Sports obituaries

[sox83cubs84]

Bobby Bowden, longtime football head coach at Florida State and the second winningest head coach in Division 1 history, died on 8/8 at age 91 after a battle with cancer.

Bowden won the 1999 BCS championship, 12 ACC championship and finished in the top 5 in the AP polls for 14 season in a row.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Vito Valentinetti, a RHP who threw for 5 MLB teams over the course of 4 seasons, died on 8/4 at age 92.

After a very forgettable 6/20/54 debut on the White Sox, he was returned to the minors, not reappearing in The Show until popping up on the other side of town with the Cubs, where he had his best season, going 6-4 with a 3.78 ERA. Then the endless traveling began, splitting '57 between the Cubs and Indians, beginning 1958 with the Tigers. and shipped off to the Senators in mid-season, remaining in Washington until his final MLB game on 5/11/59.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

Joe Taffoni, an offensive lineman who spent 6 seasons in the NFL, died on 7/26 at age 76.

A 4th round draft pick by the Browns in 1967, he played for Cleveland through 1970. Out of the NFL in '71, he returned to the league with the New York Giants for 1972-73.

Dave M.



On left photo, top row, center.

[sox83cubs84]

Randy Moore, a DT from Arizona State who was a 12th round draft pick by the Broncos in 1976 and played for them in 8 games that season, died on 7/19 at age 67.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

J.R. Richard, a giant of a man who threw serious heat and racked up Ks as well as any pitcher in the 1970s, died today (8/5) at age 71.

The righty flamethrower wore #50 for the Astros from 1971-80. He was selected to his only NL All-Star team in 1980, and a stroke he suffered later that month ended his career on the mound permanently.

Among his mound feats were a 20-15 record in 1976, the NL ERA crown in 1979 (2.71) and 2 consecutive years with 300+ strikeouts (303 in 1978, and 313 in 1979).

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Rafael Carmona, a RHP who came out of the pen for 77 of his 81 MLB appearances over 4 seasons, died on 8/2 at age 48.

Pitching for the Mariners in 1995-97 and 1999, his best season was in 1996, where he pitched in 53 games (52 in relief), and went 8-3 with a 4.28 ERA.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Cliff Anderson, a shooting guard out of St. Joseph's who spent 4 seasons in the pros, died on 7/26 at age 76.

In his first 2 NBA seasons, he played for the Lakers, before appearing in 3 games for the ABA Denver Rockets in 1969-70. In his final season, he returned to the NBA, splitting his time between the Cavs and the 76ers.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Ron Hutchinson, a center who played in 9 games for the 1960-61 New York Rangers, died on 7/10 at age 84.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

Jim Shofner, a CB who played for the Browns from 1958-63, died on 7/21 at age 85.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Stan McKenzie, a small forward who played for 7 seasons in the NBA, died on 7/21 age 76.

Drafted in 1966 by the Baltimore Bullets, he played in Italy for one season before joining the Bullets in 1967-68. After that season, he continued with stops in Phoenix, Portland and Houston, wrapping up his career after the 1973-74 campaign.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Bryan Watson, a defenseman whose 16-season career began in the NHL era of the Original Six and ended in the defunct WHA, died on 7/8 at age 78.

Beginning in 1963-64, he opened his career with 2 seasons with the Canadiens. After playing the next seasons with the Red Wings, he then returned to Montreal for the 1967-68 campaign.

Beginning in 1968-69, he began a string of several years playing for teams from the Second Six, the expansion team that doubled the size of the NHL overnight. He began that run with 50 games for the Oakland Seals before being dealt to the Penguins for his final 18 games for the season. He continued with Pittsburgh until another deal sent him to the Blues for 11 games.

Watson then made a third stop during 1973-74, heading back to Detroit for his last 21 games of the season. He continued his encore with the Original 6 team into 1976-77 when, after 14 games, he was on the move again, this time to Washington. He finished the season with the Capitals, played the entire season in DC the following season, and then split his final go-round (1978-79) between the Caps and the WHA Cincinnati Stingers.

Over that long career, he only led the NHL in a single category once...212 penalty minutes in 1971-72 with the Penguins.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

Tim Talton, a C-1B who played for the Kansas City Athletics in 1967-68, died on 7/22 at age 82.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

Bryan Watson, a defenseman whose 16-season career began in the NHL era of the Original Six and ended in the defunct WHA, died on 7/8 at age 78.

Beginning in 1963-64, he opened his career with 2 seasons with the Canadiens. After playing the next seasons with the Red Wings, he then returned to Montreal for the 1967-68 campaign.

Beginning in 1968-69, he began a string of several years playing for teams from the Second Six, the expansion team that doubled the size of the NHL overnight. He began that run with 50 games for the Oakland Seals before being dealt to the Penguins for his final 18 games for the season. He continued with Pittsburgh until another deal sent him to the Blues for 11 games.

Watson then made a third stop during 1973-74, heading back to Detroit for his last 21 games of the season. He continued his encore with the Original 6 team into 1976-77 when, after 14 games, he was on the move again, this time to Washington. He finished the season with the Capitals, played the entire season in DC the following season, and then split his final go-round (1978-79) between the Caps and the WHA Cincinnati Stingers.

Over that long career, he only led the NHL in a single category once...212 penalty minutes in 1971-72 with the Penguins.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

LaDarrell McNeil, a safety who started in 41 games for the Tennessee Vols from 2012-15, died on 7/8 at age 27. Cause of death was not determined at that time.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Ralph E. Davis, a shooting guard for 2 seasons in the NBA in the early 1960s, died on 5/30 at age 82.

Davis played for the Cincinnati Royals in 1960-61 and took the court for the Chicago Packers in 1961-62.

Dave M.