Mal Anderson obit

Aussie tennis greats pay tribute as much-loved champion Mal Anderson dies aged 91

‘Tennis in Australia has lost one of its greats, and a lot of us have lost a mate and mentor. I feel very lucky to have known him.’

 He was not on the list.

Australian tennis greats are mourning the death of former champion turned mentor Mal Anderson aged 91.

He became the first unseeded winner of the US Championships when he triumphed in 1957, receiving his trophy from then vice president Richard Nixon alongside trailblazing women’s winner Althea Gibson.

The Aussie nearly added a second grand slam title — this time in the professional Open Era — when he knocked out reigning Wimbledon champion John Newcombe en route to the 1972 Australian Open final.

Anderson lost to Ken Rosewall in the championship match but “got my revenge” in the 1973 NSW Open (now the Sydney International).

“It wasn’t very popular beating him in New South Wales,” he laughed on a Tennis Australia podcast just last year.

Anderson also won the doubles title with Newcombe at the 1973 Australian Open and played a role in Australia’s Davis Cup triumph that year.

He went on to mentor the likes of Pat Rafter, Scott Draper, Wally Masur and John Fitzgerald.

Rafter said he was “really sad” to learn the news of Anderson’s death.

“He was one of those people who helped shape my tennis from very early on,” Pat Rafter said in a Tennis Australia statement.

“He took me overseas for the first time, over to Wimbledon, and introduced me to what the professional game looked like and what it meant to carry yourself properly around it.

“For a young Aussie kid coming through, that was a pretty special thing to have someone like Mal do for you.

“I still remember being at Queen’s Club in London and hearing the reception he got when his name was announced — the whole place stood up for him. That told you everything about the respect people had for him, not just here in Australia but around the world.

“He was a true legend of the game, but more importantly he was a terrific bloke — humble, generous with his time and always happy to help younger players along.

“Tennis in Australia has lost one of its greats, and a lot of us have lost a mate and mentor. I feel very lucky to have known him.”

Fitzgerald and Masur both toured with Anderson as teenagers and said they learned plenty about the professionalism required to make it to the top.

Masur described Anderson as a “gentleman and an inspiration” to young players.

“I first met Mal when he took 10 youngsters on a satellite circuit around country NSW in about 1979,” Masur said.

“If you were out of the tournament he made you run at 6.30am, punishing runs that usually brought up the contents of my stomach. He did every one of those runs with us and did them easily.

“Then it was four or five hours on the practice court, and he hit for every minute of those hours. Never a critical word, just encouragement and he was with you every step of the way.”

Draper said he was first taught by Anderson at just five years old and described the veteran’s Queensland tennis centre as “a home away from home”.

“Mal was a joy to be around, humility personified and always took genuine interest in your life. A great bloke and his legacy will definitely live on in me,” he said.

Anderson married Daphne Emerson, the sister of Australian legend Roy, just weeks after winning the 1957 US Championships title.

Roy was a groomsman in what was reported at the time as the “tennis wedding of the year”.

Rene Cardenas obit

MLB broadcasting trailblazer Rene Cardenas dies

 

He was not on the list.

Rene Cardenas dies of cancer

HOUSTON – Rene Cardenas, the trailblazing baseball broadcaster who launched Spanish-language broadcasts for three Major League Baseball franchises, has died. The native of Nicaragua was 96 years old when he succumbed to cancer Sunday in Houston.

“Today, baseball lost a historic voice,” Astros Spanish-language broadcaster Francisco Romero said. “René Cárdenas passed away today at the age of 96, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in Spanish-language sports broadcasting.

“His voice accompanied generations of baseball fans, especially through his legendary work with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros.”

Astros Hall of Famer

Cardenas was nominated for the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s prestigious Ford Frick Award the last two years. In 2024, he was inducted into the Astros’ Hall of Fame.

“Rene was a true pioneer in our industry,” said Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrin, the legendary former Spanish voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “He played a predominant role in my start as a baseball broadcaster.

“I learned a lot from him and from Jose el Fat Garcia, both of the land of Ruben Dario. Rest in peace, my maestro and friend Chelito Cardenas.”

More from Our Esquina

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Rene Cardenas deserves Ford C. Frick Award

Cardenas was born in Managua, Nicaragua. He was the grandson of former Nicaraguan President Adan Cardenas, who served from 1883-1887. He moved to the United States in his late teens. Shortly after the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1957, he pitched a Spanish-language broadcast to radio station KWKW AM.

With the support of then-Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, Cardenas started the first Spanish baseball broadcast in the United States in 1958.

Dodgers history

“I explained the plan to O’Malley,” Cardenas told Our Esquina’s Angel Cantu in 2024. “O’Malley said, ‘I love the idea. Of course we’ll do it. And maybe after these transmissions we can sign a Mexican pitcher.’”

That Mexican pitcher O’Malley longed for turned out to be the iconic Fernando Valenzuela decades later.

Along the way, Cardenas mentored Jarrin, who established himself as arguably the greatest Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history after Cardenas moved to Houston to establish the Colt 45s-Astros franchise’s first Spanish broadcast.

He called games in Spanish for the Astros from 1962 through 1975 before returning to Los Angeles. Cardenas made no secret about his desire to earn the Ford Frick Award, but he was proud that the Astros finally put him into their Hall of Fame in 2024.

‘Astros all over me’

“I didn’t think it was going to happen to me, but it did,” Cardenas said in 2024. “In my 94 years it seems like it was when I joined the Colt 45’s in 1962 and it seems to me like it was yesterday when we played our first spring training game in Apache Junction.

“I have Astros all over me. I think I have Astros blood.”

Cardenas mentored many Spanish-language broadcasters over his lifetime, including Romero, the current Spanish voice of the Astros.

“René Cárdenas did more than call games,” Romero said. “He brought baseball to life. With passion, elegance, and a distinctive style, he helped pave the way for Spanish baseball broadcasting in the United States.

“He inspired countless broadcasters and became a beloved figure to millions of fans. His legacy will live forever in every broadcast, every unforgettable play, and every fan who grew up listening to his voice. Rest in peace, legend.”

Bill Posey obit

Former U.S. Rep. Bill Posey dies, remembered for long dedication to service

 

He was not on the list.

Former U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, who represented Florida for 16 years, died on Saturday, May 9.

His successor, Rep. Mike Haridopolos, announced his death and praised his commitment to public service.

Former U.S. Congressman Bill Posey died at age 78 on Saturday, May 9, 2025.

Posey represented Florida's 8th District from 2008 until his retirement in 2025.

He was known for his strong constituent service and his passion for auto racing.

Shortly before former U.S. Congressman Bill Posey left Washington D.C. in 2025 after 16 years representing Florida’s 8th District, he told me he marveled at the fact he was ever in the nation’s capital at all.

Posey died Saturday, May 9, at age 78, “surrounded by the love of his family,” including his wife of 59 years, Katie, and his daughters, Cathi and Pamela. His death, at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, was announced by the office of his successor, U.S. Rep. Mike Hardiopolos.

During the course of Posey’s long political career, he and I had many conversations about life and Florida and, yes, politics. He let me know when he didn’t like something I’d written. Or when he did. But our last lengthy talk, in May 2024, stayed with me the most.

Now, he was ready to slow down, he told me during that talk, shortly after the announcement that he would not seek reelection. He endorsed Haridopolos, who went on to easily win the U.S. House seat, that same day.

“There's an old saying that sometimes the rollercoaster moves so fast, you can't enjoy the ride,” Posey said.

“And just about my entire congressional experience has been like drinking water from a firehose, there's so much that goes on all the time. The people I met ... Netanyahu. Ariel Sharon. Spending a weekend at Camp David … who would've thought that little Bill Posey from Rockledge would ever spend a minute at Camp David?”

First elected to Rockledge City Council in 1976, Posey headed to Tallahassee in 1992 as a state representative, and then as a state senator from 2001 to 2009. He represented Florida's 8th District from 2008 until his retirement. The 8th District covers all of Brevard and Indian River counties and parts of Orange County.

In a poignant twist, Posey died the same day as the annual National Kidney Footprints in the Sand Walk at Cocoa Beach — traditionally held on Mother’s Day weekend — that he and Katie had supported since its inception.

In the statement announcing Posey's death, Haridopolos said Posey "will be remembered with gratitude, admiration, and profound respect. His dedication to public service, his love for Florida, and his steadfast belief in the promise of America will never be forgotten.”

Born in D.C. but Brevard had his heart

Born in Washington, D.C., in 1947, Posey and his family moved in 1956 to Rockledge after his father got a job working on the Delta rocket.

He was a Rockledge boy and Brevard champion to the core. A graduate of Cocoa High, he earned an associate of arts degree at Brevard Community College in 1969. Following work as an inspector for McDonnell Douglas at Kennedy Space Center, where he was laid off after the moon landing, he entered real estate. He would go on to found Posey & Co. Realtors.

Something those who grew up around him knew but might come as a surprise to anyone used to seeing him in a suit and tie: Posey was a formidable presence in racing dating to the 1960s, starting his career at age 16 in a 1933 Ford with a fuel-injected Hemi. Throughout the 1960s, Posey continued racing at Eau Gallie Speedway in Melbourne and at Orlando Raceway.

When Lyle Lathe, a local racer, died with COVID-19 in 2022, Posey shared memories of him along with photos and vignettes from those racing days with me.

Posey, who won trophies at the Valkaria track and hundreds of races around the state, recalled being told by car salesman Bob Dance — then at Indian River Chevrolet in Cocoa — that Dance would be getting astronaut Gus Grissom's 1963 fuel-injected Corvette on the lot.

Turned out, it was owned by Lathe, who was trading it in for another car. Posey, who had dropped out of high school extracurricular activities to bag groceries at Publix in hopes of buying a great ride, paid $2,300 for the Corvette and two and a half years later, sold it for $2,600.

“Lyle took off the fuel injection and put on what at the time was a monster C Series AFB,” Posey said. “Much more reliable and actually more horsepower.”

He raced more after his election to Rockledge City Council, on dirt and asphalt across Florida. A year after he became a U.S. congressman in 2008, replacing Dave Weldon, he sold his racing equipment with the exception of a “classic” 1966 Malibu, he told me.

Posey celebrated for strong constituent work

Supporters across the years consistently praised Posey’s service to his community, from helping local families get tickets for White House tours to his support for space-related funding. He was a constant in sending off the Honor Flight veterans.

In November 2025, the old municipal building in Rockledge was renamed in his honor: the Bill Posey Rockledge Municipal Building.

It was, he said, a “humbling” moment.

Posey never forgot his roots or the people he worked alongside, his friends said.

When former Rockledge councilman Dick Blake died on June 3, 2025, Posey wrote "Rest in peace my friend" in a Facebook post. He included the text of a speech he made on the House floor upon Blake's 2016 retirement from the council, saying that Blake "is someone I admire greatly ... Over the course of his life he has witnessed injustice, but he has always remained positive."

Ups and downs across the years

There were, Posey said upon his retirement, highs and lows over the years as a congressman. Working with the Florida delegation to bring Space Delta 10 to Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a definite high. He spoke of being involved in the stressful but eventually successful quest to bring the kidnapped children of a Merritt Island woman home from Lebanon.

There was controversy, too. For example, during Posey’s first term, when Barack Obama was president, Posey proposed legislation to require future presidential candidates to provide a copy of their original birth certificate. It was never voted on.

“...  But yes, it just got ignored, and it went away,” he told me in 2024. “It just got so controversial. I said, "OK. It's done. It's resolved. He's president. Let's make sure this does not ever happen again.'"

In 2017, when Election Day saw Democrats gain 28 seats to take control of the House for the first time in eight years, Posey won a sixth two-year term.

That night, Posey, long a member of the House's Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Financial Services Committee, discounted any idea of probes into the past business dealings of President Donald Trump, then just months into his first term.

"I hope not," he told me. "It's a waste of valuable time we can spend legislating and solving problems. There is a big difference between holding wrongdoers accountable and using your position to target people you do not like. New members should use this opportunity to enact reforms to Congress and our public institutions to create more transparency and accountability for everyone."

Seven years later, as Posey stepped down — and though he supported Trump — he told me that “Last time, both guys promised to bring the country together. We’re farther apart now than we’ve ever been.”

“I would hope that deep division could heal; that we can find common ground,” he said.

“I founded the National Estuary Caucus with Suzanne Bonimici (U.S. representative for Oregon's 1st congressional district and a Democrat). You can't find anybody as totally opposite me in every single category. She's a progressive from the Northwest,

“But we found common ground on lagoons ... we stopped estuary funding from being zeroed out; we've passed program for grants for critical needs. My point is, if you look at some of the stuff I've sponsored, some of the conservatives have criticized me: 'How can he sponsor stuff with Frederica Wilson? How can he sponsor stuff with Debbie Wasserman Schultz? How can he sponsor stuff with this one and that one?' You try hard to find that common ground. And that's how you get stuff accomplished. You know, you just have to be more pragmatic."

In his post-retirement days, those days Posey said he wanted to spend with family, he got the chance to do just that.

A quick look at the photos he chose for his Facebook page over the past few months shows him surrounded by his loved ones.

He’s smiling in all of them.

On March 11, it was a picture of togetherness, with family celebrating the baptism of that first great-grandchild, a little boy.

On March 25, Posey’s grin was equally big as he held one of his identical twin great-granddaughters on the babies’ first visit to Florida.

He departed the House, Posey told me as he left D.C. behind, with wife Katie’s full support. She stood by him from the start, he said, from his first-ever run for office in Brevard County to his last days on the stump.

“I've always said, I'll leave Washington when she's ready to leave, anytime ... when I was in Tallahassee, she was in Tallahassee,” he said, mentioning the strain the world of politics can wreak on relationships.

“When I'm in Washington, D.C., she's in Washington, D.C.” 

Jennifer Harmon obit

Jennifer Harmon

December 3, 1943 – May 9, 2026

 

She was not on the list.

Jennifer Harmon was born on December 3, 1943 in Pasadena, California, USA. She is an actress, known for One Life to Live (1968), How to Survive a Marriage (1974) and Guiding Light (1952).

Harmon played villainous Cathy Craig in the ABC soap opera, "One Life to Live" (1976-78). For this performance, she received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination in 1978.

Jennifer Harmon was an American actress, who mostly appeared on Broadway and television soap operas.

Despite her surname, Harmon is not related to the popular actor Mark Harmon, nor to his family, the Harmon-Nelson family (a well-known California show business family).

Harmon made her Broadway debut in 1965, appearing in You Can't Take It With You. Her other Broadway credits including The School for Scandal, Right You Are If You Think You Are, We, Comrades Three, The Wild Duck, The Cherry Orchard, The Show-Off, Blithe Spirit, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Little Foxes, The Deep Blue Sea, Amy's View, The Dinner Party, The Glass Menagerie, Seascape, Barefoot in the Park, Dividing the Estate and Other Desert Cities.

She was lead actress in the NBC soap opera, How to Survive a Marriage (1974-75).

Harmon made her Broadway debut in 1965, appearing in You Can't Take It With You. Her other Broadway credits including The School for Scandal, Right You Are If You Think You Are, We, Comrades Three, The Wild Duck, The Cherry Orchard, The Show-Off, Blithe Spirit, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Little Foxes, The Deep Blue Sea, Amy's View, The Dinner Party, The Glass Menagerie, Seascape, Barefoot in the Park, Dividing the Estate and Other Desert Cities.

She returned to One Life to Live in 1991 playing Victoria Lord's attorney for multiple episodes and the same year played Jean Weatherill on Guiding Light. In 1995, she played Lucretia Jones on the ABC soap opera, Loving. Harmon also guest-starred on Madigan, Barnaby Jones, Dallas, St. Elsewhere, Homicide: Life on the Street, The Cosby Mysteries, Law & Order, Oz, and The Good Wife. She also starred in 21 episodes of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, which ran from January of 1974 to December of 1982

 

Actress

Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife (2009)

The Good Wife

8.3

TV Series

Ruth

2010

1 episode

 

Denis Leary in Rescue Me (2004)

Rescue Me

8.3

TV Series

Ellen Turbody

2006

1 episode

 

J.D. Williams in Oz (1997)

Oz

8.7

TV Series

Ms. Lang

2003

1 episode

 

The Tavern (1999)

The Tavern

5.6

Ronnie's Mother

1999

 

'M' Word

3.8

Jan

1996

 

Loving (1983)

Loving

7.0

TV Series

Lucretia Jones

1995

3 episodes

 

Tony Goldwyn, Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, David Ajala, and Odelya Halevi in Law & Order (1990)

Law & Order

7.8

TV Series

Mrs. Serena Davidson

1995

1 episode

 

Bill Cosby and James Naughton in The Cosby Mysteries (1994)

The Cosby Mysteries

4.7

TV Series

Dean Lennox

1995

1 episode

 

Another World (1964)

Another World

7.1

TV Series

Judge Trullinger

1993

1 episode

 

Michelle Forbes, Yaphet Kotto, Max Perlich, Kyle Secor, Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, Reed Diamond, Clark Johnson, and Melissa Leo in Homicide: Life on the Street (1993)

Homicide: Life on the Street

8.7

TV Series

Alison Ashley

1993

1 episode

 

Guiding Light (1952)

Guiding Light

6.6

TV Series

Jean Wetherwill

1991

4 episodes

 

Astonished (1988)

Astonished

4.4

Sonia's Mother

1988

 

Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes Yorkin, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)

St. Elsewhere

8.0

TV Series

Jogger

1984

1 episode

 

Sherlock Holmes (1981)

Standing Room Only

7.8

TV Series

Mrs. Smeedley

1981

1 episode

 

The White Shadow (1978)

The White Shadow

8.0

TV Series

Nurse

1979

1 episode

 

Victoria Principal, Barbara Bel Geddes, Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman, Charlene Tilton, Jim Davis, Linda Gray, and Steve Kanaly in Dallas (1978)

Dallas

7.1

TV Series

Secretary

1979

1 episode

 

Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)

Barnaby Jones

6.9

TV Series

Jane Prescott

1979

1 episode

 

One Life to Live (1968)

One Life to Live

6.9

TV Series

Cathy Craig Lord #5

1976–1978

113 episodes

 

Fran Brill, Suzanne Davidson, Jennifer Harmon, Michael Landrum, Lynn Lowry, and Rosemary Prinz in How to Survive a Marriage (1974)

How to Survive a Marriage

7.9

TV Series

Chris Kirby (entire run)Chris Kirby

1974–1975

334 episodes

 

Richard Widmark in Madigan (1972)

Madigan

7.2

TV Series

Janet Lakka

1972

1 episode

 

Natalie Wood and Jacques Sernas in Camera Three (1954)

Camera Three

6.6

TV Series

Hedwig

1967

1 episode

 

Self

NET Playhouse (1964)

NET Playhouse

6.8

TV Series

Self

1970

1 episode

 

The APA Rehearses Ibsen

TV Movie

Self - Actress

1967

 

Bobby Cox obit

Bobby Cox, legendary Braves manager, dies at 84

Cox guided the Braves to five NL pennants and the 1995 World Series title

 He was not on the list.

Bobby Cox, who managed the Atlanta Braves to the 1995 World Series and was a four-time manager of the year, died on Saturday, the team announced.

“We are overcome with emotion on the passing of Bobby Cox, our treasured skipper,” the team wrote in a statement. “Bobby was the best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform. He led our team to 14 straight division titles, five National League pennants, and the unforgettable World Series title in 1995. His Braves managerial legacy will never be matched.

“Bobby was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of managing the game were rewarded with the sport's ultimate prize in 2014 — enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

"And while Bobby's passion for the game was unparalleled, his love of baseball was exceeded only by his love for his family. It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our sincerest condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their loving children and grandchildren.”

Before his run as a Hall of Fame manager, Cox had a short playing career that saw him spend two seasons with the New York Yankees. He would get his start on the bench after his playing career ended in the Venezuelan Winter League. From there, he took on coaching and managing roles in the Yankees' system.

Cox would work his way up and onto Billy Martin's staff for the 1977 season, which ended with the Yankees winning the World Series. That offseason, he was hired as Braves manager, but was later fired following the strike-affected 1981 MLB season. He would then join the Toronto Blue Jays and help the franchise to its first winning record after going 89-73 in 1983 and 1984.

In 1985, Cox's final year in Toronto, he helped guide the team to a 99-win season and an AL East title.

Following the season, Cox resigned and returned to the Braves to become the team's general manager. Over parts of his five seasons in the role, the franchise was responsible for adding talent that would help build its powerhouse roster of the 1990s. Players such as John Smoltz, Steve Avery, Tom Glavine, Ron Gant and David Justice were brought in and Chipper Jones was selected first overall in 1990 MLB draft.

Three months into the 1990 season, Cox was back on the bench after firing manager Russ Nixon. He would remain as GM through the end of the season before naming John Schuerholz as his replacement.

Beginning in 1991, the Braves won the first of five National League pennants under Cox. The team won a second straight pennant in 1992, but it fell in the World Series both times. The breakthrough would finally come in 1995 when the team won the World Series over the Cleveland Indians.

The Braves would reach the World Series twice more under Cox in 1996 and 1999, but both times they lost to the Yankees. Cox would stay on as manager through the 2010 season, guiding the franchise to seven more playoff appearances.

Cox's managerial record ended with a 2,504-2,001 record with five pennants, one World Series championship and four Manager of the Year awards. He currently stands as the fourth-winningest manager in MLB history.

One unique record Cox holds is most times being ejected. Over his 4,508 games as a manager, he was thrown out 162 times, 41 more than John McGraw.

The Braves honored Cox in 2011 by inducting him into the team's Hall of Fame and retiring his No. 6 jersey. Three years later, Cooperstown came calling and he was elected by the Veterans Committee for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2014.

“We are overcome with emotion on the passing of Bobby Cox, our treasured skipper. Bobby was the best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform. He led our team to 14 straight division titles, five National League pennants, and the unforgettable World Series title in 1995. His Braves managerial legacy will never be matched.” — The Atlanta Braves

“I never wanted to go anywhere else; I wanted to play for Bobby.” — Hall of Fame pitcher and current Fox analyst John Smoltz

“I’m so sad today, but as I sit here watching my two youngest boys play in their championship games on the day he passed, I can’t help but shout the same things he did from the corner of the dugout. ‘Come on kid, u got this!’ We are gonna miss him so much, but his legacy is forever cemented with the success of this franchise for the last 35+ yrs.” — Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones on X

“So thankful for the chance to play for him. What can I say? He saved my career. Hung in there with me during my early days and made the decision to move me to the outfield. Changed my career/life forever.” — Former Braves outfielder and two-time NL MVP Dale Murphy on X

“RIP my second father.” — Hall of Fame center fielder Andruw Jones, who won 10 Gold Gloves with Atlanta, on X ___

“I remember ’99 when we lost the World Series to the Yankees. I mean, to a man, everybody in the room felt like we let Bobby down. That’s how we felt. And that’s powerful, you know, and that doesn’t just happen in professional sports. But that just goes to show how guys felt about Bobby. We, to a man, we felt like we let him down.” — Braves manager Walt Weiss

“My favorite memory of Bobby is 2017 spring training. Charlie was 6 months old. … To see Hall of Famer Bobby Cox, the joy on his face when he saw my 6-month-old son, that’s stuff I will never forget. Him and Pam just, like, loving on Charlie while he was in the stroller, those are the fond memories I have.” — Former Braves and current Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman

“Skip — thank you for helping shape me as a coach and as an MLB manager. Your guidance and belief in me will always mean a lot. Thank you for the time You took in helping me make my transition from player to coach. And I ended up loving cigars after all (smiley face emoji). Much respect always.” — Ozzie Guillen, who played two seasons with Atlanta and won a World Series title managing the White Sox in 2005, on X

“Bobby Cox led one of the greatest eras of sustained excellence in baseball history. As manager of the Braves, his clubs became an October fixture, representing consistency, professionalism, and championship-caliber baseball for an entire generation of fans. Through his leadership, eye for talent, and commitment to player development, Bobby helped shape the careers of numerous Hall of Famers and guided the Braves to Atlanta’s first major professional sports championship in 1995.

“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Bobby’s family, the Braves organization, the many players and coaches whose lives he impacted throughout his 29-year managerial career, and Braves fans everywhere.” — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred

“We are saddened to learn about the passing of former Blue Jays Manager Bobby Cox. Before tonight’s game, we held a moment of silence to remember one of the game’s greats. Bobby managed us to our first division title in 1985, also winning Manager of the Year that year. Our thoughts are with his family and the Braves organization.” — The Toronto Blue Jays on X

“The Yankees join the baseball community in mourning the loss of Hall of Famer Bobby Cox. We offer our deepest condolences to Bobby’s family, friends and loved ones.” — The New York Yankees on X

“Over 29 seasons as a big league manager, Bobby Cox earned loyalty and respect from his players with his steady hand and passionate heart.” — National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

“Thank you for everything you meant to Atlanta, Skip.” — The Atlanta Falcons on X

“Atlanta has lost a true icon in Bobby Cox. His leadership helped define one of the most successful eras not only for the Atlanta Braves, but for the city's sports identity. Known for guiding the club through a historic run that included a World Series title and sustained excellence, his influence will be felt for generations. Our thoughts are with his family and with the entire baseball community as we remember a figure who meant so much to the City of Atlanta.” — Atlanta United FC on X

“Georgia and Braves Country have lost a true legend today with the passing of Bobby Cox. Shepherding the Braves for over 20 years, he led the franchise to 14 straight division crowns and a World Series title during his second stint, solidifying him in the hearts of generations of fans as the beloved manager we will all remember.” — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on X

He recorded a 100-win season six times, a record matched only by Joe McCarthy.

Cox first managed the Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He rejoined the Braves in 1986 as a general manager. He moved back to the manager's role during the 1990 season and stayed there until his retirement following the 2010 season. Cox led the Atlanta Braves to the World Series championship in 1995. The Braves retired No. 6 in his honor.

Cox holds the all-time record for ejections in MLB with 158 (plus an additional three post-season ejections), a record previously held by John McGraw.

As a player, Cox originally signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but was never able to make the Dodgers' major league team. Eventually he was acquired by the Braves, but never appeared in an MLB game for them either. Instead, the Braves traded Cox to the New York Yankees for Bob Tillman and Dale Roberts on December 7, 1967. Cox played for the Yankees during the 1968 and 1969 seasons, mostly as a third baseman. The Yankees assigned Cox to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs for the 1970 season. Cox also played from 1967 to 1970 for the Cardenales de Lara and Leones del Caracas of the Venezuelan Winter League.

Cox began his managerial career in the Yankees farm system in 1971 with the Fort Lauderdale Yankees. He was promoted to the West Haven Yankees in 1972 and to Syracuse in 1973. In 1976, he led Syracuse Chiefs to the International League championship. Cox also managed the Cardenales in the Venezuelan Winter League from 1974 to 1977. He then spent the 1977 season as the first base coach on Billy Martin's staff with the World Series–winning Yankees.

Cox replaced Dave Bristol as the manager of the Atlanta Braves prior to the 1978 season, inheriting a team that had finished last in the National League West during the previous two seasons and, in 1977, compiled a worse record than the first-year Seattle Mariners of the American League. Building from the ground up, the Braves finished last in both 1978 and 1979. Entering 1980, Cox made one of the unusual moves for which he is known, moving power-hitting first baseman–catcher Dale Murphy, who had developed a throwing block as a catcher that hindered his ability to play, to center field. Murphy later won two National League Most Valuable Player Awards and five Gold Gloves, and became one of the premier players of the 1980s. In 1980, the Braves finished fourth with their first record above .500 since 1974.

During the 1981 season, which was shortened by a strike, the Braves finished in fourth place during the first half and in fifth in the second. After the season, owner Ted Turner fired him. Asked at a press conference who was on his short list for manager, Turner replied, "It would be Bobby Cox if I hadn't just fired him. We need someone like him around here." The Braves won the National League West division title in 1982 and finished second in both 1983 and 1984 under Cox's successor Joe Torre. Cox finished his first tenure with the Braves with a record of 266 wins and 323 losses in the regular season.

The Toronto Blue Jays hired Cox as their manager in 1982, and they steadily improved over the four years of his management. Cito Gaston was brought in as a coach for the team because of Cox, and Gaston would be named manager of the Jays years later. In 1983, Cox led the Blue Jays to the first winning record in franchise history. In 1985, Cox's fourth season with the club, the Blue Jays finished in first place in the American League East, the franchise's first division title. That season, the American League Championship Series was expanded to a best-of-seven format after 16 seasons of a best-of-five format. This change ultimately made the difference when Cox's Blue Jays became only the fifth team to lose a playoff series after leading three games to one to the Kansas City Royals, with the decision by Dick Howser to counter Cox's platooning by starting a right-handed pitcher before going with left-handed relievers in the middle innings proving key.

After the 1985 season, the Braves asked for permission to ask him about their general manager position, which Toronto allowed despite nearly signing Cox for the next season. While he didn't think he would be going, he ultimately came to accept their idea. On October 22, 1985, Cox left to return to Atlanta as general manager; he stated that a key reason was to be closer to his family, who had continued to live in suburban Marietta, Georgia. Cox and incoming manager Chuck Tanner both received five-year contracts from Ted Turner. Cox finished his stint as Jays manager with a record of 355 wins and 292 losses for his regular season record. Cox was replaced in Toronto by Jimy Williams.

After going through two managers over the course of less than five years with disastrous results in attendance and performance, Cox fired Russ Nixon in June 1990 and named himself field manager. Cox had spent the prior four seasons accumulating talented players, including Tom Glavine, Steve Avery, John Smoltz, Ron Gant, and David Justice. He was also responsible for drafting Chipper Jones with the first overall pick in the 1990 draft. After the 1990 season, he handed the general manager's post to Kansas City Royals general manager John Schuerholz. Greg Maddux  may have been his best player ever/

Betty Broderick obit

Convicted killer Betty Broderick dead at 78

 

She was not on the list.

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Betty Broderick, one of San Diego's most notorious killers, died Friday morning, ABC10 News confirmed with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

 

She was 78 years old.

According to the CDCR, Broderick was pronounced deceased at 3:40 a.m by a medical doctor "who determined the initial cause of death to be natural." The San Bernardino County Coroner will determine her official cause of death.

On April 18, 2026, Broderick was transported from the California Institution for Women to an outside medical facility for a higher level of care.

The La Jolla socialite was serving a 32-year-to-life sentence for the 1989 murders of her ex-husband, prominent local attorney Dan Broderick, and his new wife, Linda Kolkena Broderick.

On Nov. 8, 1989, Broderick entered the home of her ex-husband and his new wife and shot and killed them both while they slept in bed.

While the case appeared on the surface to be a revenge killing driven by adultery, local real estate broker Kimberly Dotseth offered a different perspective.

"This is the curiosity that I had. Everybody knows what happened. Everybody knows about the murders and what happened after the murders. I wanted to know what happened before and I had a slight idea that it was more than just infidelity," Dotseth said.

Dotseth said she reviewed public records from the county recorder's office and corresponded with Betty Broderick by mail and email from 2020 to 2023. She said she analyzed Betty, Dan and Linda's real estate purchases and how they might have impacted their relationships.

Dotseth said she sensed an emotional urgency in Betty that never faded, even through their written exchanges.

"She is a misunderstood person. She cared deeply about her family and I sense just sort of a franticness in her that just culminated in a terrible action, but that franticness stayed all the way through our correspondence," Dotseth said.

The Broderick family released a statement following her death.

"She passed from natural causes and her children were with her bedside. We loved both of our parents and it was a complicated relationship with our mom for obvious reasons and with her being incarcerated the last 37 plus years. We will always remember her as an amazingly fun, smart, engaging and loving mom," the family said.

Betty Broderick is survived by 4 children and 7 grandchildren.

Festus Mogae obit

Botswana's former president Festus Mogae dies at 86

 He was not on the list.

GABORONE, May 8 (Reuters) - Botswana's former president Festus Mogae, who led ​the diamond-rich nation for a decade ‌and won praise for good governance and the fight against HIV/AIDS, has died at the age ​of 86, the government said, declaring three ​days of national mourning.

Mogae served as ⁠Botswana's third president from 1998 to 2008, ​handing power to his vice president, Ian Khama ​in a smooth transition that highlighted the southern African nation's reputation for political stability.

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An economist by training, ​Mogae was credited with successful management ​of Botswana's economy. He tackled HIV/AIDS openly at a ‌time ⁠when Botswana faced one of the world's highest infection rates, and adopted one of the African continent's most comprehensive programmes against it.

Born ​in Serowe ​on August ⁠21, 1939, Mogae studied in Britain before joining Botswana's civil service ​shortly after independence in 1966. He ​served ⁠as finance minister and vice president before becoming president.

Mogae stepped down after the maximum ⁠of ​two terms allowed by the ​constitution.

Jo Ann Castle obit

Jo Ann Castle Obituary: Lawrence Welk’s Queen of Honky-Tonk Piano Dies

 

She was not on the list.

Jo Ann Castle, the fiery, fearless pianist who lit up television screens across America for a decade, has passed away after years of enduring considerable physical pain.

The news came directly from her husband, who informed the Lennon Sisters, prompting the beloved singing group to share the loss with fans on their official Facebook page.

In their post, Dee Dee Lennon revealed that she and her sister had visited Castle in her final days, prayed with her, sang with her, and told her how much the memories of their time together had meant.

It was a quiet, tender farewell between old friends from an era of television that many still hold close to their hearts.

Born Jo Ann Zering on September 3, 1939, in Bakersfield, California, Castle built a stage name for herself borrowing from the name of an accordion manufacturer, an instrument she played with real skill alongside her beloved piano.

She was, in every sense, a performer from the ground up. By the time she was three years old, she was already singing and dancing for anyone who would watch. By her twenties, she had become one of the most recognizable faces on American network television.

Introduced to Lawrence Welk by singer Joe Feeney in 1959, Castle joined the Welk family just before her twentieth birthday, stepping into the slot left by the departing Big Tiny Little. It turned out to be one of the most inspired casting decisions in the history of the show. Castle did not simply play the piano. She attacked it.

TV Guide once quipped that she did not tickle the ivories so much as hammer them, as if she were building the piano instead of playing it. That image stuck because it was accurate. Her style was physical, joyful, and completely her own.

Welk himself took to calling her the Queen of the Honky-Tonk Piano, a title she wore without pretension. She released sixteen albums over the course of her career and remained the central ragtime performer on the Welk show from 1959 through 1969.

During those ten years, she became a household name, a woman audiences tuned in specifically to see. Her presence on screen carried a kind of electricity that was rare and genuine.

Her connection to the Lennon Sisters ran deep. The Lennon Sisters shared a clip of Castle performing on the final episode of their own series, “The Lennon Sisters Hour,” in 1970, a warm reminder of just how intertwined the careers and friendships of that era’s performers were. These were not merely professional colleagues.

They were people who sang together, prayed together, and showed up for one another when it mattered most.

Castle’s life held its share of hardship. She navigated several solo careers, more than one return to the Welk family fold, three marriages, and a host of personal trials that would have felled someone with less resilience. She kept going regardless.

The piano was always there, and she always found her way back to it.

In the end, after many years of pain, Jo Ann Castle slipped away quietly. The woman who once made Saturday night television feel like a party is gone, but the recordings remain.

The joy she put into every performance was never an act. It was simply who she was. Rest easy, Queen.

Castle was born on September 3, 1939 in Bakersfield, California, USA. She has been married to Lin Biviano since September 3, 2011. She was previously married to Jack Scheiber, Bill Roeschlein and Dean Hall.

Michael Pennington obit

Michael Pennington Dies: ‘Star Wars’ Actor Was 82

 He was not on the list.

Michael Pennington, the theater actor who played Moff Jerjerrod in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, has died aged 82.

His passing was confirmed by British newspaper The Telegraph. The cause of death was not revealed.

Pennington is a celebrated theater actor with numerous credits during a career that lasted decades. However, he is best known for his turn as bureaucratic military officer Moff Jerjerrod in the final Star Wars movie of the original trilogy.

His memorable scene from the pic saw Jerjerrof being castigated by Darth Vader for the slow construction of the second Death Star.

Pennington’s other screen credits include a 1969 version of Hamlet from Tony Richardson and playing former Labour leader Michael Foot opposite Meryl Streep in 2011 pic The Iron Lady.

More recently, he had roles in the likes of Raised By Wolves, Endeavour, Father Brown and Silent Witness. Further back, the starred in 1980s telemovie The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

However, Pennington’s main love was theater, with credits for the likes of Hamlet and The Henrys. In 1989, he starred in The Wars of the Roses, a TV version of Shakespeare plays.

Pennington’s career treading the boards began with roles in Royal Shakespeare Company before he went on to co-found the English Shakespeare Company.

elected stage credits

Richard II (Earl of Salisbury), National Youth Theatre, Apollo Theatre, London, 9–19 August and 30 August – 2 September 1961

Henry IV, Part 2 (Earl of Warwick), National Youth Theatre, Apollo Theatre, London, 22–29 August 1961

Hamlet (title role), ADC Theatre, Cambridge, February 1964

Love's Labour's Lost (Dumaine and understudying Berowne), Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1965

Hamlet (Fortinbras), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon and Aldwych Theatre, London, 1965

The Judge by John Mortimer, Theatre Royal, Brighton, and Cambridge Theatre, London, 1967

Hamlet (Laertes), Round House, London, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York, and Huntington Hartford Theatre, Los Angeles, 1969

Three Sisters (Andrei), Cambridge Arts Theatre, 1971

Trelawny of the Wells (Ferdinand Gadd), Cambridge Arts Theatre, 1971

Savages by Christopher Hampton (Crawshaw), Royal Court Theatre and Comedy Theatre, London, 1973

Measure for Measure (Angelo), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1974

The Tempest (Ferdinand), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1974

Afore Night Come (Johnny Hobnails), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1974

Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), RSC, Straford-upon-Avon, 1976, and Aldwych Theatre, London, 1977

Troilus and Cressida (Hector), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1976, and Aldwych Theatre, London, 1977

King Lear (Edgar), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1976, and Aldwych Theatre London, 1977

Destiny by David Edgar (Major Rolfe), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1976, and Aldwych Theatre, London, 1977

The Way of the World (Mirabell), RSC, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1978

Measure for Measure (the Duke), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1978, and Aldwych Theatre, London, 1979

Love's Labour's Lost (Berowne), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1978, and Aldwych Theatre, London,

Hippolytus (title role), RSC, Stratford-Upon-Avon, 1978, and The Warehouse, London, 1979

The White Guard (Shervinsky), RSC, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1979

The Shadow of a Gunman (Donal Davoren), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1980, and The Warehouse, London, 1981

Hamlet (title role), RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1980, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, 1981, and Aldwych Theatre, London, 1981

Crime and Punishment (Raskolnikov), directed by Yuri Lyubimov, Lyric Hammersmith, London, 1983

Strider, The Story of a Horse by Mark Rozovsky based on Kholstomer by Leo Tolstoy (title role), Cottesloe Theatre, London, 1984

Venice Preserv'd (Jaffier), Lyttelton at the Royal National Theatre, London, 1984

Anton Chekhov, his one-man-play about Anton Chekhov (Anton Chekhov), Cottesloe Theatre, London, 1984

Henry IV Parts One and Two, (Prince Hal), English Shakespeare Company, 1986–1989

Henry V (title role), English Shakespeare Company, 1986–1989

Richard II (title role), English Shakespeare Company, 1987–1989

The Winter's Tale (Leontes), English Shakespeare Company, 1990–1991

Coriolanus (title role), English Shakespeare Company, 1990–1991

Macbeth (title role), English Shakespeare Company, 1991–1992

The Gift of the Gorgon by Peter Shaffer (Edward Damson), West End, 1992

The Entertainer (Archie Rice), Hampstead Theatre, 1996

Waste (Henry Trebell), directed by Peter Hall, Old Vic, London, 1997

The Seagull (Trigorin), directed by Peter Hall, Old Vic, London, 1997

The Provoked Wife (Sir John Brute), directed by Lindsay Posner, Old Vic, London, 1997

The Misanthrope (title role), directed by Peter Hall, Piccadilly Theatre, London, 1998

Filumena (Domenico), directed by Peter Hall, Piccadilly Theatre, London, 1998

Gross Indecency (Oscar Wilde), directed by Moises Kaufman, Gielgud Theatre, London, 1999

Timon of Athens (title role), directed by Gregory Doran, RSC, Stratford and London, 1999–2000

John Gabriel Borkman (title role), English Touring Theatre, 2003

The Madness of George III (title role) West Yorkshire Playhouse and Birmingham Rep, 2003

The Seagull (Dr Dorn), directed by Peter Stein, Edinburgh Festival, 2003

Sweet William (One man show about Shakespeare) London and international touring, 2007 on

Collaboration by Ronald Harwood (Richard Strauss), Duchess Theatre, London, 2009

"Taking Sides" by Ronald Harwood (Major Steve Arnold), Duchess Theatre, London, 2009

The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen, (title role), Chichester Festival Theatre, 2010

Love Is My Sin directed by Peter Brook, international tour and Broadway, 2010

The Syndicate (Dr Fabio) by Eduardo di Filippo, adapted by Mike Poulton, directed by Sean Mathias, Chichester Festival Theatre, 2011

Judgement Day by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Mike Poulton, directed by James Dacre, The Print Room, 2011

Antony and Cleopatra (Antony), directed by Janet Suzman, Chichester Festival Theatre, 2012

King Lear (title role), directed by Arin Arbus, Theatre for a New Audience at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 2013

King Lear (title role), directed by Michael Webster, national tour, 2016

 

 

Filmography

Film

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1969    Hamlet Laertes With Nicol Williamson in the title role

1983    Return of the Jedi        Moff Jerjerrod

1997    The Empire Strikes Back        Moff Jerjerrod Archive footage; Special Edition re-release

2005    Fragile Marcus           

2011    The Iron Lady Michael Foot   With Meryl Streep in the title role

Television

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1965    The Wars of the Roses                       

1966    Theatre 625     Wulfnoth Godwinson "Conquest" TV play

1967    Sat'day While Sunday Adrian 2 episodes

1968    Middlemarch   Will Ladislaw  7 episodes

1970    Mad Jack

1971    Public Eye       John Sheldon   1 episode, "Well; There Was This Girl, You See"

1972    An Affair of Honour   Martin  TV film: Thirty-Minute Theatre

1972    Callan  Lafarge            1 episode, "The Contract"

1977    The Witches of Pendle            Minister           TV film

1978    Danton's Death            Saint-Just         TV film

1982    Cymbeline       Posthumus       BBC Television Shakespeare

1982    The White Guard        Alexei Turbin  TV film

1984    Waving to a Train        Richard            TV film

Freud   Carl Jung         2 episodes

1986    The Theban Plays by Sophocles         Oedipus Rex   Theban Plays: Oedipus Rex

1987    The Return of Sherlock Holmes         Sherlock Holmes         TV film

1989    Summer's Lease          Hugh Pargeter 4 episodes

1994    Degas and Pissarro Fall Out   Degas  Short

2003    State of Play    Richard Siegler           1 episode

The Bill           Judge Howard Sinclair            6 episodes

2008    The Tudors      Abbot  1 episode, "Matters of State"

2016    Father Brown  Bishop Reynard          Episode 4.5 "The Daughter of Autolycus"

2022    Raised by Wolves        The Trust         5 episodes (voice role)

Radio

Year     Title     Role     Producer          Station Notes

1982    Fahrenheit 451            Montag                        BBC Radio 4   Gregory Evans's adaptation of Ray Bradbury's novel

1994    Parrots and Owls         John Ruskin    Jeremy Howe  BBC Radio 3   Play by John Purser

Joe Senser obit

Vikings Mourn Passing of Former TE & Broadcaster Joe Senser

 

He was not on the list.

EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings are mourning the passing of former tight end, radio broadcaster and Twin Cities businessman Joe Senser, who passed away Thursday at the age of 69.

Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf and Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf issued the following statement:

"The Vikings family is saddened by the loss of Joe Senser. Joe was a Pro Bowler on the field, but his impact on the organization and in the community was felt long after his playing days. Joe was a generous soul with countless charitable endeavors. He brought his positive personality to every interaction he had, whether it be with former teammates, Vikings staff or our family when we became stewards of this franchise. Joe's warmth and welcoming spirit will last in the memories of those who knew him.

Senser joined the Vikings in 1979 as a sixth-round pick (152nd overall) out of West Chester in his home state of Pennsylvania.

Within two years, he turned in one of the most amazing seasons by a tight end in franchise and NFL history with 79 catches, 1,004 yards and eight touchdowns, resulting in selection to the Pro Bowl.

Vikings Ring of Honor linebacker Scott Studwell, who had joined the Vikings as a ninth-round pick in 1977, described Senser as a "late-round steal" who made positive impacts in multiple ways.

"Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to a knee injury, or he would have taken his place as a true Legend and would have had a hugely productive career with the Vikings," Studwell said. "He still impacted Vikings fans on and off the field and made his mark in the Twin Cities in a variety of ways and was such a caring and supportive soul who always had a smile on his face and warmth in his heart. He had more than his fair share of physical pain and setbacks, but he always had such a positive attitude and outlook on life that it always 'picked you up' knowing that he always had your back. Great man, player and person with a warm heart and huge smile."

Punter Greg "Touch" Coleman recalled a rough start with Senser that grew into a lifelong friendship.

Coleman remembered meeting Senser at Vikings Training Camp in 1979, recalling Senser's "chiseled" frame and flowing curly hair.

"I remember running the scout team defense during a walk-through drill, holding a dummy bag, and he ripped and knocked me down," Coleman shared. "Embarrassed by the play and that he was a rookie, I jumped up and shouted, 'Rookie if you ever hit me again during walk-throughs, I am gonna kick your ass.' "

"He looked at me and said, 'Touch, you don't understand. I gotta do everything I can to make this team.' Immediately there was a bond because I totally understood what he was going through, having been a rookie myself only a few years back and having had to prove myself day-in and day out, I got it," Coleman said. "From that day on, I made it a point to watch and encourage Joe Senser as long as he was in a Purple uniform."

The 1981 campaign for the player in the No. 81 jersey, along with his endearing personality, launched him into immense popularity in Minnesota.

But it also turned out to be his apex as a professional football player.

The fateful day proved to be Nov. 29, 1981.

Senser recorded 11 catches for 98 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown in the Border Battle matchup with Green Bay, but he suffered a severe knee injury when enduring a high-low hit.

In a twist of irony, in that day's Minneapolis Tribune, former writer Roman Augustoviz had quoted Senser in a feature written about secondary tight end Bob Bruer.

Augustoviz led with Senser having recorded 60 receptions for 833 yards and six touchdowns through just 12 games, compared to four receptions for 13 yards (three scores, though!) and followed with Senser saying, "If I got hurt, he could come in and do as well, if not better."

Senser grinded through that game and started the final three of the season, but the Vikings closed 1981 — and Met Stadium — by losing the final five contests before heading to the Metrodome in 1982.

After not recording a catch in a 10-9 loss at the Bears the week after the injury, Senser caught five passes for 41 yards and a score in a 45-7 loss at Detroit and then gathered three catches for 32 yards in a 10-6 loss to the Chiefs.

The 79 receptions by Senser in 1981 stood as a Vikings record among tight ends until Kyle Rudolph recorded 83 in 2016. T.J. Hockenson topped that mark with 95 for 960 yards in 2023, but Senser remains the only Vikings tight end with more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Humble and warm-hearted

Quotes from that season revealed Senser staying humble amid stardom cast across the North Star State.

He never forgot humble and hardscrabble roots, that began with hazardous routes from his home to school on the streets of Philadelphia.

A January 1981 feature in the Minneapolis Star ahead of Minnesota's Divisional Round loss at eventual NFC Champion Philadelphia noted Senser's upbringing.

After his father passed away at age 47 due to a brain tumor and left Senser's mother to care for three sons and two daughters, Joe was enrolled at the Milton Hershey School, a cost-free boarding school for children from low-income families. At age 11, Joe headed 120 miles west of his home, and his mom worked two jobs, totaling 16 hours a day to take care of Joe's siblings.

Cow-milking at 5:30 a.m. and curfew at 9 p.m. were part of the program at the school, but Senser also found a new home on the basketball court. He played just one season of high school football before playing both sports at West Chester before becoming one of the NFL's earliest basketball-background tight ends who could be quite productive as passing targets.

A necessary learning curve, however, occurred as Senser jumped from the small school to the pros.

In an August 2005 Star Tribune story, Kent Youngblood relayed Senser's recollection from his first Vikings practice. The 22-year-old lined up across from 41-year-old Ring of Honor defensive end Jim Marshall, who was preparing for his 20th NFL season and 19th with Minnesota.

"When the ball was snapped, he was so fast that all I could do was try to reach back and grab the last three letters on the back of his jersey," Senser said. "He took that big, giant hand, slapped me on the side of the leg and said, 'You'll get it, kid.' "

The duo wound up rooming together during Senser's rookie season.

Toward the end of that first camp, Senser's foot was stepped on during practice, and the Vikings opted to place him on Injured Reserve before reducing the roster to 45 players. At that time, that meant his first campaign was over before it started.

In 1980, however, Senser put the behind-the-scenes learning into play, catching 42 passes for 447 yards and seven scores on just 65 targets.

Almost everyone knows Tommy Kramer found Ring of Honor receiver Ahmad Rashad for a 46-yard Hail Mary to deliver the Miracle at the Met on Dec. 14, 1980, but what about the play before the play?

To start a two-play drive that began with 20 seconds remaining, Senser caught a pass at the Minnesota 29-yard line atop a 9-yard hook route and lateralled the ball to running back Ted Brown, who streaked an additional 25 yards before stepping out of bounds at the Cleveland 46 with five seconds remaining. Kramer and Rashad followed with the deep heave for the 28-23 comeback victory. Senser also turned a tight end screen into a 31-yard touchdown earlier in the game.

The 1982 season was shortened to nine games because of a work stoppage. Senser caught 29 passes for 261 yards and what proved to be his final career TD nearly a year after his initial knee injury (in a 35-7 win over Chicago on Nov. 28, 1982).

Vikings Ring of Honor tight end Steve Jordan was drafted in 1982 and essentially received the baton to provide Minnesota's offense with a dynamic pass-catching threat at the position. Jordan said Senser inspired him during and after his career.

"Our Vikings community will miss our former teammate Joe Senser," Jordan said. "He's been inspirational in terms of his unheralded entry into the NFL and to see his hard work and talent achieve Pro Bowler status. Then, over the past number of years, his battle to recover from the stroke has continued to inspire us."

Senser missed all of 1983, rehabbing his knee long before sports medicine became more advanced.

"I don't feel sorry for myself because every time I want to feel sorry for myself, I think about all the great things that have happened to me in football," he told the Minneapolis Tribune that fall. "I've been so, so lucky."

Senser returned to action in 1984, mustering 15 catches for 110 yards on 24 targets.

Les Steckel, who had coached Vikings receivers and tight ends (and drawn up that hook-and-lateral) before becoming head coach for one season, told former Pioneer Press reporter Chris Tomasson in 2019 that Senser "was the most enjoyable player I ever coached. He always had a smile on his face; he always was laughing. He loved life."

After his playing career, Senser partnered on a chain of sports bars around the Twin Cities that began with locations in Roseville (1988) and Bloomington (1990) and expanded in Eagan (1998) and Plymouth (2007), but those have all closed.

He also worked as a color commentator for the Vikings Radio Network in 1993-94 and from 2001-06.

Coleman appreciated working games as the sideline reporter while Senser was in the broadcast booth. They had stayed connected, making their homes in the Twin Cities after their retirements.

"He was a man with a charitable heart and a giving spirit to a fault. He became one of my closest teammates," Coleman said. "That relationship blossomed even more when we became teammates again for the Vikings Radio Network. Joe and Paul Allen were in the booth, and I was the on the field.

"We had such a chemistry because we had seen and been a part of so much football and friendship," Coleman continued. "We could almost complete each other's sentences because we shared so many memories together as teammates and broadcast partners.

"What I will remember the most how he had to fight to make the Vikings squad and the faith to endure the last 10 years of a difficult journey," Coleman added. "But now I can say that Joe Senser has finished his race. I love Joe Senser."