Sports obituaries

[sox83cubs84]

Ted Thompson, a LB for 10 years with the Houston Oilers, and later an NFL executive for 13 years, died on 1/22 at age 68.

Thompson spent 1975-84 on the Oilers' roster, and in addition to playing linebacker, he also had a very brief stint with the team in 180 where he acted as a kicker, going 4-for-4 in extra point attempts.

After that, he spent 13 seasons in the Packers' front office as VP/GM/Director of Football Operations, and was part of a Super Bowl winner in that time.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Mike Sadek, who spent his entire MLB career of 8 seasons as the backup catcher for the Giants, died on 1/20 at age 74.

Sadek caught for San Francisco in 1973 and also 1975-81.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Ron Samford, a SS-2B who played for 3 different teams in the 1950s, died 1/14 at age 90.

Samford was part of the 1954 World Series winning New York Giants, although he didn't make the Series roster. He played in 1 game for the Tigers in 1955, and spent more time with them in 1957, before ending his MLB career with the Senators in 1959

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Ron Johnson, who had three short stints in MLB, died on 1/26 at age 64.

A multi-position player (C/1B/RF), Johnson was briefly with the Royals in 1982-83 and the Expos in 1984.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Paul Foytack, a RHP who was a quality member of the Detroit Tigers' starting rotation for several years, died on 1/23 at age 90.

After a short beginning with the Tigers in early 1953, he returned to The Show for keeps in 1955, and remained with Detroit until early in the 1963 season, where he was dealt to the Angels, retiring after being released in April of the1964 season. From 1956-62, Foytack posted a double-digit number of wins 6 times over that 7-year span.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Hank Aaron, MLB's all-time HR king for over 30 years and still the true HR king in the eyes of many, died on 1/22 at age 86.

Playing for the Braves in both Milwaukee and Atlanta for 21 years (1954-74) and then heading back to Milwaukee to wind down his career with the Brewers (1975-76), "Hammerin' Hank" clobbered 755 HR in his MLB career. He led the NL in hits twice, and led in both home runs and RBI on 4 different occasions and won 2 NL batting titles. His 2,297 RBI is still #1 on the all-time MLB list.

Aaron also won 3 Gold Gloves, an NL MVP award (1957) and is the only man in MLB annals to be a member of an All-Star Game team 25 times. Keep in mind that from 1959-1962, there were 2 All-Star Games each season.

He is known for wearing uniform #44 for nearly his entire career, the only exception being his rookie season of 1954, when he wore #5.

Dave Miedema

The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office has declared that Aaron did NOT die due to COVID19, but from natural causes.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Dick Smith, who played 3B, SS, and 2B in brief tours of duty with the Pirates from 1951-55, died on 1/25 at age 94.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Wayne Terwilliger, a 2B whose career spanned the 1949-60 seasons in The Show, died on 2/3 at age 95.

Terwilliger first appeared in MLB with the Cubs in 1949. He stayed with them through mid-1951, and then was dealt to Brooklyn.

After military service, he returned to the majors for 4 years, splitting the 1953-56 seasons between the Senators (2 seasons) and the Giants (also 2 seasons). His final two active playing seasons in the Majors were with the Kansas City A's (1959-60).

After retiring, he was a major league coach for both the Senators/Rangers and the Twins, and later was the manager for the Independent minor league St. Paul Saints.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Ralph Backstrom, a center who played for 6 Stanley Cup Champion teams while a member of the Montreal Canadiens, died on 2/7 at age 83. Cause of death has not been announced.

Ralph first played for Montreal during the 1956-57 season, and became a regular as of the 1958-59 NHL campaign. He continued with Montreal through the midst of the 1970-71 season, when he was dealt to the Kings. He was part of the Los Angeles until late in1972-73, when he was dealt to the Blackhawks and played there for 16 games.

In 1973-74, he still played with Chicago...but for the WHA Cougars, where he also played in 1974-75. The 1975-76 season found him with the WHA Denver Spurs, and was sent to the New England Whalers (also WHA) in mid-season, ending his pro career there the following season.

He led or was tied for the league lead in games played 4 times (3 NHL, 1 WHA).

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Marty Schottenheimer, who made a name for himself in the NFL both as a middle linebacker and as a head coach, died on 2/8 at age 77.

Marty graduated from Pitt, and then embarked on a 6-year playing career in the AFL, playing for Buffalo from 1965-68, and for the Boston Patriots in 1969-70. He was on the AFL Champion Buffalo Bills in his rookie season, and was part of one Pro Bowl.

Marty joined the ranks of NFL coaches in 1974, and earned his initial head coaching job with the Browns in 1984, and was employed there through 1988. His next head coaching gig was with the Chiefs from 1989-98. His final run as a head coach ran beginning in 2001 with a single season as Redskins head coach, followed by his last 5 seasons (2002-06) in charge of San Diego. He won the AP Coach of the Year Award in 2004 when he led the Chargers to a 12-4 record.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Hy Cohen, a RHP who appeared in 7 games (1 of them as a starter) died on 2/4, 6 days after his 90th birthday.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Grant Jackson, a LHP whose 18-year MLB career saw him take the mound for 6 different teams, died on 2/2 at age 78.

Jackson first pitched in MLB with the Phillies when the team expanded their rosters in September 1965, continuing with the Phillies through 1970, after which he was traded to the Orioles. From 1971-76, he was part of Baltimore's mound corps, although after 13 games in '76, he was sent to the Yankees for the remainder of the season.

Come 1977 he was part of the Pirates pitching staff remaining there until late 1981, when the Expos acquired him for the stretch run during the second half of the 1981 season, which was split in halves by the midseason players' strike.. He began the 1982 season with the Royals, before returning to Pittsburgh for his last MLB game on 9/8/82.

His biggest moments in The Show were his being named to the NL team for the 1969 All-Star Game, and being a key cog in the Pirates bullpen in their 1979 World Series championship team.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Billy Conigliaro, an OF who played for 5 years with 3 different AL teams, died on 2/10 at age 73.

Billy came to the Majors in 1969 with the Red Sox, and was a teammate of his brother Tony in 1969 and 1970. He remained with Boston through 1971, after which he spent 1972 with the Brewers and finished his MLB career with Oakland in 1973. During his time with the Athletics, he wore a jersey with a NOB of a non-standard nature (BILLY C.)

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Stan Palys, a LF-PH who played for 4 seasons in the NL, died on 2/8 at age 90.

A September call-up for the Phillies in 1953 and '54, he spent much of 1955 in Phillies pinstripes before being dealt to the Redlegs, where he finished the season and stayed on the roster in 1956 before he hung up his spikes.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Vincent Jackson, a WR for 12 seasons in the NFL, was found dead in his hotel room on 2/15. He was 38. Cause of death has yet to be announced, although at this time foul play is not expected to be the cause.

Selected to 3 Pro Bowls, Jackson began his NFL career in 2005 with the Chargers, staying with San Diego through 2011. He then caught passes for Tampa Bay from 2012-16. He led the NFL in 2 receiving categories in 2012: yards per reception (19.2) and longest reception in yards (95).

Dave Miedema