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Post by jimsteel on Sept 12, 2023 20:36:57 GMT -5
Brandon Hunter, former NBA player for Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, dead at 42
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 15, 2023 2:23:30 GMT -5
James "Jim" Knight, a former NFL and WFL on-field back judge and official, passed away at the age of 76. The following is an excerpt from Knight's online obituary: "Knight graduated from Wake Forest University with a BA in History and was inducted into the Wake Forest ROTC Hall of Fame. Mr. Knight served honorably in the Vietnam War, being highly decorated for his actions. He was awarded the Honorary Air Assault Badge for exceptional service for the 101st Airborne Division. His other commendations include but are not limited to: Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Three (3) Silver Stars for Gallantry, Two (2) Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star for his heroic actions dedicated to protecting the soldiers under his command and the Republic of South Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. Captain Knight started his passion of being an Official in High School and continued for over forty (40) years culminating as being one of the few officials to officiate both Division 1 Men’s Basketball and Football. He officiated ACC Football for thirty (30) years and also officiated in the NFL as well as the World Football League. He loved his time officiating and especially cherished his friendships with his fellow officials and coaches. He lived a life with many accolades, however his joy and pride was in his family. He always made sure his children: Michael and Mary (Cissy) knew how proud of them he was and how much he loved them. Sep 27th 1997: Referee James Knight suffered a massive heart attack during a game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Knight thankfully survived the heart attack.
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Post by on_the_edge on Sept 16, 2023 17:03:58 GMT -5
Ex-NFL star Mike Williams dead at 36: Former Chiefs wide receiver - who earned $12m in his career - 'suffered fatal injuries in accident while working on a construction site' The Syracuse college star, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs across five years in the NFL, called time on his football career in 2016. He earned a total of $11,848,250 during his time in the NFL, predominantly with the Chiefs, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2010 and handed him a four-year contract. It has been reported that Williams was working on a construction site in recent weeks, where he suffered the fatal accident. I was watching the news on the 12th and saw this story and was confused. Turns out he did not die on the 5th but was put in a medically induced coma. He was taken off life support a couple days later. He held on for a while but finally passed on the 12th.
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 16, 2023 19:04:03 GMT -5
Ron Barassi, AFL legend and premiership player and coach, dies aged 87
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 16, 2023 19:31:03 GMT -5
England football youth star Ben Cull dies aged just 23 as he loses brave cancer battle weeks after proposing to girlfriend
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Post by TTX on Sept 17, 2023 6:53:44 GMT -5
RIP. 23 is way too young.
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 18, 2023 21:44:08 GMT -5
Henry Boucha, Minnesota hockey legend, Warroad icon, dies at 72 The Warroad High School star went on to pro fame and became a Minnesota hockey legend. He remained involved in both hockey and Native American activism in recent years.
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 19, 2023 19:46:33 GMT -5
Joe Novsek, a former defensive lineman in the American Football League, passed away at the age of 83. After his high school career, Novsek accepted a scholarship offer from The University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. Upon joining the school, he immediately made the team roster. As a sophomore in 1959, he was named second-team all-conference at the tackle position. He was named co-team captain to start his junior year. As a senior in 1961, he was named first-team all-conference by the Associated Press. Novsek was selected in both the 1961 NFL Draft (by Baltimore Colts, 19th round, 259th overall) and the 1961 AFL Draft (by Oakland Raiders, 17th round, 131st overall), but chose to finish his collegiate career. At the end of the 1961 college football season, Novsek chose the Raiders in the AFL over the NFL's Colts. He was used by the Raiders in each position of the defensive line, and appeared in all fourteen games of the 1962 season. He was a starter in two of their games. He was named to the AFL's All-Rookie team at the end of the season. He was released during roster cuts in August 1963. He was later signed by the Baltimore Colts, who drafted him two years prior, in 1964. Novsek was released at the 1964 roster cuts, ending his professional career.
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 20, 2023 11:59:41 GMT -5
Roric Harrison, a former MLB pitcher, passed away at the age of 76. Several social media posts from close friends of Harrison's posted of his passing. The following is an excerpt from one of those postings: "One of my dad’s closest friends growing up passed away this morning to Alzheimer’s, two days short of his 77th. The last American League pitcher to hit a home run before the introduction of the designated hitter. I remember Mr Harrison as a doting father and family man and once told me my dad belonged in the major leagues, he was that good. He also gave my father a dozen baseballs signed by Hank Aaron , which then my dad then passed out to all work buddies. I’m glad your suffering is over sir, find comfort in your eternal rest . Gives me a little reflection as my parents are getting up there … It’s a dance we will all take" …….Unfortunately, Harrison had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years earlier . Harrison signed with the Houston Astros out of Westchester High School in Westchester, California, in 1965 and amassed a 13–28 record in Houston's farm system and pitched just two innings for the Oklahoma City 89ers in 1969 when he was dealt to the Seattle Pilots with Dooley Womack for Jim Bouton. He pitched for the franchise's (now known as the Milwaukee Brewers) Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers in 1970, and went 6–11 with a 5.57 earned run average. During spring training, the following season, he and Marion Jackson were traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Marcelino López. Harrison improved to 15–5 with a 2.81 ERA for the Orioles' triple A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings in 1971. The best pitcher in the International League that year, attending spring training with the Orioles in 1972. He made the team, but it was as a relief pitcher, as Baltimore's four starters had each won 20 or more games the previous year. He did, however, make two emergency starts in the second games of doubleheaders, going 1–1 with a 6.75 in his two starts. For the season, he went 3–4 with a 2.30 ERA and four saves. After just one season in Baltimore, Harrison was traded along with Davey Johnson, Pat Dobson and Johnny Oates to the Atlanta Braves for Earl Williams and Taylor Duncan on the last day of the Winter Meetings on December 1, 1972. Harrison was used as both a starter and reliever in Atlanta, compiling an 11–8 record and 4.16 ERA in both roles. He also added two home runs to his career total despite having only three hits all season (the other was a double). Harrison was 20–23 with a 4.45 ERA in his career for Atlanta when he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians during the 1975 season for pitcher Blue Moon Odom. Harrison went 7–7 with a 4.79 ERA in nineteen starts for the Indians in 1975. During Spring training 1976, he was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals for Harry Parker. After one season playing Triple-A ball for the franchise, he was released. He played minor league ball with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers before seeing major league experience again with the Minnesota Twins in 1978. In nine games, he was 0–1 with a 7.50 ERA.
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Post by jimsteel on Sept 20, 2023 21:51:05 GMT -5
Phil Sellers, a small forward in the NBA, passed away at the age of 69 after suffering a stroke. Sellers accepted a scholarship with Rutgers. His decision to become a Scarlet Knight was initially criticized as Rutgers was a small, unheralded and independent program at the time but Sellers found instant success, averaging 19.5 ppg in his freshman season, helping lead Rutgers to the 1973 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and then following that up in his second season with 23.2 ppg and another NIT appearance. Sellers and Rutgers continued their winning ways in 1974-75, finishing with a 22-7 record and the first NCAA Tournament appearance, losing a first round game to Louisville 91-78 with Sellers scoring 29 points. Rutgers took another step in 1975-76. Sellers, a senior and Consensus Second Team All-American, led the team to a 31–0 start, averaging a double-double of 19.2 ppg and 10.2 rpg, the Scarlet Knights advanced to the NCAA Tournament, winning games over Princeton 54-53, Connecticut 93-79, and VMI 91-75 to advance to the Final Four. The team finished 31–2, with their only two losses occurring in the national semifinals, 86-70 to Michigan and then the third-place game to UCLA 106-92. Sellers graduated from Rutgers in 1976 and is still the school's all-time leading scorer (2,399) and rebounder (1,115). On January 16, 1988, he had his jersey number (#12) retired, making him one of only three Scarlet Knights players to have ever been so honored. After graduating from Rutgers, Sellers was picked in the third round (38th overall) of the 1976 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. The 6'4" Sellers changed to the guard position, having played forward in college, and struggled with the increased ball-handing responsibilities. Sellers said, "I couldn't play guard. They had doubts. Even me, I had doubts." Sellers spent the year with Detroit, playing the tumultuous 1976-77 Detroit Pistons season with Marvin "Bad News" Barnes, averaging 4.5 ppg in 44 games. He was released prior to the following season. After his release from Detroit, Sellers played for the Jersey Shore Bullets in the Continental Basketball Association and then for BV Amstelveen in the Netherlands. He tried out for the Pistons again in 1979, under his former assistant coach at Rutgers Dick Vitale, but was cut before the season began. Sellers would return to Rutgers as an assistant coach for four years in the 1980s before moving to work in the private sector. Sellers was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. Former Rutgers President Dr. Edward J. Bloustein said of Sellers that he "epitomized and symbolized in ways that people who gain the public eye sometimes do, a movement at Rutgers toward quality and self-assurance. He helped instill a sense of confidence in the university that persists today.
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