Sports obituaries

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Keith McCants, a DE for 6 seasons in the 1990s NFL, died on 9/2 at age 53.

The 4th pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, the Alabama star was the 1st round selection of Tampa Bay, and played in all but one regular season game for the Bucs from 1990-92, starting in 31 of 32 games from the 1991 and '92 seasons.

He spent 1993 and part of 1994 with the Oilers, before departing for Arizona, where he finished the '94 season before appearing in all 16 Cardinals games in 1995 before retiring.

Dave

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Junior Coffey, a RB for 3 NFL teams over 5 seasons, died on 8/30 at age 79.

Playing his college ball with the Washington Huskies, Coffey was selected in both the 1965 NFL Draft (by Green Bay) and the 1965 AFL Draft (by Houston). He chose the Packers and was a member of their 1965 NFL Championship team.

When the 1966 season began, he was on the inaugural season roster of the Atlanta Falcons, starting in all 14 of their games in both 1966 and 1967. He didn't play in the NFL in '68, but began the 1969 season as a starter in all 6 games he played in for Atlanta before being dealt to the Giants, playing in 6 games there, not playing in the league in 1970, and finishing his playing career with the New Yorkers in 1971.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Cecil Souders, an end/tackle who played for 3 seasons in the NFL just after WW2 ended, died on 8/30 at the age of 100.

Thought drafted by the Redskins in the 25th round of the 1945 NFL Draft, the Ohio State grad did not play in the NFL until 1947 with the Lions, playing for Detroit from then until he retired after the 1949 season.

Dave Miedema

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Spain Musgrove, a DE/DT who played for 4 years in the pros, died on 8/20 at age 76.

Drafted by the Redskins in the 2nd round of the 1967 NFL Draft, the Utah State product spent 3 seasons playing for Washington, before ending his playing career in 1970 with the Oilers.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Dick Schafrath, a tackle/guard/defensive end whose entire college and pro career was spent with Ohio-based teams, died on 8/15 at age 84.

Paying his college ball at Ohio State, Schafrath was the 2nd round pick of the Cleveland Browns in the 1959 NFL Draft, and played his entire pro career with Cleveland from that point until his final season (1971).

Schafrath was involved in 6 Pro Bowls, named to 4 All-Pro teams, and contributed to Cleveland's last NFL Championship team (1964, before there was a Super Bowl.)

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Leonard Thompson, a WR-HB drafted out of Oklahoma State by the Lions, for whom he played for his entire 12-year NFL career, died on 8/15 at age 69.

Drafted by Detroit in the 1975 NFL Draft, he wore #39 for his entire playing career, which ended after the 1986 season. His most productive seasons as a wide receiver were from 1983-85: 1983=41 receptions, 752 yards; 1984=50 receptions, 773 yards; 1985=51 receptions, 736 yards.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Solly Drake, an OF who played in the Majors in 1956 and 1959, died on 8/18 at age 90.

After spending 1956 with the Cubs, he went back to the minors, resurfacing in The Show for the final time in 1959, playing in 9 games with the Dodgers before being dealt to the Phillies and ending his MLB playing career with 67 games there.

His brother is Sammy Drake, a back-up IF who was one of the original Mets in 1962, after playing for the Cubs the two previous seasons.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Joe Walton, an end who caught passes in the NFL from 1957-63 and later embarked on a long coaching career, died on 8/15 at age 85.

Drafted out of Pitt by the Reskins in the 2nd round of the 1957 NFL Draft, Walton caught passes for the Redskins through 1960, after which he was dealt to the New York Giants, where he did the same until calling it quits as a player after the 1963 season.

After that he began a coaching career in the NFL, the top level of which was being the Head Coach of the Jets from 1983-89. Before that he worked as an offensive coordinator for the Giants (1971-73), Redskins (1978-80) and Jets (1981-82). After being let go by the Jets as their head coach, he went back to his specialty of running the offense, this time for the Steelers in 1990-91.

Dave M.

[sox83cubs84]

Jerry Harkness, a point guard who played in pro hoops for 6 season, died on 8/24 at age 81.

After appearing in 5 games for the Knicks in 1963-64, he moved over to the NABL, playing for 3 seasons there. The Loyola Chicago grad then joined the fledgling ABA in 1967-68, and played for the Pacers both in that season and in 1968-69 before hanging 'em up for good.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

Jimmy Hayes, a RW who played for 7 seasons in the NHL for 4 different teams, died on 8/23 at age 31.

An alum of Boston College, while drafted by Toronto in the 2nd round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, he first wore an NHL sweater in 2011-12 with the Blackhawks. After 2 games in the 2013-14 season with Chicago, he was delat to Florida, where he set a personal season high in goals scored (19) in 2014-15. Despite that, he was sent to Boston for the next 2 seasons and then wrapped up his NHL career in 2017-18 with New Jersey.


Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Rod Gilbert, a RW for the New York Rangers for his entire NHL career, died on 8/22 at age 80.

Born in Montreal, Gilbert appeared in one game for the Rangers in both 1960-61 and 61-62 before he became a Rangers legend beginning in the 1962-63 season when he led the NHL in games played (70), a feat he duplicated during the 1964-65 campaign.

Playing through the 1977-78 season, he scored 406 career goals, was selected to 2 All-Star teams, won the Masterton Trophy in the 1975-76 season, and was inducted to the HOF in 1982.

Dave Miedema

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Rich Milot, a LB who was part of the Redskins defense for his entire 9-year NFL career, died on 8/13 at age 64.

Drafted by the Redskins from Penn State in the 7th round of the 1979 NFL Draft, Milot began his NFL playing days that autumn, and continued until retiring after the 1987 season. Wearing #57 his entire NFL career, he contributed to 2 Super Bowl Championships.

Dave

[sox83cubs84]

Neal Craig, a DB who played for 6 seasons on 3 different AFC teams, died on 8/9 at age 73.

Selected by the Bengals in the 1971 NFL Draft, he spent his first 3 season with Cincinnati. After that he spent one year (1974) with the Bills, then he closed out his career (1975-76) with Cleveland.

Dave Miedema

[sox83cubs84]

Bill Freehan, a longtime Tigers legend who spent all 15 years of his MLB career catching for Detroit, died on 8/19 after a long battle with dementia. He was 79.

Freehan first mad it to the Bigs in late 1961, getting into 4 gaes as a September call-up. He returned to The Show in 1963, and caught in at least 100 games in every season until his last (1976). He was the regular catcher for the 1968 Tigers, who defeated the Cardinals in 7 games to win the World Series, and finished 2nd in AL MVP voting to his batterymate, 31-game winner Denny McLain.

Freehan also won 5 AL Gold Gloves, and was named to 11 All-Star teams. He played college ball at Michigan. Also, he led the AL for 2 consecutive seasons in getting hit by pitches: 20 in 1967 and 24 in 1968.

Dave Miedema

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