philadelphia Eagles and the then-Minneapolis Lakers, in the 1950 NFL and NBA drafts, respectively. He was a reserve on the Lakers’ 1950 championship team, and spent two seasons with the Eagles. He played defensive end his first year before switching to wide receiver.

Former NFL player and scout Dick Haley died Friday. He was 85.

“We lost an amazing football mind and a better man with the passing of Dick Haley,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said. “He was a valuable part of this franchise for 23 years, the first 4 of those as a player and the final 19 as a member of the Player Personnel Department.

“Dick played an instrumental role in our unprecedented success in the 1970s during the second part of his career,” added Rooney. “He developed a unique eye for talent, and he ultimately helped identify and draft many of the players that allowed us to win four Super Bowls during that decade. My condolences go out to the entire Haley family during this difficult time.”

Haley was drafted in the ninth round of the 1959 NFL Draft. He played cornerback for Washington, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh. Haley recorded 14 interceptions and scored two TDs.

During his tenure as the Steelers’ director of player personnel — from 1971 to 1990 — Pittsburgh won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV). Haley is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame.

His son, Todd, was a longtime NFL coach.

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Otis Taylor died Thursday. He was 80.

Taylor was a two-time AFL champ (1966 and 1969), and one-time Super Bowl champ (IV). A three-time Pro Bowler, he racked up 7,306 yards and 57 TDs in his career. Taylor had two 1,000-yard seasons.

He died seven months after his former QB and friend Len Dawson.

“My family and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Otis’ wife Regina, his sister Odell and the entire Taylor family as we mourn his passing,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. “He was one of the most dynamic receivers of his era, and he helped revolutionize the position. Off the field, he was kind and dedicated to his community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Otis’ legacy will live forever.”

French footballer Just Fontaine died at 89, his former club Stade de Reims announced on Wednesday. The striker scored 13 goals for France in the 1958 World Cup.

Fontaine scored 21 total goals in 30 appearances for Les Blues — whom he later managed in 1967 — and more than 200 club goals for USM Casablanca, Nice, and Reims. In his post-playing days, Fontaine also managed the famed French club PSG for three seasons between 1973-76, and Morocco — where he was born — from 1979-81.

The Carolina Panthers announced that former owner Jerry Richardson died Wednesday at 86. Richardson was awarded the team in 1993. He owned the franchise from its inaugural season in 1995 until 2018 when he sold the team after an investigation by the NFL found him guilty of workplace misconduct, which included sexual harassment and the use of a racial slur.

David Tepper, who bought the team in 2018 for $2.27 billion, said in a statement, “Jerry Richardson’s contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic. With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave the NFL fans here a team to call their own. …”

Billie Joe “Red” McCombs, a Texas businessman who once owned the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Vikings, died Sunday, his family announced.

“Red was a visionary entrepreneur who touched many lives and impacted our community in immeasurable ways,” the statement from the family says. “But to us he was always, first and foremost, ‘Dad’ or ‘Poppop.’ We mourn the loss of a Texas icon.”

McCombs bought the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA, relocated the franchise to San Antonio — becoming the Spurs — and helped get the team into the NBA during the 1976 ABA-NBA merger.

He owned the Nuggets for a short period in the 1980s, and owned the Vikings from 1998-2005.

McCombs, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications (later iHeartCommunications), was 95.

Former EPL forward Christian Atsu died in Turkey during the recent earthquake.

“Atsu’s lifeless body was found under the rubble. At the moment, his belongings are still being removed,” his manager Murat Uzunmehmet told private news agency DHA.

At the club level, Atsu played for Chelsea, Newcastle, and most recently Hatayspor, and internationally with Ghana. He was 31.

Former MLB All-Star and two-time World Series champion Tim McCarver died, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

McCarver spent 21 years in the bigs, which included 12 years with the Red Birds, and stints with the Phillies, Expos, and Red Sox. A left-handed hitting catcher, he finished second in the MVP voting in 1967 after batting .295/.369/.452 with 14 home runs and 69 RBI. He won his second ring with the club that year; the first was in 1964.

After retiring from baseball in 1980, McCarver became an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who called 24 World Series.

The St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer was 81.

Former NFL lineman Conrad Dobler died Monday. The 10-year pro was dubbed “football’s dirtiest player” — accused of punching, spitting on, and kicking opposing players. Dobler was a three-time Pro Bowler. The 6-foot-3, 234-pound guard played for the Cardinals — who drafted him out of Wyoming in the 1972 NFL Draft — Saints, and Bills.

“He was the kind of tough, physical and fierce player that you love to line up with as a teammate and hate to line up against as an opponent. On the field, Conrad was a big reason for the success of the Cardiac Cards of the 1970s,’’ Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement.

Dobler was 72.

Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner died Feb. 12, the team announced. Lerner, a billionaire real estate developer, was 97. His family purchased the team from MLB in 2006 for $450 million. The Nationals won a World Series in 2019.

“The Genius” has passed. Professional wrestler Lanny Poffo died on Thursday at 68 due to unknown causes. Longtime friend “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan announced Poffo’s passing on social media. Poffo was the real-life younger brother of “The Macho Man” Randy Savage, who died in 2011. Poffo’s last appearance in professional wrestling came at the 2018 event “All In” while his final showing with the WWE was to posthumously induct Savage into its Hall of Fame. Outside of wrestling, Poffo published two books and was a motivational speaker.

“Arriving in WWE in 1985 alongside his brother, “Leaping” Lanny Poffo was one of the first high-flyers in WWE. While he achieved some success as a fan favorite reading his own poetry and throwing Frisbees to the crowd, he reached new heights as The Genius while managing Mr. Perfect,” WWE wrote on its website.

-Eric Blum

Bobby Beathard, an exec who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2018, died on Monday. His son Casey told The Washington Post that his father, 86, died from complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

He was part of the front office for four Super Bowl-winning teams — two in Miami, and two in Washington.

After serving as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, Beathard was director of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins from 1972 — when the team went undefeated — until 1977. He was the GM of the then-Redskins from 1978-88, hiring coach Joe Gibbs, and drafting Hall of Famers Art Monk, Russ Grimm, and Darrell Green.

He also selected notorious draft bust Ryan Leaf as the Chargers’ GM.

Bobby Hull, the hockey Hall of Famer known as “The Golden Jet” died, his former team the Chicago Blackhawks announced on Monday.

The winger, whose NHL career lasted from 1958 until 1980, was 84.

Hull played in 1,063 games for the Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers, tallying 1,170 points A 12-time All-star, he won a Stanley Cup in 1961. Hull is Chicago’s all-time leading goal scorer with 604, including 98 game-winners.

Hull was inducted into hockey’s Hall of Fame in 1983. His son, Brett, was enshrined in 2009. They are the only father-and-son duo to each win the Hart Trophy.

College basketball announcer Billy Packer died Thursday, according to a tweet from his son, Mark. He was 82.

During his broadcast career, Packer worked 34 Final Fours for both NBC and CBS. He was a color analyst or play-by-play guy for each tournament between 1975-2008.

Mark told The Associated Press that his dad had been hospitalized in Charlotte for the past three weeks and had several medical issues, and ultimately succumbed to kidney failure.

“He really enjoyed doing the Final Fours,” Mark Packer told AP. “He timed it right. Everything in life is about timing. The ability to get involved in something that, frankly, he was going to watch anyway, was a joy to him. And then college basketball just sort of took off with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and that became, I think, the catalyst for college basketball fans to just go crazy with March Madness.”

Longtime Portland Trailblazers play-by-play announcer Bill Schonely died Saturday. He was 93.

Schonely served as the team’s play-by-play guy from its inaugural season in 1970 until 1998. Known as “The Schwonz,” he coined the term “Rip City.”

Former MLB infielder and executive Sal Bando died Friday after a battle with cancer. Bando spent 16 years in the majors, including 11 in Oakland, winning three World Series trophies with the A’s in the early ‘70s.

The four-time All-Star finished his career with the Brewers, later serving as Milwaukee’s GM from 1991-99.

“It is with a heavy heart, the Bando family is sad to announce the passing of its beloved husband and father, Sal, who last night lost his battle with cancer that began over five years ago,” the Bando family said in a statement on Saturday. “Sandy, Sal’s wife of 54 years, and sons Sal Jr., Sonny and Stef, send their love to family, friends and fans who mourn the loss of a humble and faithful man.”

Bando batted .254, slugged 242 home runs, and is a member of the A’s Hall of Fame. Outside of baseball, he had a cameo on a 2006 episode of “The Simpsons.” He was 78.

MLS defender Anton Walkes died in a boating accident Thursday. He was 25.

Walkes was a member of Charlotte FC, who drafted him in the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft. The England native previously played for Tottenham, Portsmouth, and Atlanta United.

One-half of the best professional wrestling tag team of all-time to never get a chance in a major promotion died Tuesday night. Jay Briscoe was involved in a fatal car crash in Laurel, Delaware. Briscoe, whose real name was Jamin Pugh, was 38.

Delaware State Police were investigating the fatal two-car crash where a 27-year-old female driver veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with Briscoe’s truck. The female driver of the other vehicle was wearing her seatbelt, while Briscoe was not. Both were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Briscoe’s 12- and 9-year-old daughters were in the truck at the time of the crash and both wearing their seatbelts. Both were admitted to a local hospital in critical condition.

Briscoe was most widely known for his work alongside his brother, Mark Briscoe (real name Mark Pugh), as two of the founding fathers of Ring of Honor. The Briscoe Brothers were 13-time ROH World Tag Team Champions.

(Read more here.)

-Eric Blum

Former three-time All-Star Frank Thomas, who was with the New York Mets for their inaugural season, died on Monday, the team announced. He was 93.

For his career, Thomas batted .266 with 286 home runs. The OF/3B also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, the then-Milwaukee Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Houston Astros.

Former Heisman Trophy winner Charles White died Wednesday. The star USC running back, who rushed for a still-standing school record 6,245 yards, was 64. The cause of death was cancer, according to the school.

White was Rose Bowl MVP in 1979 — the year he won the Heisman, and several other awards — and 1980. He was a key member of USC’s 1978 national title-winning squad.

White played nine seasons in the NFL with the Browns and Rams, leading the league in rushing in 1987.

A College Football Hall of Famer, White told Sports Illustrated that he smoked marijuana “almost daily” while at Southern Cal and tried cocaine a few weeks prior to the 1977 Rose Bowl. He dealt with drug and alcohol abuse and eventually sold his Heisman. 

“Charles White was one of the all-time great Trojans,” USC athletic director Mike Bohn said.

Former striker for Chelsea, Juventus, and Italy’s men’s national team, Gianluca Vialli died Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 58.

“I know that I probably will not die of old age, I hope to live as long as possible, but I feel much more fragile than before,” Vialli had said in a Netflix documentary.

He scored 167 career club goals, and 16 with Gli Azzurri. Vialli was on the Italy squad that finished third at the 1990 World Cup.

Vialli also spent time as manager of Chelsea, and Watford, and as an assistant with the Italian national team. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017.

Nate Colbert, the San Diego Padres’ all-time home runs leader, died on Jan. 5. He was 76.

The slugging first baseman joined the then-expansion squad in 1969, and was a three-time All-Star with the club.

During his time with San Diego, Colbert hit 163 of his career 173 round trippers.

Colbert spent 12 seasons in the majors with the Houston Astros, Padres, Detroit Tigers, Montreal Expos, and Oakland A’s, and also spent time in left field.

He finished eighth in MVP voting in 1972.

“An original member of the Padres in 1969, Nate was a trailblazer in the San Diego sports community. He was a three-time National League All-Star in brown and gold and became the Padres’ all-time home run king (163), a record that still stands today,” team chairman Peter Seidler said. 

Former Texas Longhorns baseball coach Cliff Gustafson died on Jan. 2 at 91.

He guided the Longhorns to two College World Series titles in 1975 and 1983. Gustafson compiled a 1,466–377–2 record with Texas, and won 11 Southwestern Conference tournament titles. He was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Several of his players went on to the majors, most notably Roger Clemens.

Dubbed the “Father of Instant Replay,” former NFL official Art McNally died on Jan. 1. The Pro Football Hall of Famer — the first official inducted — was 97. He was a field judge for the 1959 season before becoming a referee for the next eight years.

McNally was the NFL’s Supervisor of Officials from 1968 until his 1991 retirement. He introduced instant replay to the league.