Sports obituaries

[sox83cubs84]

John Mendenhall, a DT/NT who spent all but his final season with the New York Giants, died on 2/26 at age 72.

Mendenhall was a Giant from 1972-79, ending his playing career in 1980 with the Lions.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Wynn Hawkins, a RHP who served as both a starter and reliever for the Indians from 1960-62, died on 2/11, nine days shy of his 85th birthday.

Hawkins was the pitcher who yielded Ted Williams' 500th HR

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Louis Nix, a DL who starred at Notre Dame but had a limited NFL career, was found dead by police on 2/27. He was 29.

Nix was a 3rd round pick of the Texans in 2014, but didn't mae the cut. He did play in 4 games in 2015 for the Giants.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Doug Wikerson, a guard in the AFC for 15 seasons, all but the first with the Chargers, died on 2/22 at age 73.

Wilkerson, whose rookie season was spent with the Oilers, was named to 3 AFC Pro Bowl teams and selected once for the All-Pro Team. He wore uniform #63 for his entire NFL career.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Stan Williams, a RHP whose career in the Bigs lasted 14 years as a pitcher and was extended due to coaching, died on 2/20 at age 84.
From 1958-72 Williams took the mound for 6 different MLB teams: Dodgers (1958-62), Yankees (1963-64), Indians (1965-69), Twins (1970 and 46 games in 1971), Cardinals (10 games in 1971) and Red Sox (1972).

Williams was one of the hurlers on 4 different pennant-winning ballclubs (1959 and 1962-64), with his team (Dodgers) winning the World Series in '59.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

John Roach, a QB/DB who played for 3 different NFL teams over 7 seasons, died 2/18 at age 87.

Drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 1956 NFL Draft, he played for the team that season. After a 2-year absence, he returned to the Cardinals in 1959, and relocated to St. Louis when the Cards moved in 1960.

Roach then spent the next 3 seasons with the Packers, the first two found his Packers winning the NFL Championship. His final year (1964) was spent with Dallas.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Juan Pizarro, a LHP with 18 seasons in the Majors, died 2/18 at age 84.

Pizarro first appeared in the Bigs in 1957 with the Milwaukee Braves, and was a member of what is still the only World Series winning team in Milwaukee history. He remained with the Braves through 1960, after which he was traded to the White Sox, where he pitched through 1966, and had has best season in 1964 (19-9, 2.56).

From 1967-74, he worked for several different ballclubs, starting with the Pirates, and followed by the Red Sox, Indians, A's, Cubs and Astros before ending this time span like he began it...with the Pirates for 7 games to end his pitching career.

He was selected to 2 All-Star Games, both as a member of the AL team (1963-64).

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Lew Krausse, a RHP best remembered for his time on the mound during the 1960s for the Athletics in both Kansas City and Oakland, died on 2/16 at age 77.

Krausse first pitched in the Majors in 1961. After two seasons in the bushes, he returned to the A's in 1964, and pitched for them through 1969. It was with them that he enjoyed his best season in 1966 (14-9, 2.99).

He was dealt to the Brewers and pitched there in 1970-71. Over his final three seasons, he took the mound for three different ballclubs (1972 Red Sox, 1973 Cardinals...1 game and 1974 Braves.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Angel Mangual, a member of 3 World Series winning teams in Oakland (1972-74), died on 2/16 at age 73.

After a mid-September call-up in which Mangual played in 6 games for the 1969 Pirates, he re-emerged in The Show with the A's in 1971, and continued to hold a roster spot through June of 1976, when he was released.

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

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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