Sports obituaries

[sox83cubs84]

Ted Cox, a backup IF-OF for 4 teams over 5 seasons, died on 3/11 at age 65.

Cox was a September call-up with Boston in 1977. He spent 2 seasons after that with Cleveland, then one with Seattle and finally with Toronto (1981)

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Johnny Antonelli, a quality LHP who was named to 6 NL All-Star teams, died on 2/28 at age 89.

Antonelli first appeared with the Boston Braves in 1948, and was also part of the 1949 and 1950 squads, as well. After serving for 2 years in the military, he returned to the Braves for one more year, with the team now located in Milwaukee.

Dealt to the Giants in 1954, he was a major contributor in their World Championship season, going 21-7 with an NL leading 2.30 ERA. He also went 20-13 in 1956 and sported a 19-10 ledger in 1959. He spent one more season after that with San Francisco, then ended his career in 1961, splittting between the Indians and the Braves.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Don Pavletich, a C-1B-PH for the Reds and 2 AL teams, died on 3/5 at age 81.

After playing in one game each in 1957 and 1959, Pavletich came up to stay in 1962, serving as the back-up to Johnny Edwards and then Johnny Bench through 1968. He then spent 1969 with the White Sox, and finished up his time in The Show with two seasons in Boston.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Mike Stratton, an offensive end from 1959-61 who went on to a great career in the NFL as a linebacker, died on 3/25 at age 78. Cause of death was heart complications after a fall.

Stratton played 12 seasons in the AFL and AFC, with all but the last wearing the uniform of the Buffalo Bills. In his final year (1973) he was with the Chargers.

In his pro career, Stratton won 2 AFL titles and played in 6 AFL All-Star Games.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

MLB, basketball, and NCAA FB:

Jim Wynn, whose small physique and immense slugging power for the Colt .45s/Astros and 4 other teams died on 3/26 at age 78.

Standing only 5-9" tall and weighing just 165 lbs. earned the nickname "The Toy Cannon" due to his very healthy HR totals every season in Houston, playing half of his games in the pitcher-friendly Astrodome,

Wynn was dealt to the Dodgers, with whom he played in 1974-75. After spending the Bi-centennial year playing for Atlanta, he went briefly to the AL in 1977, splitting his final MLB season between Milwaukee and the Yankees.

One of the most popular Harlem Globetrotters of all-time, Curly Neal, died on 3/26 at age 77.

Neal, whose real first name was Fred, played in over 6,000 games from 1963-85, He was among the Globetrotter players immortalized in a Saturday morning network cartoon show during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Bryce Beekman, a 22-year old DB with the Washington State NCAA football team, died on 3/24. Cause of death has yet to be announced, but it has been announced that no foul play was involved. Officers responded to a 911 call from Beekman's apartment, where he was concerned about "breathing problems"

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Ramon Conde, a diminutive infielder who appeared in 14 games for the 1962 White Sox, died on 2/23 at age 85.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Jarrod Patterson, a 3B who had brief call-ups with the Tigers (2001) and the Royals (2003) died on 3/11 at age 46. His games played for each team was identical (13),

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Orlando McDaniel, a WR who had a cup of coffee with the 1982 Denver Broncos, died 3/27 at age 59.

McDaniel made his mark in college sports, being a star in both football and track at LSU.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Goldie Sellers, a DB/KR who played for 4 seasons in the old AFL, died on 3/28 at age 78,

Sellers missed only 1 game in 4 seasons, split evenly between the Broncos and the Chiefs. He was a rookie in 1966, and ended up his career winning a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs, who defeated the Vikings 23-7 in SB4.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Ed Farmer, a RHP normally used in relief and who pitched for 8 different MLB teams, died on 4/2 at age 70. Cause of death were complications after a previous illness..

Farmer has been a radio voice with the White Sox for close to 3 decades, both as the play-by-play man and as the color commentator.

His best season also came as a White Sox pitcher, earning 30 saves and making the AL All-Star team.

The recipient of a kidney transplant in 1991, Farmer became a voice for organ donations.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Bob Lee, a RHP who shined during his first couple of years in The Show, died on 3/25 at age 82.

He was a solid reliever for the Angels from 1964-66, and made the AL All-Star team. This honor was during a season where he finished with a 9-7 record, a 1.92 EA and 23 saves. His last 2 seasons were spent primarily with the Reds, although he began 1967 by appearing in 4 games with the Dodgers.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Al Kaline, a lifetime Detroit Tiger who was among the most beloved of living HoFers, died on 4/6 at age 85. No cause of death has been given as of yet.

A lifetime .297 hitter, Kaline became the youngest MLB player ever to win a league batting title, checking in with a .340 average in 1955. He finished his MLB career with 3007 hits, 399 HR and 1583 RBI. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 1980.

Having never played a game in the minors, Kaline's first MLB game was on 6/25/53, and for that season, he wore #25 on his uniform, after which he switched to the #6 jersey we all remember at the beginning of the 1954 season.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Bobby Mitchell, an offensive skill player for 11 years with the Browns and Redskins, died on 4/5 at age 84.

A Pro Football Hall of Famer and 4-time Pro Bowler, Mitchell was proficient both in rushing and receiving. A 7th round draft pick by Cleveland, he starred for then for 4 seasons, after which he was dealt to Washington, where he played his final 7 years, retiring after the 1968 season. Over his 11 years in the NFL, he never missed a regular season game.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Pat "Whitey" Stapleton, a longtime fixture on defense, died 4/8 at age 79 due to a stroke.

Stapleton was a main cog in Coach Billy Reay's Blackhawks defense for 8 seasons. He left the Blackhawks to spend 2 season playing for the WHA Chicago Cougars (actually a player-coach in one of them.) After the Cougars folded, he stayed in the WHA, joining the Indianapolis Racers forr 2 seasons before finishing up with the Cincinnati Stingers in 1977-78.

Before he joined Chicago's NHL team, Stapleton got his first taste of the NHL, playing for the Bruins for 2 seasons. Spending some time in 1962-63 in the minors, as well, Stapleton spent the next 2 full seasons down on the farm. In 1965, he was dealt to Toronto, but went to Chicago the next day. After 14 games with the minor league squad in St. Louis (the Blues didn't exist in the NHL yet), he was promoted to Chicago, and never looked back.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Glenn Beckert, a 4-time NL All-Star who played most off his career with the Cubs, died 4/12 at age 79.

A member of America's most revered 2nd place ballclub (1969 Cubs), Beckert played for the Cubs from 1965-73. Over the winter, he was traded to the Padres for OF Jerry Morales, and spent 1974-75 in San Diego before hanging 'em for good.

A lifetime .283 hitter, Beckert finished 2nd in the NL in 1971 by hitting .342.

He also was among the toughest men in baseball to strike out during his career.

Dave Miedema