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Post by jimsteel on Jun 9, 2022 8:59:22 GMT -5
Rocky Freitas, a former NFL offensive tackle, passed away on June 8th at the age of 76. Freitas played for the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an eleven-year career that lasted from 1968 to 1978 in the National Football League. He played with the following teams: the Detroit Lions (1968–1977) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1978). Freitas played college football at Oregon State University and was drafted in the third round of the 1967 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1972 season. His son Makoa was selected in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Following his NFL career, Freitas served in various leadership roles in education, including at Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, and GRG Enterprises.He also served as the chancellor of Hawaiʻi Community College for six years, as vice president for university relations for the University of Hawaiʻi System, and as associate athletic director for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As a vice president of the University of Hawaii System, Freitas was instrumental in negotiating a move of the UH football team from the Western Athletic Conference to the Mountain West Conference in 2010 during the 2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment. Freitas served as the chancellor for the University of Hawaii at West Oahu from 2013 until his retirement in 2015.
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 9, 2022 9:19:51 GMT -5
Frank Cipriani, a former MLB outfielder, passed away on June 7th at the age of 81. Cipriani's minor league career extended from 1960 through 1966. He appeared in Major League Baseball for 13 games as a right fielder and pinch hitter for the Kansas City Athletics in 1961. Cipriani's September 1961 MLB audition came in his sophomore year as a pro, after he played a minor-league season with the Shreveport Sports of the Double-A Southern Association. In his debut for the Athletics, he started in right field against Jim Kaat of the Minnesota Twins, and singled twice off Kaat in a 6–4 Kansas City win. He started in right field in ten more games through October 1 in his only MLB service. The following is an excerpt from his online obituary: "At Timon High School, Frank achieved All Western New York honors in basketball and baseball and was named "Man of the Year" in 1959. Upon graduating from Timon, Frank attended Fordham University in New York City, NY on a full-ride basketball scholarship. Frank's accomplishments also included numerous successful business endeavors that he started and ran with his brother Mario. These included the restaurants "Big Wheel" in West Seneca, NY, "Macaroni Company" and "Garcia's Irish Pub", both located in Buffalo, NY. Frank was a Lieutenant in the Lackawanna Fire Department, and served for 35 years. In April, 2022 he was inducted into the Timon Athletic Hall of Fame for the 1958 Varsity Baseball Team."
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 9, 2022 10:43:55 GMT -5
ANOTHER ATHLETE Corky Taylor, a former NFL halfback and defensive back, passed away back on May 20th 2022 at the age of 88. Taylor was a star running back at Kansas State and as a result was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1955 NFL Draft, the 19th pick overall. He played in 1955 and in 1957 suiting up for a total of 12 games. During 1957 he was drafted by the US Army and as a result he ended his football career.
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 9, 2022 16:35:32 GMT -5
Matt Zimmerman is a Canadian retired actor. He is best known as the voice of Alan Tracy in the 1960s television series Thunderbirds and sequel films Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6. Died at 87
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 9, 2022 19:17:24 GMT -5
Don Perkins, a former NFL running back, passed away at the age of 84. The Dallas Cowboys franchise was admitted to the league too late to participate in the 1960 NFL draft in November 1959, so they signed Perkins to a personal-services contract for a $1,500 bonus and a $10,000 salary. This meant he would play for the Cowboys if and when they received an NFL franchise. Although he was selected in the ninth round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Colts, the league honored the contract, but made the Cowboys compensate the Colts with a ninth round draft pick (#116-Roy Walker) in the 1962 NFL draft. Perkins sat out the entire 1960 season with a broken foot (fifth metatarsal) he suffered in training camp, so he began playing with the Cowboys in 1961 as a rookie. He lacked long-distance speed, but made up for it with outstanding quickness and balance. He finished with 815 rushing yards (sixth among league leaders) and 4 touchdowns, earning NFL rookie of the year and Pro Bowl honors. Not only was he considered a superb blocker, he also finished in the NFL's top 10 rushing in each of his eight seasons in the league. On September 24, 1961, he became the first running back in Cowboys' history to run for 100 yards in a game, when he rushed for 108 yards on 17 carries against the expansion Minnesota Vikings. Perkins's best year was in 1962, when he rushed for 945 yards and seven touchdowns, becoming the first Cowboy to make the All-Pro team. He was coming off his two best all-round seasons when he decided to retire prior to the 1969 season. Even though he played in the fullback position at 5 ft 10 and 204 pounds, his ten career 100-yard games rank fourth in club history, he led the Dallas Cowboys in rushing in six of his eight seasons, and also led them in touchdowns in four of his eight seasons. He ranks fourth on the Cowboys' all-time rushing yards list behind Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett and Ezekiel Elliott, and fifth on the rushing touchdowns list, behind Smith, Dorsett, Marion Barber III and Elliott. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and to one All-Pro team, while gaining a reputation in the NFL for his courage and resolve on some of the worst teams in Dallas Cowboys history. In 1968, he helped end the Cowboys' practice of segregating players when traveling to hotels. Probably the only thing he couldn't do was complete Tom Landry's annual "mile run" in camp. Landry once told NFL Films: "Perkins was in the toughest times" and "The guy was a remarkable runner, a great pass blocker and one of the best players in our history." Walt Garrison replaced him in the starting lineup, and once said, "Don Perkins was the best fullback the Dallas Cowboys ever had." Perkins retired at the end of 1968 having led all active players in rushing yards since the retirement of Jim Taylor, and was fifth in NFL history with 6,217. He was inducted into the Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium alongside his quarterback Don Meredith in 1976. Only Bob Lilly was inducted ahead of them in 1975. In 2006, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 9, 2022 22:42:39 GMT -5
Pasha Bleasdell, Model and Star of Nelly's 'Hot in Herre' Music Video, Dead at 38
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 10, 2022 14:06:18 GMT -5
Bill Urbanik, a former NFL and CFL assistant coach, passed away at the age of 75 on May 31st. The following is an excerpt from his online obituary: "A native of Donora, PA, Bill was a 3-sport athlete in high school and member of the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame. He played college football at The Ohio State University, was a member of the 1968 Ohio State National Championship team that won the 1969 Rose Bowl, and was an Academic All-American Football Player in 1969. A graduate assistant football coach with the Young Thundering Herd at Marshall University following the 1970 plane crash spurred a career in coaching after earning his master's degree in health and physical education. After coaching a year at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester (KY), he returned to Marshall, then coached at Northern Illinois University before coming to Wake Forest University. A professional career soon followed with coaching positions with the Cincinnati Bengals, LA/Oakland Raiders, Sacramento Gold Miners (CFL), and XFL NY/NJ Hitmen, and scouting positions with the Raiders and Arizona Cardinals. His retirement years were spent teaching and coaching in high school
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 10, 2022 14:10:59 GMT -5
Everton Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Billy Bingham MBE. A championship winner as a player with the Club and manager at Goodison Park for nearly four years, Billy passed away peacefully on Thursday, at the age of 90. The thoughts of everybody at Everton Football Club are with Billy’s family and friends. Bingham was awarded an MBE for his services to football in 1981. A right-sided forward, Bingham ignored interest from Arsenal to join Everton in October 1960, a decade after leaving his native Northern Ireland to pursue a professional football career with Sunderland. Bingham played 23 matches and scored five goals in Everton’s Harry Catterick-inspired 1962-63 title-winning campaign. Everton recouped the £15,000 they paid Luton Town for Bingham when he was sold to Port Vale in August 1963 after 26 goals in 98 matches for the Club.
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 12, 2022 9:41:07 GMT -5
Peter Palmer, a former linebacker in the CFL, passed away in early June at the age of 74. A native of Toronto, he graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College and played his early football with the Oakville Colts, where he won the Lee Kirby Memorial award given to the player who impacted the most on and off the field. In 1970 made the roster for the BC Lions. He subsequently went on to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1971-1975.
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Post by jimsteel on Jun 13, 2022 12:36:52 GMT -5
Philip Baker Hall, Magnolia Star, Dies at 90 Prolific character actor Philip Baker Hall, star of films like Say Anything... and Magnolia, has died at age 90. Truly a defining performer of his generation, Hall starred in a number of well-known projects over the years, with his roles, no matter the amount of screen time, always leaving an impact on audiences. Hall's on-screen credits span decades, earning appearances in other notable projects like Secret Honor, Hard Eight, The Truman Show, Argo, and Zodiac. Los Angeles Times journalist Sam Farmer confirmed the news on Twitter, sharing a brief tribute to Hall, noting that the actor passed away peacefully.
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