Sports obituaries

[sox83cubs84]

Dave are you OK?
not like you to go a week without a sports Obit unless you are not well

I haven't been for the last 9 days, although I'm now getting somewhat back to normal. I had an illness which completely sapped me of strength and stamina, as well as other issues, Most of the other problems (fever, loss of appetite) have subsided, but I'm still well under full physical strength. This is still a big improvement from a week ago, where my wife had to help me get out bed to go the loo and I was unable to sit up in a chair for more than 10 minutes. All that is now in the rear view mirror.

I appreciate the concern, Ken, and thanks for the contact.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Arnie Umbach, who pitched briefly for both the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, died on 5/30. He was 77.

Umbach pitched in onlyy 1 gamee in 1964 for Milwaukee. He started it, and he won it. In 1966, he threw in 22 games for Atlanta, mostly out of the bullpen, but was let go in midseason.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Lou Henson, an NCAA basketball head coach for 42 years, died at age 88 of multiple health issues on 7/25.

He set team records for coaching victories and took trips to the Final Four with both Illinois and New Mexico State. At the time he retired, he was only the 5th Division 1 head coach in NCAA hoops history to have 800 or more coaching victories.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Lute Olsen, the head coach for men's basketball at the University of Arizona, died on 8/27 at age 85.

Olsen spent 25 seasons at Arizona, with his team winning the whole ball of wax in 1997, and coaching the Wildcats to 23 straight appearances in March Madness. He also took 5 more trips to the Big Dance at the helm for Iowa and Long Beach State, with one of those trips ending up with the Hawkeyes in the Final Four.

Enshrined in both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Collegiate Basketball HOF, Olsen retired with 776 career coaching wins.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Jay Johnstone, a longtime OF and PH and a Hall of Fame level clubhouse prankster, died on 9/26 at age 74, due to complications from COVID19.

Johnstone played for 20 seasons (1966-85) and was part of two World Series winners (1978 Yankees and 1981 Dodgers.) Other teams he played for include the Angels, White Sox, A's, Phillies, Padres and Cubs.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Mario Henderson, an OT who spent 2007-10 in an Oakland Raiders uniform, died 10/21 at age 35.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Tommy Heinsohn, a lifelong Boston Celtics great who played, coached and also was a game announcer, died on 11/9 at age 86.

Heinsohn is the only man to be associated with the Celtics for all 17 of their NBA Championships. He is also one of only 4 basketball HoFers to be inducted as a player and a coach.

Dave Miedema