Jerry Koosman obit

Jerry Koosman, who got final out in Miracle Mets' World Series win, dies at 83

 

He was not on the list.

NEW YORK -- Jerry Koosman, an All-Star left-hander who got the final out of the Miracle Mets' shocking 1969 World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles, died Sunday. He was 83.

Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Koosman had been sick for about a year and died of multiple illnesses in Osceola, Wisconsin, surrounded by his children.

Koosman jumping onto catcher Jerry Grote as they hugged on the Shea Stadium mound after the final out of the World Series remains an iconic image in baseball history. The Mets had never finished with a winning record before 1969.

"We were so choked up with emotion we couldn't talk," Koosman was quoted as saying in Peter Golenbock's 2002 book, "Amazin': The Miraculous History of New York's Most Beloved Baseball Team."

Koosman went 222-209 with a 3.36 ERA over 19 major league seasons, throwing 140 complete games that included 33 shutouts and becoming a two-time 20-game winner.

Relying primarily on fastballs and curves, he was 140-137 with a 3.09 ERA for the Mets from 1967-78, then pitched for Minnesota (1979-81), the Chicago White Sox (1981-83) and Philadelphia (1984-85).

"I feared losing. I didn't want to be looked upon as a loser by anyone," Koosman said in a 2019 interview with Mets broadcaster Howie Rose.

An expansion franchise that launched in 1962, the Mets lost 100 games in five of their first seven seasons and had not come close to a winning record.

Then in 1969, they surged into first place on Sept. 10 during a 10-game winning streak, winning 38 of their last 49 games and finishing atop the new National League East with a 100-62 record. New York's No. 2 starter behind future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, Koosman went 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA in 32 starts in 1969.

Koosman was knocked out in the fifth inning in Game 2 against Atlanta of the first NL Championship Series before the Mets rallied and went on to sweep the Braves in the best-of-five matchup.

After Baltimore beat Seaver and the Mets 4-1 in the World Series opener, Koosman allowed one run over 8⅔ innings and got the victory as New York won Game 2 by 2-1. Koosman pitched a five-hitter in Game 5, retiring future Mets manager Davey Johnson on a game-ending flyout to left fielder Cleon Jones as thousands of fans rushed onto the field at Shea Stadium.

"I turn around and look at Cleon and I see Cleon going back and, uh, the first thing is the heart stops," Koosman told Rose. "Well, then you see him slow down -- oh, God, now you know it's OK. Now the only other thing is: Don't drop the ball."

Koosman was honored with a parade when he returned home to Morris, Minnesota.

Born in Appleton, Minnesota, on Dec. 23, 1942, Koosman played baseball while in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. According to his biography by Irv Goldfarb of the Society for American Baseball Research, his catcher was John Luchese, son of a Shea Stadium usher. Luchese told his father about Koosman, who passed the information to Joe McDonald in the Mets' front office. Koosman signed on Aug. 27, 1964, for $1,600.

Koosman worked his way up the minor league system and made his big league debut on April 14, 1967, at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium with 2⅔ hitless innings of relief. He was sent to Triple-A Jacksonville when rosters were trimmed and led the International League with 183 strikeouts.

He made it to the major leagues for good in 1968, pitching a four-hit shutout at Dodger Stadium in his first start. He was picked for the All-Star team and faced one batter, striking out Carl Yastrzemski for the final out in the NL's 1-0 win at Houston's Astrodome.

Koosman finished 19-12 with a 2.08 ERA on a staff led by Seaver that included a young Nolan Ryan. He finished second to Cincinnati catcher Johnny Bench in NL Rookie of the Year voting

He was part of the 1969 rotation with Seaver, Gary Gentry, Don Cardwell and Jim McAndruw, again making the All-Star team.

"There's the old saying: good pitching gets out good hitting," Koosman said when the Mets retired his No. 36 in 2021. "So that's what happened and our pitching kind of took over."

With the Mets trailing 3-0 in the sixth inning of Game 5 against the Orioles, Cleon Jones claimed a Dave McNally pitch hit him. The ball bounced to Koosman, seated in the Mets dugout by manager Gil Hodges.

"As I bent down, Gil says: `Swipe it against your shoe,'" Koosman told Rose.

Hodges then showed the ball to plate umpire Lou DiMuro, who awarded Jones first base. Donn Clendenon followed with a two-run homer, starting the Mets' comeback in a 5-3.

"Maybe it wasn't mine. Maybe it was Cleon's shoe polish," Koosman said.

He made two starts in the 1973 World Series against Oakland, getting no decision in Game 2 and winning Game 5.

With the Mets in decline, Koosman told the team after the 1978 season he would retire unless traded. The Mets dealt him to the Twins in December 1978, and he later was traded to the White Sox in August 1981 and to the Phillies in February 1984.

He is survived by sons Michael and Shawn, and daughter Danielle. His marriage to the former LaVonne Sorum ended in a divorce.

Koosman was discovered by the son of a Shea Stadium usher, John Lucchese, who caught Koosman when he pitched in the United States Army at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Mets offered Koosman a contract after his discharge from the military.

In 1970, Koosman posted a 12–7 record with a 3.14 ERA. Over the next two seasons, however, he posted losing records: 6–11 in 1971 (a season in which he was beset by arm woes) and 11–12 in 1972 with a 4.14 ERA—more than a run and a half above his career ERA to that point. In 1973 he went 5–0 in his first six starts, but ended the season 14–15. In late August/early September of that year, he set a Mets' record by pitching 312⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings (R. A. Dickey broke his mark by pitching 322⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings in 2012). As in 1969, the Mets unexpectedly won the NL East title—once again overtaking the Cubs, whom they had trailed this time by as many as nine games—on the strength of the pitching of Koosman, Seaver and the previous year's NL Rookie of the Year, Jon Matlack. This comeback gave rise to two slogans: Tug McGraw's "Ya Gotta Believe!" and manager Yogi Berra's "It ain’t over 'til it's over."

In Game Three of the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds, Koosman pitched a complete game for a 9–2 victory in a game that was headlined by Pete Rose's altercation with Mets' shortstop Bud Harrelson. The victory gave the Mets a 2–1 lead in the NLCS; they won the pennant two days later in five games.

Koosman was the winning pitcher in Game Five of the World Series against the defending champion Oakland Athletics, holding Oakland scoreless for 61⁄3 innings. This victory gave the Mets a 3–2 lead in the Series; however, Oakland won the next two games to repeat as World Champions.

In the Minors he played for the Williamsport Mets, Greenville Mets, Auburn Mets and Jacksonville Suns.

 

MLB statistics

Win–loss record          222–209

Earned run average     3.36

Strikeouts        2,556

Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Teams

New York Mets (1967–1978)

Minnesota Twins (1979–1981)

Chicago White Sox (1981–1983)

Philadelphia Phillies (1984–1985)

Career highlights and awards

2× All-Star (1968, 1969)

World Series champion (1969)

New York Mets No. 36 retired

New York Mets Hall of Fame

Dan Doornink obit

Seahawks Legend Dan Doornink Passes Away At 70

Seahawks mourn the passing of running back Dan Doornink.

 

He was not on the list.

Dan Doornink, Seahawks Legend, Yakima native, former Washington State running back died on Saturday at the age of 70.

After being drafted by the New York Giants in 1978, Doornink was traded to the Seahawks in 1979 and played for Seattle for seven seasons, including the 1983 season that marked the first time the Seahawks reached the playoffs.

He is best known for his 123-yard rushing game that helped Seattle win the 1984 Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Kingdome.

In seven seasons with Seattle, he played in 105 games and rushed for 1,836 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Following his football career, Doornink went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Washington and practiced internal medicine in his hometown of Yakima.

He played college football for the Washington State Cougars.

Born in Yakima, Washington, Doornink graduated from Wapato High School in 1974 and played college football at Washington State University in Pullman. He was selected in the seventh round of the 1978 NFL draft (174th overall) by the Giants, then was traded to the Seahawks in August 1979 for a draft choice.

Seahawks fans gave him the nicknames of "Dr. Dan" for his medical career, and "Mr. Third Down" for his knack of frequently picking up a first down for the team on third down when given the ball via run or pass. He ran for 123 yards on 27 carries for the Seahawks in a wild-card playoff win over the Los Angeles Raiders on December 22, 1984 in the Kingdome in Seattle. After a series of injuries in 1985, Doornink was released by the Seahawks in August 1986.

Doornink earned his M.D. at the University of Washington in Seattle and practiced internal medicine as a physician in Yakima. He and his wife, Sharon, have four children, Heidi, Danielle, Tyler, and Grace. Prior to the Seahawks 2007 preseason game on August 25 against the Minnesota Vikings at Qwest Field in Seattle, he raised the 12th Man flag.

In August 2021, Doornink was hospitalized for COVID-19. Although vaccinated, he had an autoimmune blood disorder which made him more susceptible to complications. Doornink was placed on a ventilator and then removed from it when his breathing improved. After being released from the hospital, he needed months of recovery.

Matt Pavelich obit

Pavelich, first linesman elected to Hockey Hall of Fame, dies at 92

Worked 19 consecutive Stanley Cup Finals between 1961-79

 He was not on the list.

Matt Pavelich, enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 in the Referee/Linespersons category, died on Friday at age 92. His death was reported on social media by his son, Mark, who said that Pavelich was “surrounded by the people who loved him” at the end.

The first linesman inducted into the Hall of Fame, the category expanded in 1987 to include linesmen along with referees, Pavelich officiated in the NHL for 23 seasons, his body of work totaling 1,727 regular-season games as a linesman and 14 more as a referee, another 245 games worked in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“No linesman in the history of the National Hockey League was more universally respected nor more widely admired than Matt Pavelich,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “A true icon of the profession, he worked a remarkable 19 straight Stanley Cup Finals from 1961 through 1979 -- highlights of a prolific on-ice career that spanned 23 seasons, comprised 1,741 regular-season games and 245 Stanley Cup Playoff Games and was recognized in 1987 with his becoming the first linesman enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“Pavelich personified professionalism and integrity while possessing a warm personal touch that enabled him to develop working relationships with players and coaches. Upon his retirement, Pavelich shared his experience and wisdom with younger referees and linesmen during eight years as an NHL Supervisor of Officials. The National Hockey League mourns his passing and sends its deepest condolences to his family and many friends throughout hockey.”

Born March 12, 1934 in Parkhill, Ontario, Pavelich worked the 1957 and 1958 Stanley Cup Finals, and then 19 consecutive Finals between 1961-79 for a total of 56 Cup Final games.

Famously, Pavelich and late Montreal Canadiens goalie Ken Dryden worked the final games of their careers on May 21, 1979, Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens’ 4-1 victory against the New York Rangers gave Montreal the 22nd of its 24 championships to date.

Pavelich and Dryden were firmly connected by the final siren of that game, and by a rolling puck that was headed toward the glove of the 1983 Hall of Fame-bound goalie as the celebrations began in the Forum.

This was the sixth Stanley Cup title for Dryden in his seven full Canadiens seasons, with him having won his first after just six regular-season games in 1970-71.

What Dryden didn’t know at that instant was that this was also the final NHL game for Pavelich.

Dryden wanted the puck as a final souvenir, but so did Pavelich. The goalie surrendered it to the veteran linesman, but with a survivor’s understanding. If Pavelich were to survive Dryden, he would keep the puck forever. If Dryden were to survive Pavelich, the puck would come back to him.

As it turned out, Pavelich would keep the puck, which presumably will remain with his family. Dryden died on Sept. 5, 2025, after a battle with cancer.

On the red carpet of the Hall of Fame, arriving to celebrate the Class of 2018, Pavelich, then 84, laughed about the understanding he had with Dryden.

“Yes, I still have that puck, and I just moved it in the house from where it was,” he told NHL.com. “I hid it because my wife throws things out all the time. It’s not on display, it’s hidden away.”

Pavelich said he didn’t have an inventory of the number of pucks in his collection.

“My son, when he was in maybe the seventh grade, used to take them and sell them,” he said, laughing again. “I’d go to school to a parent-teacher thing and the teacher would say, ‘Oh, I bought two pucks from your son.’”

Pavelich still cherished memories of his own 1987 induction night, enshrined with players Bob Clarke, Jacques Laperriere and the late Eddie Giacomin, as well as John Ziegler, the late NHL president who was inducted as in the Builders category.

“It was in Detroit. I had all my family there, which was great,” he said. “My older brother, Marty, who played for the Detroit Red Wings (from 1947-57), was there.”

Marty Pavelich died in 2024 at age 96.

Mark Pavelich remembered his father in a Facebook post on Friday, saying, “To us, he was simply Dad. He was a husband to my mother, Dragica, a father, a grandfather, and a man who would light up any room. Somewhere along the way he even got himself and Mom invited to Studio 54 during an All-Star trip to New York.

“He taught me that respect is earned, that you call it the way you see it, and that you never back down from doing the right thing. I carried those lessons into every fight, every event and every business I have ever built.”

The Hockey Hall of Fame’s biography published upon his induction related Pavelich serving as referee-in-chief of the Northern Michigan Intermediate League by the time he was 20, having worked minor hockey games since age 14.

Pavelich’s work in the American Hockey League in 1955-56 so impressed NHL referee-in-chief Carl Voss that he was promoted to the NHL by the next season, making his debut on Oct. 11, 1956.

While his older brother Marty had been with the Red Wings as a player since 1947, the pair was the first such unique tandem in the NHL.

“Matt's inauguration into the officials' ranks was particularly unpleasant during a game at the Detroit Olympia in 1956,” the Hall of Fame wrote. “Red Wings fans had a penchant for throwing octopi on the ice, and this game was no exception. But Pavelich, as the junior of the three officials, was responsible for clearing the ice of the heavy, ugly creature, a task he performed with requisite disgust while his colleagues enjoyed themselves at his expense.”

Pavelich was once knocked cold while breaking up a fight between Lou Fontinato of the Canadiens and Earl Ingarfield of the Rangers. He stepped into a haymaker from Fontinato and was out like a light. When he was revived by the trainer, smelling salts being waved under his nose, all he could hear was Fontinato and Ingarfield arguing over who should get credit for the knockout.

Following his retirement from active officiating, Pavelich served eight more years as a Supervisor of Officials, his service to the NHL ending following the 1993-94 season after 38 years.

June Jones obit

Former University of Hawaii football head coach June Jones dies at 73

 

He was not on the list.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Former University of Hawaii football head coach June Jones has passed away at age 73, according to multiple sources on Thursday.

Jones was the winningest coach in the modern era of Hawaii football with 76 victories in nine seasons from 1999-2007. He then went to work at Southern Methodist University from 2008 until he resigned in 2014.

Jones was the head football coach at the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 1999 to 2007 and Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 2008 until his resignation in 2014. He coached in the National Football League (NFL) for three years as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996, plus a ten-game stint as interim head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1998; he also spent 1+1⁄2 seasons as head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Jones was the general manager and head coach of the Houston Roughnecks.

When June Jones took over UH’s football in 1999, he was the interim head coach for the San Diego Chargers. He turned down the National Football League (NFL) head coaching position for a UH program at an all-time low following a winless 0-12 campaign.

Where others saw misery, Jones envisioned an opportunity for something special.

“You have someone who is an NFL head coach, turned down an NFL head coaching job to take the head coaching job for the University of Hawaii football program. I mean, when could that ever happen again? And so it showed, I think, his deep connection to this place, his affinity for Hawaii,” said Kanoa Leahey, UH sports play-by-play announcer.

Jones’ skill as a football mastermind helped shape the famed “Run N’ Shoot” offense, known for lighting up the scoreboard and keeping defenses scrambling. The concept has become the standard around the state.

“The impact of the success at and his application of the run and shoot offense has a lot to do with the run and shoot now being just sort of part of the, you know, part of the fabric of football in Hawaii,” Leahey said. “That’s why it hits us so deeply, is we have tied a lot of, of those wonderful indelible memories to the legacy of June Jones.”

In his first year at UH, the ‘Bows went 9-4 for the best single-season turnaround in NCAA history and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title, which earned him National Coach of the Year honors.

Jones’ 76 victories also make him the winningest coach in Manoa’s program history. He led UH to six bowl games and coached three 10+-win seasons, including an undefeated 12-0 regular season and trip to the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2007.

“When he asked me to be a part of his staff, I obviously knew of the aura in terms of his coaching legacy, but then when you started to see the greatest turnaround in NCAA history, the June for governor stickers, the Eddie would go, June would throw, you started to realized you were kind of part of something that was larger than life. It was because of his love for Hawaii,” said Rich Miano, longtime assistant coach on Jones’ staff.

Jones’ teams captured two WAC titles (1999 & 2007) and his run-and-shoot offense produced record-breaking quarterbacks, most notably Heisman Trophy finalist Colt Brennan and current UH football head coach Timmy Chang.

“When you lose somebody of that importance, it does hit home,” Chang said. “I’m very grateful to have known him, to have been mentored by him, to call him friend and just very thankful for the opportunities that he has given me and my family. I can’t not thank him and he will be missed.”

Chang added, “What a great time to have a man that believed in me, believed in my teammates, and just uplift us to make us believe that we could be heroic. And in doing so, we would inspire not just our teammates, but others, our whole community and the whole state and a whole fan base.”

“His record, his legacy speaks for itself,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “His impact on Hawaii was more than significant. In fact, he took us to a place we’d never been before in that Sugar Bowl year with that undefeated season in 2007. So being the winningest coach in one level speaks for itself. But he was a guy who really loved Hawaii.”

Former UH basketball player Artie Wilson grew up with Jones in Portland, Oregon. Living just minutes away from each other, they had a bond that could never be broken.

“There was a lot of racial tension in the late ’60s, but that did not impact us. Our friendship survived all of it,” Wilson said.

The two would eventually both make their way to Hawaii as athletes and remain in the islands.

“June did not fake the aloha. June didn’t flash the shaka because everybody told him that’s what to do,” Wilson said. “When June talked about aloha, when June gave a shaka, that was real. That was genuine.”

Jones coached five All-Americans, 52 all-conference performers and 16 NFL Draft picks. A UH quarterback from 1973-74, he also started his coaching career at Hawaii as a graduate assistant in 1983.

Jones agreed to become the next offensive coordinator at Kapolei High School in 2016.

He was most recently the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons.

Jones also applied for the ‘Bows head coach again in 2022. At the time, he said the program was worse than it was when he came in 1999.

In 2024, he was inducted into the UH Sports Circle of Honor, enshrining the unprecedented contributions of a leader who never backed down from a challenge.

“His legacy will be that whether you consider him a local boy or not. When he wore slippers, when he wore an aloha shirt, when he represented this state, you knew he cared about it,” Miano said.

Jones coached for three years in the NFL. Jones played professionally as a quarterback in the NFL and CFL. He played football with the Oregon Ducks, Rainbow Warriors and Portland State Vikings.

 

Personal information

Born    February 19, 1953

Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Died    October 29, 2026 (aged 73)

Oregon, U.S.

Listed height   6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)

Listed weight  200 lb (91 kg)

Career information

High school     Grant (Portland)

College            Oregon (1971–1972)

Hawaii (1973–1974)

Portland State (1975–1976)

NFL draft        1977: undrafted

Career history

Playing

Atlanta Falcons (1977–1981)

Toronto Argonauts (1982)

Coaching

Hawaii (1983)

Quarterbacks coach

Houston Gamblers (1984)

Wide receivers coach

Denver Gold (1985)

Offensive coordinator

Ottawa Rough Riders (1986)

Offensive coordinator

Houston Oilers (1987–1988)

Quarterbacks coach

Detroit Lions (1989–1990)

Quarterbacks coach & wide receivers coach

Atlanta Falcons (1991–1996)

Offensive coordinator (1991–1993)

Head coach (1994–1996)

San Diego Chargers (1998)

Quarterbacks coach & interim head coach

Hawaii (1999–2007)

Head coach

SMU (2008–2014)

Head coach

Kapolei HS (HI) (2016)

Offensive coordinator

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2017–2018)

Head coach

Houston Roughnecks (2020)

Head coach

TSL Conquerors (2020)

Offensive coordinator

Seattle Sea Dragons (2023)

Offensive coordinator

Operations

Saint Louis School (HI) (2016–2017)

Athletic director

Houston Roughnecks (2020)

General manager

Awards and highlights

As head coach:

2 WAC (1999, 2007)

2 C-USA West Division (2009, 2010)

Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year (1999)

American Football Coach/Schutt Sports National COY (1999)

CNN/SI National Coach of the Year (1999)

3× WAC Coach of the Year (1999, 2006, 2007)

XFL Head Coach of the Year (2020)

Andre Lacroix obit

Lacroix, original member of Flyers, WHA’s all-time leading scorer, dies at 81

Center also played for Black Hawks, Whalers, with Canada in Summit Series 

He was not on the list.

Andre Lacroix, an original member of the Philadelphia Flyers and the leading scorer in World Hockey Association history, has died at the age of 81.

Lacroix began his NHL career with the Flyers in 1967-68 and played 245 games with them over four seasons. The center led Philadelphia in points twice, finishing with 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) in 75 games in 1968-69, and 58 points (22 goals, 36 assists) in 74 games in 1969-70.

Lacroix then was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for 1971-72 before joining the WHA with the Philadelphia Blazers the following season, when he led the league with 124 points (50 goals, 74 assists). He also played for the New York Golden Blades/Jersey Knights, San Diego Mariners, Houston Aeros and New England Whalers over his seven WHA seasons.

In 1974-75, his first season with San Diego, Lacroix won his second WHA scoring title with 147 points (41 goals, 106 assists) in 78 games. He also set the professional record for assists that season; at the time, he was the only player other than Bobby Orr (102 assists for the Boston Bruins in 1970-71) who had ever reached 100 in a single season of professional hockey. The record stood until Wayne Gretzky had 109 assists for the Edmonton Oilers in 1980-81.

Lacroix is the WHA all-time leader in points (798, including 251 goals), assists (547) and games played (551).

Following the WHA-NHL merger in 1979, Lacroix returned to the NHL for a sixth and final season, playing for the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80 before retiring. He finished with 198 points (79 goals, 119 assists) in 325 NHL regular-season games and seven points (two goals, five assists) in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Lacroix also played for Team Canada in the 1974 Summit Series against the Soviet Union, when he had seven points (one goal, six assists) in eight games. Lacroix scored the game-winner in Canada’s only victory of the series, a 4-1 win in Game 2 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

Regular season and playoffs

                        Regular season                       Playoffs

Season Team   League GP       G         A         Pts       PIM     GP       G         A         Pts       PIM

1961–62          Quebec Citadelles       QJHL  —        —        —        —        —        3          0          0          0            16

1961–62          Quebec Citadelles       M-Cup —        —        —        —        —        2          0          0          0            4

1962–63          Quebec Citadelles       QJHL  50        45        50        95        —        12        10        13        23            8

1963–64          Montreal Junior Canadiens     OHA-Jr.          34        12        18        30        13        17        8            13        21        8

1964–65          Peterborough Petes     OHA-Jr.          49        45        74        119      24        12        8          12            20        4

1964–65          Quebec Aces   AHL    1          0          0          0          0          —        —        —        —        —

1965–66          Peterborough Petes     OHA-Jr.          48        40        80        120      20        6          4          8            12        6

1965–66          Quebec Aces   AHL    2          1          3          4          0          —        —        —        —        —

1966–67          Quebec Aces   AHL    67        25        24        49        14        5          3          2          5          2

1967–68          Philadelphia Flyers     NHL    18        6          8          14        6          7          2          3          5            0

1967–68          Quebec Aces   AHL    54        41        46        87        18        —        —        —        —        —

1968–69          Philadelphia Flyers     NHL    75        24        32        56        4          4          0          0          0            0

1969–70          Philadelphia Flyers     NHL    74        22        36        58        14        —        —        —        —            —

1970–71          Philadelphia Flyers     NHL    78        20        22        42        12        4          0          2          2            0

1971–72          Chicago Black Hawks NHL    51        4          7          11        6          1          0          0          0            0

1972–73          Philadelphia Blazers   WHA  78        50        74        124      83        4          0          2          2            18

1973–74          New York Golden Blades/Jersey Knights       WHA  71        31        80        111       54        —            —        —        —        —

1974–75          San Diego Mariners    WHA  78        41        106      147      63        10        3          9          12            2

1975–76          San Diego Mariners    WHA  80        29        72        101      42        11        4          6          10            4

1976–77          San Diego Mariners    WHA  81        32        82        114      79        7          1          6          7            6

1977–78          Houston Aeros WHA  78        36        77        113      57        6          2          2          4          0

1978–79          New England Whalers            WHA  78        32        56        88        34        10        4          4            8          0

1979–80          Hartford Whalers        NHL    29        3          14        17        2          —        —        —        —            —

NHL totals       325      79        119      198      44        16        2          5          7          0

WHA totals      551      251      547      798      412      48        14        29        43        30

Barry Clemens obit

Former Cavs forward Barry Clemens dies

 

He was not on the list.

Barry Clemens was part of the Cavaliers before most of the moments that define the franchise today. His basketball story, though, reached well beyond his two seasons in Cleveland.

The Cavs announced Tuesday that Clemens has died. The Dayton native and Ohio Wesleyan standout played 143 games for Cleveland from 1972 to 1974 during an 11-year NBA career.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group are saddened to learn of the passing of former Cavalier, Barry Clemens,” the organization said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Clemens arrived in Cleveland when the franchise was still finding its footing. He averaged 6.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists during his two seasons with the Cavs, shooting 49.4% from the field.

His path to the NBA began close to home, first at Xenia High School and then at Ohio Wesleyan. By the time he finished college, Clemens was the career scoring leader at both the school and in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

He totaled 1,905 points and 1,230 rebounds in college, earning conference MVP honors after averaging 23 points and 14.7 rebounds as a senior. The Knicks drafted the 6-foot-6 forward in 1965, launching a professional career that also included stops with the Bulls, SuperSonics and Trail Blazers.

Known for his outside shooting, Clemens appeared in 790 NBA games and scored 5,316 points before retiring in 1976. He was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Eleven seasons in the NBA is a substantial career by any measure. For Clemens, it also included the opportunity to return to his home state and become part of the Cavs’ earliest chapters.

 

Personal information

Born    May 1, 1943 (age 83)

Dayton, Ohio, U.S.

Listed height   6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Listed weight  210 lb (95 kg)

Career information

High school     Xenia (Xenia, Ohio)

College            Ohio Wesleyan (1961–1965)

NBA draft        1965: 3rd round, 19th overall pick

Drafted by       New York Knicks

Playing career 1965–1976

Position           Power forward

Number           10, 16, 43, 40

Career history

1965–1966      New York Knicks

1966–1969      Chicago Bulls

1969–1972      Seattle SuperSonics

1972–1974      Cleveland Cavaliers

1974–1976      Portland Trail Blazers

Career highlights

OAC Player of the Year (1965)

Career NBA statistics

Points  5,312 (6.7 ppg)

Rebounds        2,532 (3.2 rpg)

Assists 905 (1.1 apg)

John Mocek obit

UTA Athletics Mourns Loss of John Mocek 

He was not on the list.

ARLINGTON, Texas (Oct. 26, 2026) – The UT Arlington Athletics Department is saddened to learn of the passing of beloved baseball alumnus, assistant coach, administrator and UT Arlington Athletics Hall of Honor member John Mocek. Mocek, known to nearly everyone as 'Moe,' spent nearly 50 years involved in UTA Athletics.

"There is no doubt that 'Moe' is one of the most adored and influential figures in UTA Athletics history,'" Director of Athletics Jon Fagg said. "From his time as a student-athlete to his long, successful career as a coach and administrator, he defined what it means to be a Maverick. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."

Mocek first came to Arlington as a member of the UTA baseball team where he lettered four years (1974-77) as a first baseman and designated hitter. As a senior, he was named Honorable Mention All-Southland Conference. At the time of his graduation, the native of Chicago, Ill., held program records for most home runs and most RBI in a conference season, as well as RBI in a conference game.

Following his graduation in 1977, Mocek served as the UTA Athletics Business Manager from 1978-82. He then returned to the diamond for 14 seasons (1983-96), serving as an assistant coach and third base coach under fellow UTA Hall of Honor member Marvin "Butch" McBroom.

Mocek moved back into administration for the next two-plus decades, serving in nearly every possible capacity with UTA Athletics. He managed events and facilities, served as the ticket manager and promotions director, announced events via public address, radio and television, and oversaw operations. He even maintained fields, worked as an equipment manager and assisted with sports information duties.

Mocek climbed the administrative ranks to become the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Finance and Administration. Following his retirement in 2018, Mocek continued to serve as the department's unofficial historian and archivist and was a mainstay in the broadcast booth for Maverick baseball on the radio and ESPN+.

During his time at the university, Mocek also served as a member of the university faculty, teaching advanced techniques of coaching baseball and the history and business of baseball in UTA's Department of Kinesiology. He also served as an official scorer for Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers from 1998-2010, scoring 342 MLB contests (340 regular season games, one American League Division Series game and one American League Championship Series game).

Mocek was inducted into the UT Arlington Athletics Hall of Honor in 2022. In April of 2019, UTA Athletics unveiled the John & Pattye Mocek 3rd Base Patio at Clay Gould Ballpark. Mocek is one of three people in UTA baseball history who has donned the Maverick uniform more than 1,000 times, and the only one who played and coached

Mocek was born on Aug. 21, 1954. He is survived by his wife, Pattye, and children, John and Elizabeth.

Mocek was a baseball player at UTA, lettering all four years from 1974-1977 as a first baseman and designated hitter. His senior year, he was named an honorable mention on the All-Southland Conference Team.

When he graduated, Mocek held program records for most home runs and RBIs in a conference season. Afterward, the Chicago native stayed in Arlington, working as the athletic department’s business manager.

After five years in the role, Mocek found himself back on the baseball field, now a third base coach under his collegiate head coach, the legendary Marvin “Butch” McBroom. During Mocek’s tenure in the coach’s box, UTA reached the NCAA tournament twice, in 1990 and 1992.

After the 1996 season, Mocek stepped away from the diamond and back into the administrative office of the athletic department. His jobs included event and facility management, ticket manager and promotions director, public address announcer, radio and television broadcaster, operations supervisor, field maintenance, equipment manager and helping with sports information duties.

Eventually, Mocek climbed the administrative ladder to senior associate Athletics director for finance and administration. He retired in 2018, but never left the Mavericks. He became a de facto UTA Athletics historian and archivist, and was a frequent presence in the press box, often joining the radio and ESPN+ broadcasts.

During his time working at UTA, Mocek was also a member of the faculty. As a professor in the Kinesiology department, he taught students the business of the sport of baseball, along with the game’s advanced coaching techniques.

Mocek’s reach in Arlington baseball wasn’t confined to Clay Gould Ballpark, either. For over a decade, he was an official scorer for the Texas Rangers, scoring 342 total games at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Carlos Gerena obit

Carlos Gerena Dies At 55, WBO Pays Tribute To Puerto Rican Olympian

The Barcelona Olympian and two-time world-title challenger compiled a 38-6 professional record, including 30 knockout victories. 

He was not on the list.

Carlos “El Topo” Gerena, the Puerto Rican Olympian who later became a professional world-title challenger, has died at 55. The WBO paid tribute to the former boxer on October 27, after authorities identified him as the victim of a fatal road collision in Bayamón.

According to EFE’s report of the police account, Gerena was struck on the PR-2 highway on Monday, October 26. A second vehicle subsequently hit him on the roadway, with its driver reportedly failing to see him. Bayamón’s Homicide Division is investigating. The report did not establish a criminal finding against either driver.

The organization’s Tuesday statement offered condolences to his family, friends and Puerto Rico’s boxing community. It described him as: “a respected figure in Puerto Rican boxing whose passion and dedication left a lasting impact on the sport.”

From Havana’s Podium To Barcelona

Gerena was born in Bayamón in 1971. His amateur achievements included a bronze medal at the 1989 World Junior Championships and bantamweight silver at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana. Those international results preceded his selection to represent Puerto Rico at the Barcelona Olympics the following year.

In Barcelona, he competed in the featherweight tournament, contested at a limit of 57 kilograms. Olympedia’s event record lists a decision victory over India’s Narendar Bisth Singh on July 29, 1992. His next contest came on August 2 against Algeria’s Hocine Soltani, who won by decision.

That second-round exit left Gerena tied for ninth in a field of 31 competitors representing 31 countries. Soltani went on to take one of the division’s bronze medals. Gerena’s Pan American medal had come at the lighter bantamweight limit, rather than in his Olympic weight class.

World-Title Challenges Against Hernandez And Mayweather

His professional career began in 1993 and ended in 2003. He completed 44 bouts, recording 38 victories and six defeats, with 30 wins by knockout. The WBA’s historical profile preserves that overall record and identifies the two WBC super-featherweight championship contests that brought him into the ring with established titleholders.

The first was against Hernandez on May 16, 1998. The second came against Mayweather on September 11, 1999, during the early championship years of the future multi-division star. Both were United States appearances, separate from Gerena’s earlier international amateur campaign.

The WBA also retains his historical boxing rankings: he appeared at No. 13 in its super-featherweight listings in early 2000 and at No. 14 that May. By July 2002, its record placed him at No. 14 in the lightweight division, documenting a later chapter above the weight of his championship challenges.

George Thomas obit

Utility Player for Expansion Angels, 13-Year MLB Veteran, Dies at 88

George Thomas hit .280 for the first Angels team in 1961 

He was not on the list.

George Thomas, a versatile utility player who helped launch the Los Angeles Angels franchise in 1961 before becoming a valued utility player on Boston’s “Impossible Dream” Red Sox, died Friday, according to Minneapolis Star-Tribune sports columnist Patrick Reusse. He was 88.

Born in Minneapolis on November 29, 1937, Thomas signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1957 after playing baseball at the University of Minnesota. His major-league opportunities were initially limited, but a midseason move in 1961 changed his career.

The expansion Angels sent cash to Detroit in June in exchange for the 23-year-old Thomas, giving him an opportunity to prove himself with a new franchise. He quickly made an impression.

Thomas played 79 games for Los Angeles in 1961, batting .280 with 13 home runs. He collected his first major-league hit, a double off Chicago White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce, on June 30, and hit his first home run two days later against Warren Hacker. On September 9, he hit his first major-league grand slam.

Those accomplishments came during a distinctive chapter in baseball history. The Angels’ inaugural season was played at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, a compact ballpark that had previously hosted Pacific Coast League baseball.

The stadium’s short power alleys helped produce a record 248 home runs during the 1961 season. It was the Angels’ only major-league season at Wrigley before the team moved to Dodger Stadium in 1962. The old ballpark was later demolished.

Thomas missed the beginning of the 1962 season in order to complete his service in the Army, and played 56 games after he returned. He slashed .238/.320/.381 while playing home games at the more pitcher-friendly park in Chavez Ravine, and saw time at all three outfield positions.

Thomas was slashing .210/.254/.335 for the Angels when he was traded back to Detroit in June 1963. He would play for the Tigers (1963-65), Boston Red Sox (1966-71) and Minnesota Twins (1971) before retiring.

Red Sox fans gained affection for Thomas when he played a key role on their 1967 team that captured the American League pennant for the first time since 1946.

In 685 career MLB games, Thomas batted .255 with 46 home runs and 202 RBIs, while appearing at every position except pitcher.

After retiring, Thomas returned to his alma mater, serving as an assistant baseball coach before becoming the Golden Gophers’ head coach from 1979-81. His teams compiled a 95-43 record. Minnesota continues to honor Thomas' legacy through its George Thomas Most Improved Player Award.

 

Teams

Detroit Tigers (1957–1958, 1961)

Los Angeles Angels (1961–1963)

Detroit Tigers (1963–1965)

Boston Red Sox (1966–1971)

Minnesota Twins (1971)

Ross Newhan obit

MLB Mourns as Veteran Baseball Journalist Passes Away at 89

 

He was not on the list.

“I have seen the perception of the baseball writer change from a more innocent time in the early 60s… to the current environment, when it almost seems as if there is an adversarial relationship.” Ross Newhan was one of those rare voices who saw baseball journalism evolve with time. After four decades chronicling the stories that shaped Los Angeles baseball, Newhan has taken his final bow at 89, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that stretched far beyond the headlines he wrote. His passing marks the end of an era for LA baseball journalism. But his contributions remain etched in the history of the game.

“We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and readers of longtime distinguished LA Times baseball writer Ross Newhan, who passed away at 89. Ross was a true gentleman, a highly respected voice in his 43-year career, and a baseball Dad to former Major Leaguer David Newhan. He will be missed,” MLB Communications shared via X.

Newhan was a titanic figure in baseball journalism, widely considered a giant of the profession during his 43-year career. He spent the vast majority of his career covering MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 1968 until his retirement in 2004. Thus, chronicling the eras of both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the California Angels.

Newhan began covering the newly formed Los Angeles Angels franchise in their inaugural 1961 season as their local beat writer for the Long Beach Press Telegram. He was then hired by the Times in late 1967 as a traveling beat writer. There he covered both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Angels for 11 years, bridging two fan bases.

Newhan was assigned exclusively to the Angels beat starting in 1979. It made its way into his book The California Angels, which was published in 1982. Between 1986 and 2004, Newhan acted as the national baseball writer for the LA Times. He also covered major non-baseball events, including the Winter Olympics, Triple Crown horse racing, and major golf tournaments.

While Ross Newhan’s work included high-impact, analytical opinion pieces, he maintained direct access to owners and executives. His reporting on the historic sale of the Dodgers won the top Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) Award for the top news story of 1997.

“The Dodgers today mourn Ross Newhan, the Hall of Fame sportswriter, who passed away this morning at the age of 89,” the Dodgers shared. “We send our condolences to his wife, Connie, and their friends and family.”

At the time of his passing, he held the distinction of being the longest-tenured active member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

One of the most notable works of Newhan was exposing the ownership collusion in the late 1980s. Back then, MLB team owners allegedly banded together to artificially depress player salaries and destroy the free-agent market. Newhan was one of the loudest, sharpest voices exposing the scam.

He aggressively covered leaked testimonies, identifying how commissioner Peter Ueberroth and club owners blatantly shared information to set illegal caps on free-agent offers. His reporting continuously held leadership accountable, famously asserting that management should “pay a stiff price” for violating bargaining agreements 

Apart from his journalism work, Ross had another connection with the game: his son David. While Ross built a legendary career writing about baseball from the press box, David made it to the field. He carved out a professional baseball career that spanned over two decades as both a player and a staff strategist.

David Newhan was drafted by the Athletics in the 17th round of the 1995 MLB Draft out of Pepperdine University. He made his big league debut with the San Diego Padres in 1999.

With someone of such stature, Ross Newhan’s absence would be hard to fill, especially in the LA baseball community.

Newhan garnered the 1997 Associated Press Sports Editors Award for his story on the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1998, he was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Newhan was the 2000 recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, given annually by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). He co-authored the book Coaching Baseball Successfully

“Wildman” Jack Armstrong obit

Former WWF Wrestler “Wildman” Jack Armstrong Passes Away at 79

 

He was not on the list.

“Wildman” Jack Armstrong has passed away at the age of 79. The longtime professional wrestler’s death was announced by his close friend Laura Creavalle, who had recently traveled to Los Angeles to be by his side as his health declined.

Creavalle shared the sad news on Facebook, calling Armstrong her best friend and remembering how much he helped her when she was a struggling bodybuilder. She revealed that Armstrong even bought her first posing suit and gave her a place to live when she was broke and homeless.

“As to my post a few days ago. I m sorry to announce that I loosed my best friend Wild Man Jack Armstrong today. He was a great wrestler and and even better friend the stories are 2 many to share but he bought my first posing suit in LA and I lived with him for many years when I was a beginner struggling bodybuilder. Broke and homeless.”

Just days before announcing his death, Creavalle revealed that she had returned to Los Angeles for the first time in 19 years specifically to spend time with Armstrong. She said his health was failing and that she wanted to be there to help him.

Creavalle also revealed that Armstrong had undergone the amputation of one of his legs and was on dialysis. Despite everything he was dealing with, she said he hadn’t lost his sense of humor and that she was hoping he would make it to his 80th birthday.

“I m in LA after 19 yrs to b with my best friend Jack Armstrong , used to b a professional wrestle, his best friend was Rocky , the Rock ‘s father , they used to share rooms together when they were on the road. He has known the Rock since he was a baby. His health is failing so I have decide to come out hear to help . They had to remove one of his legs n he is on dialysis, but his sense of humour still stays. He is 79. I m hoping he makes it to 80. I m glad just to be here by his side”

Armstrong had a wrestling career that stretched more than three decades, beginning in 1963. He worked under several different names over the years, including Lenny Solomon, Super Scorpion, Ali Ben Khan, Black Jack, Red Rhodes and Sailor Jack.

He also spent time with the WWWF and later returned during the WWF era, stepping into the ring with names including Ricky Steamboat, Bret Hart, Jesse Ventura, Mil Máscaras and Tony Atlas. Armstrong also worked extensively throughout the territories and made appearances in Japan.

Later in his career, Armstrong became part of Herb Abrams’ Universal Wrestling Federation. He even teamed with Cactus Jack, better known today as Mick Foley, to defeat David Sammartino and Jay Strongbow Jr. during a UWF television taping in 1990.

Armstrong’s final documented match came at UWF Blackjack Brawl in September 1994, where he defeated Mando Guerrero to become the inaugural UWF Junior Heavyweight Champion. The promotion never held another event, leaving Armstrong as the only wrestler to ever hold the championship.

Creavalle’s final memories also showed that Armstrong’s wrestling connections went well beyond the matches on his record. According to her, he was close friends and road roommates with Rocky Johnson and had known The Rock since he was a baby, leaving behind ties to several generations of the wrestling business.

Our thoughts are with Jack Armstrong’s family, friends and everyone who knew him during this difficult time.

Jumbo Baretta obit

Jumbo Baretta passes away at 59

 He was not on the list.

Jumbo Baretta aka Julio Barrera, a former WWE and WCW performer has passed away at the age of 59.

Cauliflower Alley Club confirmed the news of his passing in a social media post.

“Rest in Peace, My Friend Jumbo Beretta. This one truly hurts. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Jumbo, a good friend whom I was honored and privileged to know for nearly 40 years. I send my sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace old friend,” Cauliflower Alley Club posted.

Baretta’s wrestling career kicked off in 1986 where he was mentored by Boris Malenko. He competed in Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Council and NWA among other promotions. Around 1989, he competed in WCW where he faced the likes of Sting, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and The Road Warriors. By 1995, Baretta had also competed in a handful of matches for WWE.