2020 Notable sports deaths

Sports

2020 Notable sports deaths

Some of the notable sports figures who died in 2020.

APRIL 4 - Tom Dempsey was an NFL kicker born without toes on his kicking foot who made a record 63-yard field goal using a flat-front shoe. Dempsey’s winning field goal for the New Orleans Saints against Detroit on Nov. 8, 1970, stood as an NFL record for 43 years. He spent 11 seasons in the NFL. Dempsey, who was diagnosed with dementia, died while struggling with complications from the new coronavirus. He was 73.

FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2010, file photo, Harlem Globetrotters Fred "Curly" Neal spins a ball on his head prior to the bidding for the Naismith Rules, the original rules for basketball, framed at right, at Sotheby's in New York. Neal, the dribbling wizard who entertained millions with the Harlem Globetrotters for parts of three decades, has died the Globetrotters announced Thursday, March 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

MARCH 21 - Woody Widenhofer, one of the architect behind the Pittsburgh Steelers' "Steel Curtain" defense that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s, died after multiple strokes. Widenhofer was the linebackers coach (1973-78) and defensive coordinator (1979-83) for the Steelers. Widenhofer went 12-31-1 at Missouri from 1985-88 and 15-40 at Vanderbilt from 1997-2001. He finished his carerr as defensive coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana (2003-04) and New Mexico State (2005-07). He was 77.

FEB. 16 - Tony Fernandez, a stylish shortstop who made five All-Star teams during his 17 seasons in the major leagues and helped the Toronto Blue Jays win the 1993 World Series, died Sunday after complications from a kidney disease. He had been in a medically induced coma and had waited years for a new kidneys. Fernandez won four straight Gold Gloves with the Blue Jays in the 1980s and holds club records for career hits and games played. A clutch hitter in five trips to the postseason, he had four separate stints with Toronto and played for six other teams. He was 57.

Jan. 30 - John Andretti become the first driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 before flying to Charlotte, North Carolina, for NASCAR's 600-mile night race in 1994. He made 476 career starts on the Cup and IndyCar circuits, winning three times: The 1991 IndyCar season-opener at Australia, NASCAR’s second race at Daytona an 1997 and at Martinsville in 1999. Andretti died at the age of 56 after a three-year battle with colon cancer.

JAN. 28 - Chris Doleman, a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end who spent two seasons with the Falcons, died "after a prolonged and courageous battle against cancer." Doleman recorded 150-1/2 sacks in 232 games between 1985 and 1999. He was a first-team All-Pro selection on two occasions and made eight Pro Bowls, playing for the Vikings, Falcons and 49ers. He was 85.

JAN 26 - Kobe Bryant, who was drafted out of high school to a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers that established him as one of basketball’s all-time greats was among nine people killed in a helicopter crash. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, a budding basketball star herself also was killed in the crash. Bryant won five NBA championships and scored 81 points in a single game. He was 41.

JAN 2 - Sam Wyche, an Atlanta native, was the last coach to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl. As quarterbacks coach in San Francisco he helped in the development of Joe Montana and won a Super Bowl there as an assistant in 1982. He went on to lose to Montana and the 49ers for the NFL title in 1989. He left the NFL in 2005 and retired to Pickens, S.C., where he volunteered coaching football at the local high school. Wyche was 74.

JAN 1. - Don Larsen, the journeyman pitcher who reached the heights of baseball glory when he threw a perfect game in 1956 with the New York Yankees for the only no-hitter in World Series history, died from esophageal cancer. Larsen pitched in three other World Series, including the 1957 and '58 series against the Milwaukee Braves. He was 90.

JAN. 1 - David Stern, who spent 30 years as the NBA’s longest-serving commissioner and one of the best in sports history, died after suffering a brain hemorrhage. During a three-decade run, Stern grew the NBA to a more than $5 billion a year industry increasing its popularity with mainstream America. He would turn Magic, Michael, Kobe, LeBron, just to name a few, into household names - globally. He was 77.

APRIL 12 - Tarvaris Jackson, an NFL quarterback who won a Super Bowl as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, died from injuries sustained in a car crash in his native Alabama. Jackson was a second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2006. He made 14 starts for Seattle in 2011, throwing for 3,091 yards and 14 TDs. He left the NFL in 2015, becoming a quarterbacks coach at his alma mater Alabama State and later Tennessee State. He was 36.

May 4 - Don Shula was the NFL’s winningest coach and the architect of the only perfect season in league history. Shula coached the Miami Dolphin to five Super Bowls from 1970 to 1985, including an undefeated season in 1972. Shula has won the most games in NFL history (347) coached the most games (526) and consecutive seasons (33). He coached in six Super Bowls. He was 90.

Jimmy Wynn

Atlanta Braves chairman emeritus: Bill Bartholomay throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a Major League Baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Atlanta, Friday, April 13, 2012. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Former Georgia Tech quarterback and coach Pepper Rodgers died at the age of 88. (Photo courtesy of Georgia Tech)

MAY 14 - Bob Watson, who played on the Braves’ 1982 National League West division-winning team and later became the first black general manager to win a World Series with the New York Yankees in 1996, died. Watson, who was nicknamed “The Bull,” made the All-Star team in 1973 and ’75, hit over .300 four times and drove in at least 100 runs twice while hitting in the middle of the Astros’ lineup. He was 74.

MAY 22 - Jerry Sloan was a Hall of Fame coach who was a fixture for decades in Utah and took the Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Sloan spent 23 seasons coaching the Jazz. The team — with John Stockton and Karl Malone leading the way in many of those seasons — finished below .500 in only one of those years. Sloan won 1,221 games in his career. Only Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson and Gregg Popovich have more victories. He was 78.

MAY 25 - Braves catcher Biff Pocoroba (pictured: mobbed by the Phillie Phanatic before a game in 1983) was drafted in the 17th round of the 1971 draft. He went on to hit .257/.339/.367 with 21 homers and 172 RBIs over a 10-year career with the club from 1975-84. He earned All-Star honors in 1978. Pocoroba was 66.

JUNE 1 - Pat Day was a two-time All-American player at Georgia who took over a downtrodden Auburn football program in 1981 and turned it into a Southeastern Conference power. In 12 years, he posted a 99-39-4 record, leading the Tigers to four conference titles. He was 80.

JUNE 2 - Wes Unseld was a basketball Hall of Fame center who led Washington to its only NBA title. A five-time All-Star, Unseld is one of only two players to win NBA Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season. Unseld averaged 10.8 points and 14 rebounds for his 12-year career with Washington. He remained with the franchise as a coach (1987-94) and general manager (1996-2003). He was 74.

JUNE 3 - Johnny Majors was a Hall of Fame coach who over 29 years compiled a 185-137-10 record at Iowa State, Pitt and Tennessee. A former Vols tailback, he was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, losing to Notre Dame's Paul Hornung. He won a national title with Pittsburgh in 1976 before coaching the Volunteers over 16 seasons, winning three SEC titles - the last in 1990. He was 85.

Falcons defensive end John Zook chases Chicago Bears quarterback Gary Huff. (Charles Jackson / AJC)

JUNE 10 - Claudell Washington was an outfielder who played in 17 seasons for seven teams, including the Atlanta Braves. Washington signed with the Braves after the 1980 season and was a key contributor to the 1982 National League West champions. He played in 651 games for Atlanta, his most with any team, before being traded to the Yankees in June 1986 for Ken Griffey Sr.

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APRIL 4 - Tom Dempsey was an NFL kicker born without toes on his kicking foot who made a record 63-yard field goal using a flat-front shoe. Dempsey’s winning field goal for the New Orleans Saints against Detroit on Nov. 8, 1970, stood as an NFL record for 43 years. He spent 11 seasons in the NFL. Dempsey, who was diagnosed with dementia, died while struggling with complications from the new coronavirus. He was 73.

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