The sports world lost some great people this year. From Olympic Champions, football players and coaches, hockey players, rising stars and recently retired. Those covering the game and three giants of their sport.
In 1984 Bill Johnson became the first American to win gold in downhill skiing. Marutis Yifter Ethiopian long distance 5,000 and 10,000 metre champion in 1980.
Long time football coaches like Lavell Edwards who built a legacy at BYU for 28 years and over 272 wins and a football stadium named after him. Dennis Green coached the Minnesota Vikings for 10 years was known for his famous quotes such as " the secret to success is to start from scratch and keep scratching ". Buddy Ryan was a Super Bowl Champion with Chicago Bears was known for his innovative defences.
Baseball lost a promising pitcher in the prime of his career in Jose Fernandez and also the wise cracking catcher turned broadcaster Joe Garagiola. The people who cover and broadcast sports took a hit this year. Bob Chase the long time voice of the Fort Wayne Komets was still calling games as recent as last year. Bud Collins the witty and remarkable tennis commentator who brought tennis into the mainstream. Jerry Greene and Blackie Sherrod spent over 60 years covering sports in Orlando and Dallas respectively. John Saunders ESPN broadcaster and proud Canadian. Craig Sagar colourful basketball sideline reporter. He worked the NBA finals for the first time this year.
New Orleans is a vibrant historic city. It also has a violent side which claimed the life of 2 recently retired NFL players in Will Smith and Joe McKnight. A former Heisman Trophy winner Rashed Saleem took his own life. Dennis Byrd who was paralyzed in an NFL game for the NY Jets died in a car accident.
One of the most creative, talented skilled soccer players who led Holland in 1974 and 1978 to consecutive World Cup finals Johann Cruyff. The former President of FIFA soccer's governing body Joao Haverlege who sparred with my father over women's soccer over the size of the soccer ball they would play with.
The greatest women's college basketball coach lost her battle with Alzheimer's. Pat Summit spent 38 years at Tennessee amassing the most career wins in college basketball history.
Arnold Palmer moved the game of golf forward in so many ways. His army followed him everywhere. A drink was named after him and if you wanted a product sold he was the ultimate spokesman.
Geordie Howe the greatest hockey player, played for 6 decades and with his 3 sons. The pride of Foam Lake Saskatchewan. He was Mr. Hockey. If a player scored a goal, got an assist and a fight in a game it was called the Gordie Howe hat trick.
They called him the greatest of all time. A formidable competitor who could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. A conscientious objector with regards to the Vietnam War. A spokesman for Parkinson's diesease when his body started to falter. He was Sports Illustrated's sportsman of the century. I will never forget the image of Muhamed Ali lighting the Olympic flame at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games.
These great atheletes will be missed and remembered for their contributions in sports and life in general.
Very nice remembrance.
ReplyDelete