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Post by jimsteel on Feb 6, 2023 10:55:35 GMT -5
Bodybuilder Lee Banks Dies at 51 from cancer
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 6, 2023 13:40:20 GMT -5
Ron Campbell, a former infielder with the Chicago Cubs, passed away on February 2nd at the age of 82. The following is an excerpt from Campbell's online obituary: "Ronnie was a graduate of Meigs County High School where he was an All-Star Athlete. He attended Tennessee Wesleyan in Athens, Tennessee, where he played basketball until he was called up from the baseball minor league. After joining the minors, he went on to play in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs. He was inducted into the Tennessee Wesleyan, Bradley County and Chattanooga Halls of Fame." After spending some time at Tennessee Wesleyan College, Campbell was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1960. He toiled in the minor leagues for a few seasons before getting his first opportunity with the Cubs on September 1, 1964. After going 0-for-8 in his first two contests, Campbell singled off Cincinnati Reds pitcher John Tsitouris in his first at-bat on September 3, 1964, not only recording his first major league hit, but also his first RBI as teammate Len Gabrielson scored from third to give the Cubs a 1–0 lead. The Cubs went on to win 3–0, giving Campbell credit for the game-winning RBI. In lieu of Joey Amalfitano, Campbell went on to start at second base for all but two of the Cubs' remaining games that season, sharing the field with future Hall of Famers Billy Williams and Ernie Banks. He hit his first and only major league home run on September 6 of that season against the St. Louis Cardinals' Ray Sadecki. Another highlight of his first month in the majors was collecting his first three-hit game on September 23 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Campbell finished his brief 1964 campaign with the Cubs with a batting average of .272, six doubles, a triple, a home run, and 10 RBI in just 92 at-bats. However, 1965 saw Campbell back in the minors for almost the entire season. His only appearances with the Cubs were as a pinch-hitter in each game of a September 12 doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants. Campbell was with the Cubs for two stints during the 1966 season; first from late June to mid-July, and again from late August through the end of the season. He played both third base and shortstop during this time with the club, spelling Ron Santo and Don Kessinger. However, he did not fare nearly as well as in 1964, batting only .217 with one double, no triples or home runs, and four RBI. On his final day as a major leaguer, Campbell recorded his second and last three-hit game, collecting three singles against the New York Mets on September 28 in the first game of a doubleheader (he went 0-for-4 in the second game, however). He never appeared in the major leagues again.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 6, 2023 17:06:34 GMT -5
Demetrius Calip, a former NBA point guard formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers, passed away at the age of 53. Born in Flint, Michigan, he helped the University of Michigan Wolverines to the 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. As a member of the 1988–1989 National Champions, his teammates included Glen Rice, Terry Mills, Loy Vaught, Rumeal Robinson, Sean Higgins, and Rob Pelinka. As a member of the 1990–91 team, he led the team in scoring, assists and minutes. Other University of Michigan Wolverine teammates included Eric Riley and Gary Grant. and was coached by grad assistant Joe Czupek. He went undrafted after college, but signed a free agent contract with the Lakers, where he played in 7 games. Calip played on the following professional teams: 1991 Los Angeles Lakers 1991 Rapid City Thrillers 1991–1992 Yakima Sun Kings 1993–1994 Columbus Horizon 1994–1995 Mexico Aztecas
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 6, 2023 21:00:41 GMT -5
Pete Koegel, a former Major League Baseball first baseman, catcher and outfielder, passed away at the age of 74. Koegel was drafted in the fourth round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Athletics out of Seaford High School (New York). He remained with the organization through its move to Oakland, California, before being traded along with Bob Meyer to the Seattle Pilots for Fred Talbot in 1969. Koegel again remained in the organization through a move, this time when the Pilots moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to become the Milwaukee Brewers. During his time with the Brewers, Koegel played at the Major League level with the team in 1970 and 1971 before being dealt along with Ray Peters to the Philadelphia Phillies for Johnny Briggs on April 22, 1971. Koegel played at the Major League level with the Phillies that year, as well as the following year. In 1973, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Chris Zachary, but never played a Major League game with the organization. The following is an excerpt from Koegel's online obituary: "A graduate of Seaford High School, where Pete was a 3 sport athlete, lettering in football, basketball and baseball. He excelled in baseball and in 1965 was named the MVP of the Journal American Allstar game played in Yankee Stadium between the Metropolitan All Stars and the USA All Stars. The award was presented to him by Mrs. Lou Gehrig. This began a journey that had him signed to play with the Kansas City A's in 1965, which became the Oakland A's. He was traded to the Seattle Pilots in 1969 where he made his major league debut. He finished his pro career as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Pete returned to Saugerties where he spent the last 35 years of his life. "
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 6, 2023 21:33:36 GMT -5
Wilbur Howard, a former Major League Baseball outfielder, passed away at the age of 73.. During a six-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1973) and the Houston Astros (1974–1978). Howard was selected in the 19th round of the 1969 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Pilots (now known as the Milwaukee Brewers), who would move to Milwaukee and become the Brewers after the season. Howard played in the Brewers organization for the next four seasons, getting a September call-up in 1973, when he batted .205 in 39 at bats. The following spring, he was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for the star-crossed Larry Yount and another minor leaguer. Howard started the 1974 season in the minor leagues, but was called up in mid-June, spending the rest of the season as the Astros' fourth outfielder. In 1975, he remained in that role, although the Astros rotated their other outfielders (Greg Gross, César Cedeño, and José Cruz) out of the lineup often enough that Howard played in 121 games, batting .283 with 32 stolen bases, which was eighth in the league and second on the team to Cedeño's 50. In 1976, however, manager Bill Virdon moved Howard back into a more traditional fourth outfielder role, and he continued to serve in that capacity for three seasons. After spending 1979 in the minor leagues, Howard retired from pro baseball.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 9, 2023 15:07:52 GMT -5
Former CFL wide receiver Dimitrious Stanley has passed away after a battle with prostate cancer. he was 48. Stanley played for Ohio State and was a four-year player from 1993-1996. He had his best season in 1996 when he recorded over 800 yards on 43 receptions and 8 touchdowns. After college, he went undrafted and attempted to sign with the Dolphins in 1997, but eventually made the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL. He then spent two seasons in the Arena Football League with the New Jersey Red Dogs in 1999-2000.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 9, 2023 15:09:57 GMT -5
Paul Martha, a former DB-SE-WR-HB in the NFL, passed away at the age of 80. He was the swiss army knife of football, excelling at many positions due to his athletic ability. Martha played college football and basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. After playing quarterback in 1961, he moved to running back, where he became a consensus All-American in his second season in the new position. In 1962, he led Pitt in both receiving and scoring. He led the Panthers to a 9-1 record as a senior in 1963, and after the season he played in the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and the College All-Star game. He was selected in the first round (10th overall) of the 1964 NFL Draft by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. In his rookie season in 1964, Martha caught six passes for 145 yards (a 24.2 average) and rushed four times for 12 yards. He also returned 13 punts and one kick. In 1965, he caught 11 passes for 171 yards (a 15.5 average) and rushed twice for three yards. He spent the next four seasons as a full-time safety on defense, and in those four seasons he recorded a total of 15 interceptions. After the 1969 season, his sixth and last one in Pittsburgh, he played for the Denver Broncos in 1970, picking off a career-high six passes for 99 return yards. During his time playing for the Steelers, Martha attended Duquesne University, from which he earned a law degree. He became an attorney and worked for Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay, a law firm in Pittsburgh and for Youngstown Steel, before hooking up with Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr., the Youngstown shopping mall magnate, in the mid-1970s. He rose in prominence with DeBartolo's sports teams, becoming executive vice president, general counsel and CEO of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1977 and executive vice president and general counsel of the San Francisco 49ers in 1978. He also ran the Civic Arena, now Mellon Arena. In the early 1980s, he was general manager of the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL. He was involved in mediating between the NFL players union and NFL owners on different occasions.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 10, 2023 22:20:10 GMT -5
Tom Schoen, a former defensive back in the NFL, passed away at the age of 77. Schoen was a consensus All-American at the University of Norte Dame. Schoen joined Notre Dame as a quarterback before the coaching staff converted him to safety in his junior and senior seasons. He was later drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 8th round of the 1968 NFL Draft. However, his pro football career was put on hold as he was drafted in 1968 into the army. Schoen then returned to the Cleveland Browns at the end of his military service in 1970 when he played in 4 games for the Cleveland franchise.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 11, 2023 13:25:25 GMT -5
Larry Coyer, a former NFL assistant coach, passed away at the age of 79. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) from 2009 to 2011. Prior to the Colts, he was the assistant head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos and New Mexico State. Coyer's defense consistently ranked among the NFL's most productive during his three seasons as the Broncos' defensive coordinator and helped the club advance to the playoffs each year. The Broncos placed in the league's top-7 in run defense every year under Coyer and allowed an average of 93.3 rushing yards per game between 2003 and 2006 (ranking second in the NFL during that period). Denver also ranked among the league's best teams in overall defense under Coyer, posting consecutive top-4 NFL rankings in yards-per-game allowed from 2003–04 and placing fourth in the league (289.5 ypg.) in that category for the period 2003-2006. In addition, the Broncos surrendered an average of 18.0 points per game between 2003 and 2006 to rank fifth in the NFL in scoring defense with Coyer at the helm. Coyer's defense was instrumental in the Broncos going 13-3 in 2005 and advancing to the AFC Championship Game. Denver, which, in 2005, sent cornerback Champ Bailey, safety John Lynch and linebacker Al Wilson to the Pro Bowl, ranked second in the NFL in run defense (85.2 ypg.) and posted the third-best such mark in franchise history. The Broncos allowed only 16.1 points per game to tie for third in the NFL, and surrendered a total of 37 points in their final four games (9.3 ppg.) en route to capturing the AFC West title. Coyer began his Broncos coaching career as their linebackers coach from 2000-2002. In Coyer's first year instructing Denver's linebackers in 2000, John Mobley and fellow linebacker Bill Romanowski finished first and second on the team in tackles (133 and 121) while Wilson ranked fourth (104). In his first year as the Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2003, Denver's defense allowed an average of only 277.1 yards per game. The team ranked fourth in the NFL and earned its first postseason berth since 2000. Coyer, who also instructed the team's linebackers, worked closely with Wilson during his Pro Bowl season that saw him lead the Broncos in tackles (128) for the second consecutive year. On January 8, 2007, Coyer was released from the Denver Broncos after the 2006 season. His release was the result of a defensive meltdown in the second half of the season. On January 18, 2007 the Bucs hired him as their defensive line coach. The following are stops along Coyer's long coaching career: 1965–1967 Marshall (DB) 1968–1969 Martins Ferry HS (OH) 1970–1972 Massillon HS (OH) (DC/DB) 1973 Bowling Green (DB) 1974–1977 Iowa (DC) 1978 Oklahoma State (DC) 1979–1982 Iowa State (DC) 1983–1984 Michigan Panthers (LB) 1985 Memphis Showboats (DC) 1987–1989 UCLA (LB) 1990 Houston (AHC/DC/DB) 1991–1992 Ohio State (DB) 1993 East Carolina (DC) 1994 New York Jets (DL) 1995–1996 Iowa State (DC) 1997–1999 Pittsburgh (DC) 2000–2002 Denver Broncos (LB) 2003–2006 Denver Broncos (DC) 2007–2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (AHC/DL) 2009–2011 Indianapolis Colts (DC) 2013 Washington Redskins (scout) 2014 New Mexico State (DC)
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Post by TTX on Feb 11, 2023 17:19:42 GMT -5
RIP to those who have passed.
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