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Post by jimsteel on Aug 10, 2023 23:18:54 GMT -5
Sean Dawkins, a former NFL wide receiver, passed away at the age of 52. Dawkins earned an athletic scholarship to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he played for the California Golden Bears. While at Cal, Dawkins used his speed and size to establish himself as one of the country's most dangerous deep threats. His first two seasons at California were unqualified successes for him personally, as well as his Golden Bear teammates. In 1990, California won their first Bowl Game since 1938, defeating Wyoming in the Copper Bowl. The following season, the Bears dominated nationally ranked Clemson in the Citrus Bowl, which earned them the No. 7 ranking in the final CNN/USA Today Coaches Poll, their highest finish since 1950. It also marked the first time in school history that California has won bowl games in consecutive seasons. The 1992 season, however, included a new coach. After transforming the California program from a laughingstock into a national power, coach Bruce Snyder left Berkeley for Arizona State and was replaced by Keith Gilbertson. Gilbertson's squad struggled to a 4-7 record in 1992, but Dawkins was one bright spot in an otherwise forgettable year. Dawkins was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American after the season in 1992, an honor that encouraged him to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. He was selected in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts as the 16th overall pick and the second wide receiver chosen. In his third season with the Colts, Indianapolis won two playoff games before falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game. He would play in two more playoff games in his career, but both were losses. After a season in New Orleans, Dawkins signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks in 1999. He enjoyed his finest personal year in 1999 when he caught 58 passes for 992 yards. After two campaigns with Seattle, Dawkins spent his final year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. His career was clearly on the decline by that point, as he made only 20 catches with the Jaguars that season. Before the 2002 season, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings, however he was released in the final cutdown and never played in the NFL again.
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Post by TTX on Aug 11, 2023 5:30:37 GMT -5
RIP Sean
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 11, 2023 15:18:48 GMT -5
Dan Hester, a former center in the American Basketball Association, passed away at the age of 74. The following is an excerpt from Hester's online obituary: "He began his college career at Murray State College in Oklahoma in 1966. In 1968, he continued on to LSU, playing basketball for the Tigers alongside Pistol Pete Maravich. He was drafted from Louisiana State University by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1970 NBA draft in the 2nd round 31st overall pick of the draft. He continued his basketball career playing with the ABA Denver Rockets and the Kentucky Colonels. He played for the following teams during his ABA career. 1970–1971 Denver Rockets 1971 Kentucky Colonels
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 11, 2023 15:20:11 GMT -5
Bob Currie, a former defensive tackle for the BC Lions, passed away at the age of 75. Currie went to the University of Hawaii and was later signed by the BC Lions of the CFL. The following is an excerpt from Currie's online obituary. "Bob packed a lot into his 75 years and called many different places home, saying he never lived anywhere he didn’t like. He graduated from Centennial High School in Coquitlam as a football star. With so many offers from colleges with a football scholarship, Bob chose Hawaii where he played with the Rainbow Warriors. He was later signed as a defensive tackle with the BC Lions. Bob’s next chapter was in corrections and working in the “Outward Bound Program”. This was work he so enjoyed, and his experiences were often the topic of conversation. He then continued to Port Alberni as a probation officer and just to throw in a bit of variety while there, he tried his hand at musical theatre with performances in Lil Abner and Camelot.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 11, 2023 17:22:09 GMT -5
Bobby Morgan, a former infielder in Major League Baseball, passed away at 96 Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Morgan played American Legion baseball on the same team as Roy Jarvis and Cal McLish, winning the Oklahoma state championship in 1943. Morgan began his professional career after graduating from Classen in 1944, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played for two minor league teams before he was drafted for World War II military duty and spent the 1945–46 seasons in the United States Army, where he served in the European Theater of Operations. In 1949, he was named the most valuable player of the Triple-A International League and that year, he won the league batting crown (.337) and collected 112 runs batted in (RBIs) as a member of the Montreal Royals. Morgan's days with the Dodgers were spent as a utility infielder, playing behind Hall of Famers Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson, All-Star Gil Hodges, 1953 Rookie of the Year Jim Gilliam and slick-fielder Billy Cox. He played in three World Series games for the Dodgers. In the 1952 series he was a defensive replacement in game 4, and lined out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of Game 7 against Bob Kuzava of the New York Yankees. In the 1953 World Series, he again lined out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of game 6. Traded to the Phillies in March 1954 for Dick Young, Morgan set personal bests in hits (119), doubles, home runs (14), RBIs (50) and batting average (.262) as the Phillies' starting shortstop in 1954, where he displaced veteran former "Whiz Kid" Granny Hamner. The following year, Morgan moved to second base, but slumped at the plate. In May 1956, the Phillies traded Morgan to the St. Louis Cardinals for Solly Hemus. After the 1956 season, the Cardinals traded Morgan and Rip Repulski to the Phillies for Del Ennis. The Chicago Cubs purchased Morgan from the Phillies in May 1957. Overall, as a big-leaguer, Morgan collected 487 hits, with 96 doubles, 11 triples and 53 home runs. He batted .233. Morgan's playing career continued in the minor leagues through 1963. Morgan later managed for three seasons (1964–66) in the Phillie farm system and scouted for the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins. Morgan played on the following teams during his MLB career. Brooklyn Dodgers (1950, 1952–1953) Philadelphia Phillies (1954–1956) St. Louis Cardinals (1956) Philadelphia Phillies (1957) Chicago Cubs (1957–1958)
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 11, 2023 23:31:11 GMT -5
Henry Dickerson, a former NBA guard and college basketball coach, passed away at the age of 71. He was the head coach of the men's basketball team at North Carolina Central University from 2004 to 2009. He led the Eagles through their first two seasons of NCAA Division I competition in 2007–09. A 6'4" guard, Dickerson played at the University of Charleston in West Virginia from 1969 to 1973. As an NAIA All-American, Dickerson averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds during his four-year collegiate career from 1969–73, and is still the only person in the history of the conference to be named First Team All-Conference and Conference All-Tournament for four consecutive seasons. From 1975 to 1977, Dickerson played for the National Basketball Association as a member of the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks. Before signing with the Hawks late in the 1976–77 season, Dickerson played in the Eastern Basketball Association for the Syracuse Centennials, averaging 27.1 points per game for the team. Dickerson was head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga from 1997–2002. Dickerson served as the associate head coach at UTC from 1989–1997 and helped lead those teams to six Southern Conference regular season titles, four conference tournament championships and four NCAA tournament appearances, including a visit to the "Sweet 16" in 1997 as a #14 seed. North Carolina Central University In his first season at NCCU, the 2004–05 Eagles finished with a 16–12 overall record and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIAA Tournament. He led his squad to three victories over teams that played in the NCAA tournament, including road wins over Catawba and Bowie State, and a home win over the eventual NCAA Division II national champion Virginia Union. In 2005–06, NCCU posted a 10–18 record with a nucleus of newcomers against a schedule that included seven opponents coming off NCAA Tournament appearances and an extra non-conference game against the defending NCAA Division II national champions. Among the 10 victories was a 43-point blowout of Columbus State University, a team that finished with a 23–9 record and advanced to the NCAA Regional semifinals. In 2006–07, the Eagles finished their final season in the NCAA Division II ranks with a record of 13–15. NCCU defeated four ranked opponents, including the eventual NCAA Division II national champion, Barton College (Nov. 18, 2006). That victory marked the second time in the previous three seasons that the Eagles beat the eventual national title winner.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 13, 2023 15:20:26 GMT -5
Ken Yasuda. A Japanese professional bodybuilder.He was formerly a mixed martial arts head coach for the Tokyo Sabres of the International Fight League. Yasuda passed away suddenly at 52 years old
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 14, 2023 20:24:11 GMT -5
Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Rodion Amirov Dead at 21 the Toronto Maple Leafs 2020 first-round draft pick --- died Monday after courageously battling a brain tumor, his agent announced
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 14, 2023 20:28:02 GMT -5
Bill "Rudy" Schlesinger, a former MLB outfielder, passed away at the age of 81. He had one at bat in Major League Baseball as a pinch hitter for the 1965 Boston Red Sox. He spent much of his seven-year (1964–70) professional career in the Red Sox organization, although Boston would lose him on waivers once, trade him twice, and reacquire him twice in the space of four seasons. An outfielder, Schlesinger was signed by Boston in 1963 out of the University of Cincinnati, where he graduated with a degree in education. After hitting 37 home runs, driving in 117 runs, and batting .341 in the 1964 Class A New York–Penn League (then a full season circuit), he was protected under the bonus rules of the 1960s on the 1965 Red Sox roster coming out of spring training. In Schlesinger's only MLB appearance, on May 4, he batted for Boston pitcher Dave Morehead in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Chavez Ravine. Schlesinger grounded out (pitcher Marcelino López to first baseman Costen Shockley). Boston lost the game, 7–1, one of 100 defeats the BoSox would absorb in 1965. Three days later, when the Red Sox tried to send Schlesinger to the minor leagues, they had to pass him through waivers and he was claimed by the Kansas City Athletics. Thus began the "yo-yo" nature of his career. After parts of two seasons in the Athletics' farm system, the Red Sox reacquired Schlesinger in 1966 and he played the entire 1967 campaign with the Double-A Pittsfield Red Sox, belting 21 home runs. Then, during winter meetings on November 30, 1967, he was traded with cash to the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Ray Culp. It was a one-sided deal: for the Red Sox, Culp averaged 16 wins over the next four seasons, while Schlesinger struggled in the Cubs system in 1968 before being reacquired by the Red Sox in midseason and returning to Pittsfield. He then began 1969 with Boston's Louisville Colonels affiliate. After only 50 at bats in Louisville, the parent Red Sox traded him again, this time to the Philadelphia Phillies for veteran outfielder Don Lock. Schlesinger played the remainder of his pro career with the Phillies' Triple-A club, the Eugene Emeralds, in 1969–70. All told, he batted .270 with 127 home runs in 732 minor league games.. He had one at bat in Major League Baseball as a pinch hitter for the 1965 Boston Red Sox.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 14, 2023 20:29:54 GMT -5
Alex Collins, a former running back in the NFL, passed away at the age of 28. Collins played for the University of Arkansas from 2013 to 2015. He started his career as the first true freshman in SEC history to rush for 300 yards in his first three games. Splitting time with Jonathan Williams, he finished the year with 1,026 rushing yards on 190 carries with four touchdowns. For his play, he was named the 2013 SEC Freshman of the Year. In his sophomore season in 2014, Collins ran for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns on 204 carries, while still splitting time with Williams. He also helped lead Arkansas to a Texas Bowl victory over the Texas Longhorns. Williams went down with an injury before the 2015 season, so Collins became the featured back in Bret Bielema's offense. He started every game his junior year, and on November 7, 2015, with 108 yards against Ole Miss, Collins became only the third player in SEC history to rush for 1,000 plus yards in three seasons, joining Herschel Walker and Darren McFadden. Collins finished his junior season with a career-high 1,577 yards, and a school-record 20 rushing touchdowns. He was named second-team All-SEC, mostly because Alabama's Derrick Henry and LSU's Leonard Fournette outrushed him and were All-Americans. Collins led Arkansas to a Liberty Bowl victory over Kansas State on January 2, 2016. He finished the 45-23 victory with 185 yards and three rushing touchdowns, earning MVP honors. Collins is second on the Razorback's career rushing yards list (3,703), behind only Darren McFadden (4,590). The Seattle Seahawks selected Collins in the fifth round (171st overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was the 13th running back selected in the 2016 NFL Draft and one of three running backs the Seattle Seahawks drafted in 2016, along with C. J. Prosise (third round, 90th overall) and Zac Brooks (seventh round, 247th overall). His former teammate and backup at Arkansas, Jonathan Williams, was selected before him by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round (156th overall). He made his professional regular season debut in the Seattle Seahawks' Week 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, but had no gain on two carries in their 9–3 loss. The next week, Collins had 12 rushing yards on four carries and made the first two receptions of his career for 19 receiving yards in a 37-18 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He caught his first career pass from Russell Wilson and gained nine yards in the first quarter. On October 16, 2016, Collins had a nine-yard reception, one carry for a two-yard gain and the first touchdown of his career during Seattle's 26-24 defeat over the Atlanta Falcons. Collins finished his rookie season with 31 carries for 125 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, in 11 games. He also caught 11 passes for 84 receiving yards. Collins also had eight carries for rushing 27 yards and three receptions for 28 receiving yards in two playoff games. On September 5, 2017, Collins was signed to the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad. The Baltimore Ravens signed Collins and former Chicago Bears running back Jeremy Langford to provide depth after Kenneth Dixon tore his meniscus during training camp. On September 16, 2017, Collins was promoted to the active roster after Danny Woodhead was injured in the season-opener and was estimated to miss four-six weeks. Head coach John Harbaugh named him the Ravens' third running back on the depth chart, behind Terrance West and Javorius Allen. The following day, Collins made his Baltimore Ravens' debut and had seven carries for 42 rushing yards and one fumble in the 24–10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.[50] On October 10, 2017, Collins earned his first career start against the Pittsburgh Steelers and finished the 26–9 loss with nine carries for 82 rushing yards and a fumble.[51] During a Week 8 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football, he rushed for a career high of 113-yards on 18 carries and also caught two passes for 30-yards in the Ravens' 40–0 victory. Although Danny Woodhead returned in Week 9, Collins remained the starting running back and maintained his carries. On November 19, 2017, Collins made his fifth consecutive start and rushed for 49 yards on 20 carries, while also scoring his first rushing touchdown of the season on a three-yard run in the fourth quarter of a 23–0 defeat over the Green Bay Packers. He had seven consecutive games without a fumble after analysts criticized him for fumbling twice in three games and worried about his ball security moving forward. On November 27, 2017, he had 16 carries for 60 rushing yards and scored an eight-yard touchdown run in a 23–16 win against the Houston Texans. The following week, Collins had 75 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards to go along with a career-high two touchdowns in a 44-20 win over the Detroit Lions. In the next game, on Sunday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he ran the ball 18 times for 120 yards and a touchdown, as well as catching two passes for 46 yards, helping the Ravens total 152 yards on the ground. Despite what was arguably the best game of his career so far, the Steelers narrowly escaped with a win in the 38-39 shootout. Collins led the Ravens in rushing yards for the 2017 season with 973 yards, along with six rushing touchdowns. Collins entered the 2018 season slated as the Ravens starting running back. He started 10 games, recording 411 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, along with 15 receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown.He was placed on injured reserve on December 1, 2018, with a foot injury. On November 4, 2020, Collins was signed to the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster on November 7, 2020, November 14, 2020, and January 2, 2021, for the team's weeks 9, 10, and 17 games against the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers, and reverted to the practice squad after each game.] He scored a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams. Against the San Francisco 49ers, he ran the ball for 29 yards on five carries, including a game-sealing eight-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes left. He was elevated again for the team's Wild Card Round game against the Rams, and reverted to the practice squad again following the game. His practice squad contract with the team expired after the season on January 18, 2021. Collins re-signed with the team on February 24, 2021. In the 2021 season, Collins finished with 108 carries for 411 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with nine receptions for 87 receiving yards. He started six games.
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