In 2020 we lost one of the all-time great basketball players when Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash. But he wasn't the only sportsperson 2020 has taken. From climbers to baseball players, NFL stars, and other basketball legends, this year has had no mercy on sports stars, and then it also presented us with COVID 19.
For some of these sports personalities, you could probably say they had a good life; for others, it was a bit too soon. Here we look at some of the stars we've lost, celebrate what they've achieved, and, for those who went too soon, mull over what might have been.
Max Tuerk, Football, 1994-2020
In his freshman year at the University of South Carolina, College Football News named Max Tuerk Freshman All-American. Tuerk started every game of his three college seasons. He was considered one of the best in his position in College Football, despite injuring his cruciate ligament near the end of his final college season.
Tuerk still got drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers. In two seasons with them and one with the Arizona Cardinals, he managed just a single NFL game before the Cardinals released him. Tuerk collapsed while on a family hike and died. No cause of death was reported, but his family says he had a mental illness.
Jim Kiick, Football, 1946-2020
Jim Kiick was one half of the football version of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He and teammate Larry Csonka were key elements in a running game that made the Miami Dolphins one of the most successful franchises in the NFL and gave them an unbeaten record in 1972.
Kiick is still the fourth-highest rusher for the team and played for them in three Super Bowls. He and Csonka made a bold move signing for the short-lived World Football league. Post football, Kiick worked as a private investigator and was president of the Kiick Sports Promotions. He died in June 2020 after suffering from dementia since 2017.
Luce Douady, Climber, 2003-2020
French Climber Luce Douady was set to become one of the greatest climbers in the world. At the age of 16, she was already in the top 10 of the IFSC Climbing World Cup circuit and became the Junior Youth World Champion. Douady also won bronze at the IFSC Climbing European Championships and was considered a strong medal hopeful for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Sadly the world will never get to see her reach her full potential as she died in June 2020. Her death was caused by a fall while climbing a natural cliff in Le Luisset – St Pancrasse. Douady was climbing with a group and fell roughly 150-meters.
Morgan Burke, College Sports, 1951-2020
The only thing Morgan Burke was more passionate about than nurturing great athletes was the athletics teams of Purdue University, AKA, the Boilermakers. He was the longest-serving president and director of intercollegiate athletics at the university and oversaw many successful goals in his tenure.
Some of the major achievements under his watch include the basketball team winning three back to back titles in '94, '95 and '96, and in 201o when 14 Purdue teams finished in the top half of the big ten schools. Burke passed away in June 2020 due to amyloidosis, a protein deficiency that can lead to organ failure.
Mike McCormick, Baseball, 1938-2020
Mike McCormick became the first player to win the Cy Young Award for the best pitcher of the MLB season. He was a left-hander who spent 16 seasons playing in the Major League for five different Franchises, most notably the San Francisco Giants.
McCormick also played for the Washington Senators, New York Yankees, and finished his career at the Kansas City Royals. He went into security after retirement while also serving as a guest trainer for the Giant during spring training. McCormick died in June 2020 after suffering for years with Parkinson's Disease.
Harry Glickman, Basketball, 1924-2020
Harry Glickman was a journalist who became much more than that, especially for his home town of Portland, Oregon. Glickman grew up during the great depression and went on to study journalism at the University Of Oregon. After enlisting for world war II, he returned and opened a sports promotion company working individually in Portland.
Glickman founded the Portland Trailblazer NBA team in 1970, which he chaired from inception until 1987 when he retired. He continued his work with sport in Portland, helping his son with his promotions company, which promotes baseball and soccer. Glickman died on 10th June 2020 at the age of 96.
Claudell Washington, Baseball, 1954-2020
Claudelle Washington played 17 MLB seasons for seven different Franchises. But his career started at the very bottom, and he worked his way to the top. Washington was signed up as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Athletics and spent two years in the minor leagues with Athletics' associate teams.
In 1974 Washington was drafted in the Athletics MLB team, and that year they won the world series. He went on to play for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, New York Mets and New York Yankees among other teams. Washington succumbed to complications from Prostate cancer and died on 10th June 2020.
Noel Johnson, Basketball, 1972-2020
Before there was a WNBA, the pinnacle for female basketball player was winning the national college championship. Noel Dawn Johnson was one of those champions. She won the national title in 1993 with the Texas Tech Lady Raiders. Johnson spent four years at the university and graduated with a master's degree in education.
She returned to college basketball as a coach, taking over at Texas State University. There, Johnson became the winningest coach in the University's history with 159 wins. In 2019 she continued to coach despite being diagnosed with ovarian cancer but eventually stopped in January 2020. By June 2020, Johnson had succumbed to her condition and passed away.
Don Porter, Softball, 1930-2020
Don Porter was an ambitious man with a goal: turn softball from a baseball lite into a popular sport that's part of the Olympic Roster. He achieved that, but then both baseball and softball were removed after the 2008 games. Porter decided to act and brokered a merger between the International Softball Federation and International Baseball Federation to become the World Baseball Softball Federation.
He co-chaired the organization, and as a united front, they campaigned to have the sports reinstated. Their efforts paid off, and the competitions were restored for the 2020 games. Unfortunately, the games were postponed until 2021, and Porter passed away in June 2020, meaning he won't get to see the return of his beloved sport to the Olympics.
Reche Caldwell, Football, 1979-2020.
Reche (pronounced Ree-Shay) Caldwell was a wide receiver who played six pro seasons on the NFL. Four of those seasons were spent at the San Deigo Chargers. They selected him in the second-round draft pick as the 48th selection after his promising college careers that saw him selected for the All-American team.
Caldwell performed consistently at the Chargers, but injured his knee and lost an entire season in 2004. He returned the following season but got shipped to the New England Patriots. Although consistent, Caldwell became a journeyman and moved to two more teams before calling it quits. Caldwell was shot dead on 6th June 2020 during an attempted robbery.
Ken Riley, Football, 1947-2020
Besides being a one-team player, Ken Riley was also one of football's most underrated and under-appreciated players. He spent his entire 15-year career with the Cincinnati Bengals. In the process, he recorded 65 interceptions, the fourth highest in the league at the time of his retirement.
Despite his achievements, Riley was never honored with an All-Star selection or a Pro Bowl inclusion. Even now, he hasn't been mentioned for induction into the NFL Hall of Fame. Riley passed away on 6th July 2020 at the age of 72.
Kurt Thomas, Gymnast, 1956-2020
Kurt Thomas is probably the greatest Gymnast never to win an Olympic medal. His six medals at the 1979 World Championships gave him the record of highest medal haul by an American in the event's history. Thomas was also dominant at domestic competitions, winning gold three years running at the American Cup.
Sadly for Thomas, he never got to compete at the Olympics. Thomas was a favorite to win gold at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, but the United States boycotted the games that year, and he couldn't compete. He couldn't compete in the '84 Olympics because he turned pro. Thomas died on 5th June 2020 after suffering a stroke.
Pete Rademacher, Boxing, 1928-2020
Pete Rademacher only took up boxing as rehabilitation after picking up a rheumatic fever in military school. But he discovered he was quite skillful and decided to enter the Olympics. Rademacher won gold at the 1956 games and, confident in his skills, turned pro and decided to challenge the heavyweight champion, Floyd Patterson.
He became the first man to make his professional debut in a championship bout, and it started well for him as he downed Patterson in the second round. But the champ got up and dropped Rademacher seven times, eventually winning the match by knockdown. On 4th June 2020, Rademacher passed away at the age of 91.
Johnny Majors, Football, 1935-2020
Not to be confused with the former British Prime Minister, Johnny Major was a leader of a different kind. As a football player, he was a two time most valuable player for the Southeastern Conference and an All-American in 1956. Major was also inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1987.
As a coach, he worked with three college teams. Major is best known for his famous 1976 University of Pittsburgh team that won a national championship and a Sugar Bowl with an unbeaten record of 12-0. He also coached at Iowa State University and the University of Tennessee. Major died on 3rd June 2020, at 85 years.
Wes Unseld, Pro Basketball, 1946-2020
Wes Unseld was the second overall draft pick in 1968. He became one of only two players to become the NBA most valuable player in his rookie year. Unseld spent his entire 13-year career at the Bullets, a franchise that moved from Baltimore to Washington during his career there. He won an NBA championship with them in 1978.
After retiring, Unseld held various high profile, non-playing roles at the Bullets, that late became the Wizards. His positions include head coach, general manager, and vice president. Unseld suffered from many illnesses in his later years, including pneumonia. His death was announced on 2nd June 2020.
Pat Dye, College Football, 1939-2020
Pat Dye made his name as College Football coach, who put his name into the Hall of fame at East Carolina University. He had his name emblazoned on the football field of Auburn University. At East Carolina, Dye guided them to the Southern Conference in 1976.
His most prolific time though, was when he coached Auburn and won four Southeastern Conference Championships between 1983 and 1989. His 1983 Auburn team, considered the best he had ever built with players like Randy Campbell and Bo Jackson, was ranked number one by the New York times that year. Dye passed away on 21st May 2020. He was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Osia Lewis, Football, 1962-2020
Instead of chasing NFL dreams, Osia Lewis decided to go into the faster and more compact Arena Football. He was a pretty accomplished player in the usual format at the college level. Lewis played for the Oregon State Beavers and achieved letterman status for four years. He was named the team's most inspirational player and also held records for single-season defense points and fumble recoveries.
In the Arena Football game, Lewis played for the Chicago Bruisers and the Albany Firebirds and achieved All-Arena honors in 1988. Lewis went on to coach at the college level after retiring, serving mostly as a defensive coach. He died in May 2020 form liver cancer.
Curtis Cokes, Boxing, 1937-2020
Curtis Cokes held the World Welterweight Boxing title for three years, and also earned it the hard way. Cokes also had a lot of irony in his career, like fighting Manuel Gonzales for the vacant World Welterweight title, eight-year after having his first fight against the same opponent.
He eventually lost his title to Hall Of Famer Jose Napoles, before ending his career with three fights in South Africa. Cokes became a trainer after he retired and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. He passed away on 29th May 2020 due to heart failure at the age of 82.
Biff Pocoroba, Baseball, 1953-2020
Biff Pocoroba had to be patient before getting his big Major League Baseball break. He signed for the Atlanta Braves in 1971 but spent four years playing for four different Minor League affiliates. But in 1975, Pocoroba got his big break when he was drafted into the team's Major League squad.
He started as the backup catcher, but by 1978 he was selected as an All-Star. Injury curtailed his career, though, and he retired in 1984 and went on to start a meat business specializing in sausage making. On 22nd May 2020, At 66 Pocoroba passed away, no cause of death was confirmed.
Chris Dufresne, Sportswriter, 1958-2020
Dufresne may not have been a player, but he was a passionate journalist. He worked the loading docks for the LA Times before he even graduated as a journalist from California State University. From the loading dock, Dufresne moved onto the clerk who covered Orange County prep sports.
Dufresne finally settled as the college football and basketball columnist of the LA Times, a job he would hold from 1995 to 2015 and win a California Sports Writer Of The Year award. He was also a stakeholder in the TMGcollegesports.com college sports website. Dufresne passed away of unknown causes on 25th May 2020. He was awaiting the result of a recurring melanoma.
Eddie Sutton, Basketball, 1936-2020.
As one of only eight college coaches to achieve 800 wins, Eddie Sutton fully deserves his induction into the College Basketball Hall Of Fame and the Basketball Hall Of Fame. His career spanned 50 years and included seven universities and two stints at Oklahoma State.
His teams made 27 out of 28 NCAA tournaments between 1977 and 2005. Sutton also won five Southwestern conference champions while coaching the University Of Arkansas. He also coached alongside his son Sean Sutton. Sutton passed away on 23rd May 2020 at the age of 84.
Jerry Sloan, Basketball, 1942-2020
Jerry Sloan is a hall of fame basketball coach that was the coach of the Utah Jazz form 1988 to 2011. His 23 years at the jazz would see him overseeing their most consistent championship-winning form in the franchise's history.
At the Jazz, Sloan oversaw seven division titles and two conference titles while standing toe to toe with the great Chicago Bulls team of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman. Ironically, as a player for the Bulls, his jersey was the first-ever retired by the team. On 22nd May 2020, Sloan passed away as a result of Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. He was diagnosed a month before he died.
Ashley Cooper, Tennis, 1936-2020
These days tennis players earn significant money from competition rankings and endorsement deals. But Australian Ashley Cooper comes from a different era when the sport still had amateurs, and they played the game for the love, passion, and the glory of being a champion.
Of this era, Cooper was considered the best, especially in 1957-58, when he won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments in both the singles and doubles format. The one that got away? The French Open. Cooper won four singles and four doubles titles in this time, before eventually turning pro in 1959. He died on 22nd May 2020 after a long struggle with illness.
Michael McCaskey, Football, 1943-2020
The Grandchild of Chicago Bears founder George Halas, Michael McCaskey, was destined to become the big wig of the franchise eventually. He did this in 1999 when he became chairman of the board. But it was as team president, a position he held from 1983, that he made his most significant impact.
Although they clashed regularly, McCaskey and then head coach Mike Ditka worked together to win the Superbowl in 1985. McCaskey didn't hesitate to fire Ditka after a bad season in 1992. By 2011 he was replaced by his brother George. McCaskey had been struggling with cancer for a long time and died on 16th May 2020.
Kobe Bryant, Basketball, 1978-2020
Kobe Bryant is probably the only NBA player that can be held up to Michael Jordan and cause a debate. The game was in his blood, as he was the son of NBA player Joe Bryant. But he blazed a trail much brighter than his dad did, and started young too.
Bryant joined the NBA straight out of high school and spent his entire 20-year career with the LA Lakers. He won five NBA championships, was the NBA final MVP twice and an 18-time All-Star, and two times highest point scorer. Bryant tragically died in a Helicopter Crash in January 2020. His daughter was on board with him.
Ben Williams, Football, 1954-2020
Ben Williams was the first black football player to play for the University of Mississippi. Besides breaking that racial record, Williams was also voted Mr. Ole Miss by the school student body. Known as Gentle Ben, it was from Ole Miss that he was drafted into the NFL by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the NFL draft.
He would go on to play his entire career for the Bills, with the biggest highlight being for him being named in the Pro Bowl in 1982. Williams dies of apparent natural causes on 18th May 2020 at the age of 65.
Ron Ludington, Figure Skating, 1934-2020
Ron Ludington is a former American figure skater and skating coach. He, along with his wife Nancy Rouillard Ludington, won Olympic bronze in pairs at the 1960 Winter Olympics in California. Before then, they took bronze at the 1959 World Championships and were also four-time US National Champions.
After retiring from competitive skating, Ludington went into coaching, and once had a close call with death when a plane carrying one of the couples he was coaching crashed en route to the 1961 world championships. He wasn't there because he couldn't fund his trip. Ludington died on 14th May 2020 at 85 years old.
Zach Hoffpauir, Football and Baseball, 1993-2020
Like a modern-day Bo Jackson, Zach Hoffpauir majored in two sports at college: football and baseball. He was even drafted from Stanford by the Arizona Diamondbacks to play in two Minor League seasons. But when that finished, he returned to football.
Hoffpauir didn't return as a player, though, but instead as an assistant coach with Ed McCaffrey, the father of NFL star Christian McCaffrey, at the University of Northern Colorado. But then, in May 2020, he died in his sleep. It's unclear what caused his death, but his father revealed that Hoffpauir suffered a few concussions playing football and suffered from depression. His family donated his brain for concussion research.
Bob Watson, Baseball, 1946-2020.
Bob Watson's career went beyond playing baseball. Yes, he was a two-time All-Star who played for teams like the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. But he also coached and served as the general manager form the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees.
It was with Watson as general manager that the Yankees won the world series in 1996. He was also keen on discipline and was MLB vice president of discipline, rules, and on-field operations. Watson had stage 4 kidney disease since 2016 and died of the condition on 14th May 2020 at the age of 74.
Pepper Rodgers, Football, 1931-2020.
Pepper Rodgers was one of those rare sportspeople that could play and coach. During his college playing career, he led his team, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, to an unbeaten season in 1952. Rodgers was also named the MVP at the 1953 Sugar bowl game, his second Sugar Bowl win in succession.
He coached at the Air Force after joining and took that experience back to Georgia Tech, where he worked as an assistant coach. Rodgers became head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks and UCLA and also served as vice president of football operations at the Washington Redskins. He passed away on 14th May 2020 at the age of 88.
John Teerlinck, Football, 1951-2020
John Teerlinck was so good at coaching the defensive line that the award for the best defensive coach of the year is named after him. He is considered one of the best defensive line coaches in the game and has a fantastic track record to prove it.
Teerlinck has won three Super Bowls as a defensive coach: twice at the Denver Broncos and one more time at the Indianapolis Colts. He has coached 23 Pro Bowl players and also has three in the NFL hall of fame. On 10th May 202o, Teerlinck passed away.
Don Shula, Football, 1930-2020.
Don Shula played football. But he coached it better. Shula was so much better as a coach that he became the winningest coach in NFL History. Most of his wins came as coach of the Miami Dolphins, where he also won his two Super Bowls and coached a perfect season in 1973.
Shula has a total of 347 wins and also won the NFL championship in 1968 with the Baltimore Colts. He was named Sportsperson Of The Year in 1993 and inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Shula passed away at the age of 90 on 4th May 2020.
Pavle Jovanovic, Bobsled, 1977-2020
Despite being banned for doping in 2002, Pavle Jovanovic was still regarded as one of the strongest pushers and most feared brakemen in bobsledding. Although he claimed to have ingested the banned substance accidentally, he was banned for nine months and missed the 2002 Winter Olympics, where his teammates won the silver medal.
Things picked up when Jovanovic returned, and he won a Bronze medal at the 2004 FITB World Championships, and two golds and a silver at the 2005 Bobsled World Cup. Jovanovic also won a silver and bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. On 3rd May 2020, Jovanovic committed suicide.
Roy Lester, Football Coach, 1923-2020
At college, Roy Lester was a three-sport athlete, earning letters in basketball, football, and baseball. He continued this level of excellence in his high school coaching career that made him one of the most recognized coaches at that level and earning him a place on the West Virginia University Hall Of Fame.
Some of the impressive feats he achieved as a high school coach includes six unbeaten seasons with Richard Montgomery High School as well as three state championships with the same team. Lester passed away at the age of 96 on 3rd May 2020. He died due to complications from COVID-19.
Matt Keough, Baseball, 1955-2020
In the late '70s, Matt Keough had one of the worse pitching records in Major League Baseball history. This included a .105 win percentage and a 28 game run without a win. That would change in 1980 when he had a bit of a resurgence.
Keough had a strong season, earning a Comeback Player Of The Year award in 1980 pitching with a 16-13 mark. In 1981 his pitching skills helped the Oakland Athletics win the AL Division Series. His purple patch wouldn't last long though, and eventually, he had another slump, which many experts attributed to him being overworked.
Ed Schilling Sr., College Basketball, 1944-2020
Ed Schilling, known as Big ED or Sr, was a game-changing basketball player who could outmaneuver and outjump taller and stronger opponents. Schilling played college basketball for the Butler Bulldogs, where he developed the reputations as a match-winner. He also built himself a respectful career as a coach.
Schilling coached at the University of Maryland, the University of Los Angeles, and Memphis University among a host of others. In his last coaching role, he helped seven players get into the NBA. Schilling contracted COVID-19 and died due to complications from the virus on 29th April 2020.
Steve Dalkowski, Baseball, 1939-2020.
Legend has it Steve Dalkowski was the fastest pitcher in the history of baseball. It said that his pitches reached anything up to 110mph. Unfortunately, because the radar guns used to capture the speed of pitches, didn't exist during his playing days.
Dalkowski was so fast that he was given the nickname of White lightning. He was also an erratic performer, who also had a drinking problem that hampered his playing performance. This is the likely reason he spent all of his career playing in the minor leagues. While in a nursing home for dementia, Dalkiowski passed on.
Dan Walters, Baseball, 1966-2020
Dan Walters was a catcher who played two seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Antonio Padres. Before then, he was a decent batter in high school, with 64 hits in 84 career matches and a batting average of .234. When his playing career ended, Walters opted to stay in San Antonio instead of going home to Brunswick, Maine.
After retiring, he joined the San Antonio Police Department, but tragedy hit when he got shot in the neck and hit by another car. Walters was paralyzed from the neck down in 2003. He gained some use of his left hand but eventually passed away at the age of 53, on 23rd April 2020.
Harland Svare, Football, 1930-2020
In 1962 Harland Svare became the youngest head coach in NFL history when the Los Angeles Rams offered him the job at the age of 32. Before then, he was a linebacker for the New York Giants in the defensive line that made it to three NFL Championship games.
His best finish was a 3rd place with the same team he had his on-field success with, the Lost Angeles Rams. The Rams offered him a long term contract in 1972, but he decided to step down the following season. Svare passed away on 4th April 2020 due to respiratory failure at 89 years.
Mike Curtis, Football, 1943-2020
Considered one of the meanest players of his generation, Mike Curtis was one of the best blitzes in his era of the game, a period where sacks weren't even official. He was so good that he was named the best defensive player in 1970.
His career also included four Pro Bowl selection, and he wrote a biography called Keep Off My Turf and contributed the foreword for the book, The First 50 Super Bowls: How Football's Championships Were Won. His hard-hitting days caught up with him when he passed away on 20th May 2020 from a degenerative brain disease caused by constant head trauma.
Bob Lazier, Auto Racing, 1938-2020
Bob Lazier laid the foundation for his successful, Indianapolis 500 winning son Buddy Lazier and his Indy Racing League racer Jaques Lazier. Lazier senior was a CART series Rookie of the Year in 1981 and went on to race in a high profile arena.
To go with his rookie of the year accolade in the CART series, Lazier also raced the Indianapolis 500 in 1981. Known as one of the most controversial races in the history of the event, Lazier finished 19th and earned another rookie of the year accolade. He passes away in hospital of a 22-day battle with COVID-19.
Bobby Winkles, Baseball, 1930-2020
Bobby Winkles made his name as a college-level baseball coach, but he played his game in the minor leagues before turning coach. Winkles played for the Chicago White Sox subsidiary and had a decent batting career of 890 hits in 858 games.
Of course, he was even more successful as a coach and managed the Arizona State University to three national championships in his 11-years there. Winkles also had a stint coaching in the Majo Legeus after leaving ASU and had some success as the third base coach for the 1974 World-Series, winning Oakland Athletics. He died at the age of 90 on 17th April 2020.
Bob Hermann, Soccer, 1923-2020
Before there was Major League Soccer, there was the North American Soccer League. These were all possible thanks to Bob Herman. He was the initial pioneer who wanted to bring soccer to America, and he did this by starting the National Professional Soccer League.
This organization eventually merged with the United Soccer Association to form the Soccer League. Although it didn't last, it planted the seed and left the blueprint for what was to come. Herman also owned the Saint Louis Stars team and had the Hermann Trophy awarded to the best college players, created in his honor. At the age of 97, Herman died on 5th April 2020.
Carmen Williamson, Boxing, 1925-2020
A promising amateur boxer in the '40s and '50s, Carmen Williamson made history as the first black boxing referee and judge at the Olympics. He even received an honorary gold medal at the 1984 Olympics when he officiated for the first time.
Williamson was also a huge fan of teaching and traveled the world, often to dangerous, war-torn countries to teach the youth boxing. He may not have won any major boxing titles, but he does have a photo album with pics of him with Mohamed Ali and Evander Holyfield. Williamson passed away on 8th April 2020 due to complications of COVID-19.
Norman Hunter, Soccer, 1943-2020
Norman Hunter was part of the England soccer squad that won the country's only World Cup in 1966. He was also the first player to win the PFA Player Of The Year in 1978. Hunter only received his World Cup medal in 2007 since only players who started the final match received medals.
He was a no-nonsense center half with the nickname Bite yer Legs Hunter. He is most notable for his time at Leeds United, where he won the FA Cup in 1972. Hunter contracted COVID-19 and passed away due to the virus on 17th April 2020 at the age of 76.
Willie Davis, Football, 1934-2020
Despite being a super late draft pick in the 1956 NFL draft, Willie Davis had one of the most successful careers in NFL history. In his 12 seasons on the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers, he won five NFL championships.
Davis was also a six-time All-Pro and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall Of Fame in 1981. He was also part of the Green Bay Packers team that won the first two Super Bowl titles. Davis passed away on 15th April 2020 at the age of 85 after being hospitalized with kidney failure.
Damaso Garcia, Baseball, 1957-2020
Damaso Garcia was a truly gifted athlete. Not only did he carve out a successful career in Major League Baseball, but he was also a top soccer player. He captained both his club Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra and his country, the Dominican Republic.
As a baseball player, he started his career with the New York Yankees in 1978. But it was with the Toronto Blue Jays that he flourished, becoming a two-time all-star and winning the Silver Slugger award in 1982. He passed away on 15th April 2020 at the age of 63.
Howard Finkel, Professional Wrestling, 1950-2020
WWE wrestling is way cooler thanks to Howard Finkel. He was the guy who made the awesome ring announcement as wrestlers entered the ring. With 40-years under his belt, he is the WWE's longest-serving employee and is also regarded as the most magnificent ring announcer of all time.
Finkel was a Madison Square Garden ring announcer since 1977. He also started wrestling with Vincent J McMahon, father of current owner Vincent Kennedy McMahon. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2009. Finkel suffered a stroke in February 2019 and never fully recovered. He died on 16th April 2020.
Hank Steinbrenner, Baseball, 1957-2020
The Steinbrenner name is renowned for the massive success achieved by the New York Yankees baseball franchise. Hank Steinbrenner was no different. Also, like his father George, he had a controversial and outspoken opinion, that has seen him criticized by peers and the press alike.
Hank wasn't just a baseball man either, and also indulged in racehorses and soccer coaching. As co-chairman, he was an active member of the board. As of 2007, he and his brother Hal took over the day to day running of the team after their father's health started deteriorating. On 14th April 2020, Hank died due to a long-standing liver issue.
Jim Frey, Baseball, 1931-2020
Jim Frey is most famous for taking the Kansas City Royals to their first American League baseball championships in his first year with the team. They never won the World Series but was part of one of the best MLB storylines in history as they lost to fellow first-timers the Philidelphia Phillies.
Frey had a stint as the Chicago Cubs coach, where he again made an instant impact winning the division title in his first year. After retiring, he became the Somerset Patriots in the Independent league. Frey passed away on 12th April 2020 due to complications with Coronavirus.