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Post by jimsteel on May 11, 2023 17:51:27 GMT -5
BOXER KENNETH EGANO DEAD AT 22 After Collapsing Following Fight
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Post by jimsteel on May 12, 2023 16:18:19 GMT -5
Don Denkinger, a former Major League Baseball umpire, passed away at the age of 86. Denkinger worked in the American League from 1969 to 1998. and wore uniform number 11, when the AL adopted uniform numbers in 1980. He is best remembered for an incorrect safe call he made at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series, which came to be known as The Call. Denkinger attended Wartburg College where he was on the wrestling team. He became interested in umpiring while serving in the Army from 1957 to 1959. He began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1960, joined the AL staff in April 1969, and became an AL crew chief in 1977. In 1975, Denkinger was one of the first American League umpires to switch from the outside chest protector to the inside chest protector, which was used in the National League for decades before finally being adopted in the AL in the late 1970s. All umpires who entered the AL starting in 1977 had to use the inside protector; AL umpires on staff prior to 1977 were grandfathered and could continue to use the outside protector. Denkinger's last game using the outside protector was Game 4 of the 1974 World Series. Denkinger umpired in four World Series: 1974, 1980, 1985 and 1991, serving as crew chief the latter two years. Denkinger also umpired in the All-Star Game in 1971, 1976 and 1987, calling balls and strikes for the last game. He officiated in six American League Championship Series (1972, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1988, 1992), serving as crew chief in 1979, 1982, 1988 and 1992, and in the 1981 and 1995 AL Division Series. He was the home plate umpire for the 1978 American League East tie-breaker game that decided the AL East championship, as the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox. He was also the home plate umpire for game seven in the 1991 World Series when the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 in ten innings, a game considered as one of the best in World Series history. One of seven umpires who have worked in two perfect games, Denkinger was the second base umpire for Len Barker's perfect game on May 15, 1981, and the first base umpire for Kenny Rogers' perfect game on July 28, 1994. Denkinger was also the home plate umpire for Nolan Ryan's sixth no-hitter on June 11, 1990. Denkinger was the first base umpire in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals led the Kansas City Royals by 3 games to 2 and had taken a 1–0 lead in the 8th inning. The Cardinals had taken the field with a ninth-inning lead 97 times in the 1985 season. They had won 97 times. In the bottom of the ninth, Jorge Orta, the leadoff batter for the Royals, hit a slow ground ball to first baseman Jack Clark, who tossed the ball to the pitcher, Todd Worrell, who was covering first base. Denkinger called Orta safe, even though television replays (not used by officials for play review until 2008) and photographs clearly showed that he was out by half a step. The Royals went on to win Game 6 by the score of 2–1. Denkinger believed he had made the right call until he later met with Commissioner Peter Ueberroth after the game and had the opportunity to see the replay himself. He said he was waiting to hear the ball land in Worrell's glove while watching the bag for Orta's foot and due to the crowd noise he never heard Worrell catch the ball. As crew chief of the 1985 World Series umpiring unit, Denkinger was scheduled to work behind home plate in Game 7, a fact that further upset the Cardinals and manager Whitey Herzog. The Royals won Game 7 by an 11–0 score, with Denkinger ejecting both Herzog and pitcher Joaquín Andújar in the fifth inning, following Andújar's animated displeasure with ball and strike calls. In the immediate aftermath of the 1985 World Series, Denkinger received many hateful letters, including death threats, from Cardinals fans. Two St. Louis disc jockeys went so far as to reveal Denkinger's telephone number and home address. Denkinger claimed the letters continued on through 1987, when the Cardinals were ramping up for another World Series appearance, this time against the Minnesota Twins. Denkinger got into contact with Major League Baseball Security, who in turn contacted the FBI when he received a particularly menacing letter with no return address, in which the writer said that if he saw Denkinger in person, he would "blow him away" with a .357 Magnum. Two years later, Denkinger was behind the plate for the All-Star Game, and he was again named crew chief for the 1988 ALCS, 1991 World Series, and 1992 ALCS. He is one of only four umpires to have been selected as crew chief for the ALCS three times.[citation needed] Denkinger's last season as a full-time umpire was 1993; thereafter he umpired fewer than 100 games each season, umpiring his final game in June 1998. Over the course of his career, he umpired 3824 regular-season MLB games.
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Post by jimsteel on May 12, 2023 20:19:08 GMT -5
Larry Mahan, rodeo cowboy whose fame transcended the arena, dies at 79 He won an unprecedented five straight all-around world championships, started his own clothing line and appeared on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson
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Post by jimsteel on May 14, 2023 15:16:39 GMT -5
Chris Roberts, longtime UCLA basketball and football radio announcer, dies at 74
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Post by jimsteel on May 14, 2023 17:34:34 GMT -5
Gerry Hart, a former NHL a former NHL defenseman, passed away on at the age of 75. Hart played 730 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques, and St. Louis Blues between 1969 and 1982. He reached the NHL playoff semifinals four times in five seasons with the Islanders. During his career, he scored 29 goals with 150 assists. Hart retired from the NHL in 1982 and began living off his investments.
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Post by jimsteel on May 15, 2023 5:18:42 GMT -5
Ferran Olivella, who captained Spain to Euros success in 1964 and played for 13 years at Barcelona, dies aged 86
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Post by jimsteel on May 15, 2023 6:12:34 GMT -5
Owen Davidson, Who Won 8 Grand Slams With Billie Jean King, Dies at 79 In the 1960s and ’70s, he and King dominated mixed doubles tournaments. He was also known for his congeniality, sportsmanship and skill at the net.
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Post by jimsteel on May 15, 2023 7:07:35 GMT -5
New Zealand rugby star dies aged 33 - five years after he was forced to retire from the sport with concussion complications Tasman Rugby announced Guyton's death with a post on social media. 'It is with great sadness to hear of the passing of Billy Guyton (a 52 game Mako player, and recent coach of our FPC Mako team), it said. 'Billy was a much-loved member of our whole Tasman Rugby Union team and had a positive impact on those he played alongside and coached. Former Super Rugby star Billy Guyton died on Monday at the age of 33
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Post by jimsteel on May 15, 2023 10:24:32 GMT -5
Andy Provan, a former soccer player in the NASL, passed away at the age of 79. The following is an excerpt from his online obituary: "Provan the age of 16 Andy signed for St Mirren as an Amateur turning professional in 1961 before leaving on a free transfer at the end of 1962/63. He decided to try his luck in England signing with Barnsley in May 1963, but was out for six months with a knee injury. He subsequently joined York City on a month-long trial and made an immediate impression. He was signed on for the season being an ever-present and second top goal scorer in their side, which won promotion to the Third Division. Andy moved to Chester in August 1968 before signing for Wrexham in April 1970. Andy fell out of favour and was placed on the transfer list at £5,000 and was snapped up by Jimmy Meadows after the transfer fee had been reduced. Hitherto Andy had been regarded as a lively, orthodox left winger, Meadows quickly realised that his speed would be better utilised by playing him alongside target man, Jim Fryatt with whom he built up a tremendous rapport. At just 5 foot 5 inches tall, Andy was converted into a striker, and this gave him a new lease of life. He began with a scintillating display in a pre-season friendly against Airdrie, scoring three second-half goals and Southport and Provan never looked back. Showing good control and the scorer of some spectacular goals, Andy proved to be a firm favourite with the Southport supporters top scoring with 21 League goals ( a figure only exceeded by four other players in thirty-two post-war seasons in the Football League ). When Southport clinched promotion at Crewe with a 2-0 over the ‘Alex’ it was Andy who scored the first goal and laid on the second for Frank Lee. At the end of the same month, Andy, together with Jim Fryatt and Chris Dunleavey, went to play in the North American Soccer League for the Philadelphia Atoms. There he made a great impression alongside Fryatt , who were dubbed ‘Batman’ and ‘Robin’. Returning from the States Andy was honoured by Whitbread’s as Division IV Player of the Year but he was not the same in 1973-74 having played football continuously for twelve months football without a break . He moved to Torquay united where he spent a further three seasons. In all, he clocked up more than 400 Football League appearances and notched 120 goals. He went on to win a Southern League championship medal with Bath City in 1977-78. Andy settled in Torquay and worked as a psychiatric nurse in a local hospital. He played in the South Devon League for Totnes Birdwatchers and Windsor United. He subsequently played for local sides W.B.B, Hele Rovers and Waldon United before finally hanging up his boots in 1990 aged 46. The lure of the game was such that he continued to keep fit by playing five-a-side into his 50s and took up golf. " During his stay with the Atoms, he scored a team-high 11 goals to carry Philadelphia to the 1973 NASL title game.
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Post by TTX on May 15, 2023 11:02:13 GMT -5
RIP to those who have passed.
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