Great athletes who passed during their careers.

[skysdad]

Please read the entire rules before posting. I thought this may be interesting to some of you. We have lost a lot of great athletes who some made their sports hof and some who were well on their way. All sports are welcome even include professional wrestling if you so choos I have a few that I remember,. I ask that you list just one at a time so more of us can get involved. You can name more than one but just one at a time. For my 1st pick I choose Roberto Clememte of MLB's Pittsburg Pirates. If he had played in a major market he would have been given the credit he deserves. Greatestarm I've ever seen. One of the most underrated players of all time. He had all the tools. Passed away in an airplane crash trying to give service to his countryman. So happy he got his 3,000 hit in his last game. OFC

 

[springsportster]

I would go with a more obvious former LSU basketball player, but I will name Derrick Thomas. Former KC Chiefs Pro Bowl linebacker. One of the greatest linebackers in NFL history. Died after a car accident in 2000 during a snow storm. Holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single game with 7. Nine time Pro Bowler, NFL and College football hall of famer. We were all shocked when it happened as we grew up in Kansas and he was a staple on T.V. for Chiefs fans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derrick_Thomas

 

[skysdad]

I would go with a more obvious former LSU basketball player, but I will name Derrick Thomas. Former KC Chiefs Pro Bowl linebacker. One of the greatest linebackers in NFL history. Died after a car accident in 2000 during a snow storm. Holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single game with 7. Nine time Pro Bowler, NFL and College football hall of famer. We were all shocked when it happened as we grew up in Kansas and he was a staple on T.V. for Chiefs fans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derrick_Thomas

That's the kind of post I'm asking for. Derrick Thomas was well on his way to be one of the greatest. Remember they need to have passec while still active in their careers. OFC

 

[Mac9192]

Len Bias

 

[geddoughton23]

Hank Gathers. He died on the court in the West Coast Conference Tournament. I had nightmares for years. He collapsed and his eyes rolled back in his head. Essentially a heart attack. His heart was abnormally large. He led the nation in scoring AND rebounding as a junior and had Loyola Marymount in the top 10 as a senior. He was chiseled. 6'7" and 230. He sprinted every play and said that he never got tired. He would even run sprints in the tunnel at halftime.

 

[kingbluedevil]

Payne Stewart died in plane crash after winning the US open few months earlier.

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

Since everyone is naming mainstream athletes, I’m going to name a wrestler that died during his career. Eddie Guerrero.

 

[springsportster]

Since everyone is naming mainstream athletes, I’m going to name a wrestler that died during his career. Eddie Guerrero.

I grew up as a fan of the golden age of wrestling (80's and early 90's). Many wrestlers have passed away too early. The Von Erich family had a number of them die. Out of all the Von Erich's, my favorite was Kerry Von Erich. "The Texas Tornado" had survived a motorcycle accident and had a wooden foot inside of his wrestling boot that not many people are aware of. He ended up committing suicide while still being a professional wrestler. I haven't watched wrestling in 15 years or so but the late 80's to early 90's was a fun time to watch it.

 

[skysdad]

Thurman Munson. Yankee fan here and oh how that hurt. No doubt if he had not died in that plane crash he would be a HOFer. I've cried a few times when watching a movie about athletes. "Brian's Song. " "Something For Joey." I cried as I watched the funeral for Mickey Mantle but I wept as I saw the Yankees take the field after Thurman's death and the players stood in position in a moment of silence. Except the catcher. Behind the plate was vacant. Munson was a tough as they come. A fans player. OFC

 

[christophero]

I'm a Yankee fan too. I was a kid when the Munson thing happened. It was very sad. I never knew why they broke that team up. They traded Reggie, Chambliss and Nettles.

 

[df64]

Maurice Stokes. There used to be a memorial event not far from me in the Cayskills.

Munson was very tough for us Ysnkee fans. Definitely a fan favorite.

I have attended a bunch of training sessions for traumatic event responses, preventing/addressing PTSD in first. responders, etc. The video of Hank Gathers dying is used by the trainer. To put that in perspective, the Oklahoma City bombing is also used. His mom was in the stands and came out onto the floor. Absolutely horrible event.

 

[smashmouth5]

Nascar Davey Allison

 

[smashmouth5]

Drazen Petrovic

 

[montana_heel]

Reggie Lewis

 

[kingbluedevil]

Nascar Dale Earnhart, Adam Petty, Neil Bonnet, Alan Kulwicki, JD Mcduffie

 

[skysdad]

Nascar Dale Earnhart, Adam Petty, Neil Bonnet, Alan Kulwicki, JD Mcduffie

Great list but please list one at a time. Go back on thread and see the OP. OFC

 

[hart2chesson]

PGA TOUR golfer Tony Lema....

OFC

 

[hart2chesson]

MLB player Lyman Bostock

OFC

 

[skysdad]

Ken Hubbs. Chicago Cubs 2nd baseman. NL rookie of the year and gold glove winner in 1962. Died in airplane crash in 1964. Brief but promissing career. OFC

 

[df64]

The soccer team from South America that all perished in that plane crash last year?

 

[skysdad]

Chuck Hughes. Detroit Lion WR. Only NFL player to die on the field during a game. OFC

 

[skysdad]

Davey S. Moore. Professional boxer who died as a result of injuries suffered in the ring in 1963. OFC

 

[skysdad]

Davey Moore. Professional boxer. Not related to Davey S. Moore who died in an accident at his home in 1988. I know. It doesn't seem real. OFC

 

[dukiejay]

Korey Stringer, former Ohio State All-American lineman and pro bowler for the Minnesota Vikings.

I had talked with him just 10 minutes prior to him collapsing at Vikings training camp trying to secure a radio interview later in the day. It was early in my radio career and the remainder of training camp was eerie, to say the least.

 

[christophero]

Apollo Creed. Fake or not that traumatized me as a young person. Sorry don't mean any disrespect to the others.

 

[skysdad]

Marshall University football team. I believe the death toll was something like 75. OFC

 

[geddoughton23]

Evansville Purple Aces Basketball Team. December 13, 1977 plane crash. Interestingly, Jerry Sloan, the great Chicago Bulls player and Utah Jazz Coach, should have been on the plane. He coached the team for the first week of December, but had a change of heart on December 8

 

[geddoughton23]

To add, Jerry Sloan died recently. Age 78. The plane crash changed his life. His great friend took the head coach job and died in the crash. As a player,Sloan helped Evansville win the Division II national championship in the early 60s