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Post by jimsteel on Feb 13, 2023 12:21:17 GMT -5
Raydell “Lefty Bo” Maddix, a former pitcher in the Negro Leagues, passed away at the age of 94. The following is from his personal obituary: "Raydell was one of the most successful players in the Negro Baseball League. Raydell was a truly rare power pitcher for the Indianapolis Clowns, who occasionally wasn’t sure where the ball was going when he turned it loose? He led the Negro Baseball League in strikeouts for two consecutive games, pitching no hitters, something that was done very rarely. From 1948-1953, Raydell’s playing was interrupted by the Korean War. He didn’t play professionally after his return, but he played semi-pro level until he was nearly 40 years old. Raydell’s next phase in life was beginning a family. He relocated to NY & married Delores in 1957. Shortly after he moved, he worked Continental Can until 1973. He later moved back to Tampa, where he worked at the University of Tampa for 18 years until retirement." The following is an article online from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum online E-Museum. "A power pitcher with control problems, he pitched with the Clowns during the 1949-1950 seasons, when the Negro American League was struggling to survive the loss of players to organized baseball. In the latter year he contributed a 5-5 record (3.73 ERA) as the Clowns won the Eastern Division title. He continued with the Clowns into 1950s, after the Negro American League had declined to a minor-league status. Baseball Career Highlights: "I led the Negro Leagues in strikeouts in 1948-1949. Willie Mays and Ernie Banks both hit a home run off me in my career." Professional/Personal Accomplishments: "Pitching back-to-back no hitters in Luther Williams Stadium (Macon, Georgia) for the Panama City Blues, I was 24-2 in 1945. I lost the game 2-1 at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Rockets in 1946. Also, while playing first base with the Michigan City (Indiana) League in 1967, I led the league in hitting .412."
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 13, 2023 12:22:51 GMT -5
Ted Lerner, a former majority owner of the Washington Nationals, passed away at the age of 97. Lerner was an American real estate developer and managing principal owner of the Washington Nationals baseball team. He was the founder of the real estate company Lerner Enterprises, the largest private landowner in the Washington metropolitan area, which owns commercial, retail, residential and hotel properties, as well as Chelsea Piers in New York City. In 2015, Forbes magazine named him the richest person in the State of Maryland. The Washington Nationals franchise (then known as the Montreal Expos) was formerly owned and operated by Major League Baseball from February 15, 2002, until the official transfer of ownership on July 24, 2006. The Lerner family is the majority owner of the franchise, controlling over 90% of the shares. Lerner retired as managing principal owner in 2018, ceding the role to his son, Mark D. Lerner. Under Lerner's ownership, the Nationals have won four National League East division championships and appeared in the postseason five times. Lerner won a World Series ring when the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in the 2019 World Series. The Lerner family is also a partner in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the 2018 Stanley Cup Champion NHL Washington Capitals, the 2019 WNBA Champion Washington Mystics, NBA Washington Wizards, and Capital One Arena.
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Post by TTX on Feb 13, 2023 12:25:16 GMT -5
RIP Ted.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 13, 2023 12:50:45 GMT -5
Conrad Dobler, a former NFL guard who played for 10 seasons, passed away at the age of 72. This was announced on social media through several former NFL players. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, with whom he was a member of for six seasons, and later spent two seasons each with the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills. A three-time Pro Bowl selection during his Cardinals tenure, Dobler also achieved notoriety for frequently utilizing unsportsmanlike tactics against opponents, which he openly acknowledged. After playing college football at the University of Wyoming, Dobler was selected in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played right offensive guard for the Cardinals from 1972 to 1977, next to hall-of-famer Dan Dierdorf at right tackle. In those years, the Cardinals had solid offensive lines, especially for pass blocking; they allowed just eight sacks in 1975, then a record (though helped by quick releases from quarterback Jim Hart). Dobler was an important cog in this success, making three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances from 1975 to 1977. Dobler quickly developed a reputation as a nasty player, and he did little to tone down that image. On the contrary, he seemed to revel in it, probably believing that this would intimidate some defensive players, as indicated by the following quote: "I see defensive linemen jump to knock a pass down. When that happened near me, I'd smack 'em in the solar plexus, and that got their hands down real quick." As sportswriter Paul Zimmerman said: "Conrad Dobler was mean dirty. He tried to hurt people in a bad way...he made teams that he played on better. He played hurt, didn't complain, but he was a filthy, filthy player." He made the cover of Sports Illustrated, which heralded Dobler as "Pro Football's Dirtiest Player". In 1978, the Cardinals traded Dobler to the New Orleans Saints, where he played for two seasons. His final two seasons were with the Buffalo Bills, retiring after the 1981 campaign.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 13, 2023 12:52:06 GMT -5
Brian Dubois, a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for two seasons, passed away after a battle with cancer at the age of 50. This was announced by family on social media. He played for the Detroit Tigers for six games during the 1989 Detroit Tigers season and 12 games during the 1990 Detroit Tigers season. He was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Tigers for Keith Moreland on July 28, 1989. On September 6, 1989, Dubois picked up a rare 5-inning save. Dubois pitched 5 shutout innings and picked up a save during a 11-5 Tigers victory over the Royals. It was his only save at the MLB level. During his short MLB career, he played in 18 games and sported a 3.82 ERA.
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Post by TTX on Feb 13, 2023 12:55:47 GMT -5
Conrad considered one of the meanest players of all time. RIP.
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 14, 2023 12:33:31 GMT -5
Arne Espeel, a 25 year old goalkeeper for a team called ‘Winkel Sport B’ died suddenly during a match against Westrozebeke in Belgium on Saturday night. Espeel reportedly stopped a penalty kick in the second half and immediately collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
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Post by on_the_edge on Feb 14, 2023 16:58:52 GMT -5
I just read about Arne Espeel. Death is always sad but especially when so young. Hard not to think of Damar Hamlin when I was reading about it. RIP
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 14, 2023 19:08:52 GMT -5
Charley Ferguson, a former AFL and NFL tight end/wr, passed away at the age of 83. Ferguson went to college at Tennessee State and went undrafted out of college. He was able to make the Cleveland Browns roster and was a tight end in 1961. He then was signed the following year by the Minnesota Vikings before finally landing with the AFL's Buffalo Bills from 1963 1965&1966 and 1969. He was a member of the Bills' 1964 and 1965 AFL Championship teams and he was a AFL All-Star in 1965. Prior to his career in the the NFL he played for the Cleveland Browns (1961) and Minnesota Vikings (1962). During his career he caught 13 touchdown passes. Cleveland Browns (1961) Minnesota Vikings (1962) Buffalo Bills (1963–1969) Career highlights and awards AFL All-Star (1965) 2× AFL Champion (1964, 1965)
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Post by jimsteel on Feb 15, 2023 11:16:17 GMT -5
Former NFL player Stanley Wilson Jr 'dead at 40 after collapsing at a mental hospital'
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