The RIP Sporting Heroes Thread

[harrybarracuda]

Had a good engine, tackled and passed well and was consistent throughout his career.
Often remember how his head used to shine when it was sunny.

FORMER Saints midfielder David Armstrong has died at the age of 67, the club have announced.
Armstrong, widely regarded as one of the club's greatest ever players, made 272 appearances for Saints between 1981 and 1987, scoring 71 goals in that time.
He played a key role in Lawrie McMenemy's side finishing second in the 1983-84 First Division, voted as the club's player of the season.
Durham-born Armstrong, who was capped three times by England, played 431 times for Middlesbrough, having joined in 1971.
He was an ever-present in the promotion-winning side of 1973-74 managed by Jack Charlton and holds the club record for the most consecutive league appearances with 305 between March 1973 and August 1980.
In total, he made 358 consecutive appearances for Boro during that time and scored 77 goals before moving to Saints for a fee of £600,000.
He then ended his career along the south coast at Bournemouth, before retiring in 1988.
Part of a statement from Saints read: "Everyone at Southampton wishes to extend their condolences to David’s loved ones, who our thoughts are very much with at this time."

[Mandigo]

Had David been a player 10 or 20 years later his would have been a very different story, even so his story is devoid of any bitterness and envy, a true professional in every sense. A lot of the modern "superstars" of football would do well to understand the fine line between stardom and the unemployment list.

[Iceman123]

Don’t know how this one got missed.John '''Yogi''' Hughes: Celtic legend dies aged 79 after short illness | Football News | Sky Sports

[Iceman123]

Duplicate

[harrybarracuda]

Hard-hitting American heavyweight boxer Earnie Shavers, who fought Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes for world titles has died, the Ring magazine reported on Friday.
The Ring reported that Shavers died on Thursday, the day after his 78th birthday.
Shavers was born on August 31, 1944 in Garland Alabama. He was famed for the power of his punch. He won 74 of his 89 fights and 68 of the victories were by a knockout.
He turned professional in 1969 and fought twice for the world title.
Shavers lost to an ageing Ali at Madison Square Gardens in 1977 on points after the defending champion launched a furious attack in the 15th round.
Two years later, Shavers lost to Holmes in Las Vegas. Shavers knocked the reigning champion down in the seventh but by the 11th was in trouble and the referee stopped the fight.
Holmes later told Boxing News that Shavers punched harder than Mike Tyson.
"He could knock the hell out of it," Holmes said.
In between those two title bouts, Shavers faced former champion Ken Norton and knocked him out.

Hard-hitting heavyweight contender Shavers dies at 78

[Happy As Larry]

Eddie Butler: Former Wales rugby captain and legendary broadcaster dies aged 65

Former Wales rugby union captain and legendary broadcaster and commentator Eddie Butler has died at the age of 65.
After rising to prominence with club side Pontypool, Butler played 16 times for Wales between 1980 and 1984, captaining the side on six occasions and scoring two tries.
The number eight was called up to the British and Irish Lions squad that toured New Zealand in 1983.
After retirement he became a respected rugby broadcaster.
Butler died in his sleep on a charity trek in Peru.

[harrybarracuda]

Motorcycling’s ‘Prince of Speed’ Phil Read dies, aged 83

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2022/10/07/motorcyclings-prince-of-speed-phil-read-dies-aged-83/32178

[klong toey]

Chrissy Rouse, who passed away on Thursday after an incident in the third British Superbike Championship race at Donington Park last Sunday, was talented in so many different ways and it’s no cliché to say he was one of the most popular riders in the paddock.
Obituary: Chrissy Rouse (1995-2022) - Bikesport News

[Backspin]

Dietrich Mateschitz: Red Bull co-owner & energy drink giant dies aged 78 - BBC Sport

[harrybarracuda]

Ronnie Radford. That goal against the barcodes in the FA Cup.

[cyrille]

Yeah, unforgettable goal, that.

RIP.

[harrybarracuda]

Grudgingly I have to remember another soggy pitch FA Cup upset missile. I'm not going to let it ruin my day.

[Happy As Larry]

David Johnson: Former Liverpool & Everton striker dies aged 71 The Guardian

Former England striker David Johnson, the first man to score for both Liverpool and Everton in the Merseyside derby, has died aged 71.

Johnson, who scored six goals in eight appearances for England, had been suffering from throat cancer.

He had two spells at Everton in between playing for Ipswich Town under Bobby Robson and Liverpool for Bob Paisley.
In six years at Anfield from 1976 Johnson won three league titles and the 1981 European Cup.

Ex-Liverpool forward David Fairclough led the tributes to his former team-mate, writing on Twitter: "So sad to hear my great friend and Liverpool legend David Johnson has passed away today.
"Shared so many great moments and memories with 'Jono'. Today is a very sad day. Condolences to all Dave's family. RIP 'Doc'."

Everton confirmed the news with a statement that read: "Everyone at Everton football club is saddened to learn of the untimely passing of David 'Doc' Johnson at the age of 71. Our thoughts are with David's family and friends at this time."
Johnson began his career at Goodison Park and scored in the Merseyside derby in 1971 - then netted for Liverpool in the match nine years later. Only Peter Beardsley has since repeated the feat.

He moved to Ipswich in 1972, helping Robson's side win the 1973 Texaco Cup - a competition for club sides in England, Scotland and Ireland - and reach the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup the following season.
Liverpool-born Johnson made his England debut under Don Revie in 1975, scoring twice in a 2-2 draw against Wales at Wembley.

But it was with Liverpool that he enjoyed most success, scoring 78 goals in 213 appearances after joining for a club-record fee of £200,000 in 1976.

Johnson started the European Cup final against Real Madrid in 1981 but Ian Rush's emergence the following season saw him spend time on the bench and he re-signed for Everton in August 1982.

He signed for Barnsley in 1984 and also played for Manchester City, American side Tulsa Roughnecks and Preston North End as well as having a spell as player-manager at Barrow before retiring in 1986.

[Happy As Larry]

[harrybarracuda]

Doddie Weir: Former Scotland lock dies at 52 after battle with motor neurone disease




Former Scotland international Doddie Weir has died at the age of 52, six years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Weir, capped 61 times between 1990 and 2000, went on to raise millions through his My Name'5 Doddie foundation following his diagnosis in 2016.

The lock was given an OBE in 2019 for services to rugby, to MND research and to the Borders community.

He is survived by his wife Kathy and sons Hamish, Angus and Ben.

"Doddie was an inspirational force of nature," wrote Kathy.

"We are lucky to have shared our lives with him and we cherish all those memories: his love and warmth, his support and advice, his quick wit, and his terrible jokes. It is difficult to put into words how much we will miss him.

"MND took so much from Doddie, but never his spirit and determination. He battled MND so bravely, and whilst his own battle may be over, his fight continues through his foundation, until a cure is found for all those with this devastating disease.

"Hamish, Angus, Ben and I would like to thank everyone for your support and for respecting our privacy at this difficult time."

Born in Edinburgh, Weir played for Stewart's Melville and Melrose, where he won six championships, before turning out for Newcastle and Border Reivers in the professional era.

His first Scotland cap came against Argentina in November 1990.

A lineout specialist, he scored four international tries across his career, including two against New Zealand in a quarter-final loss at the 1995 World Cup.

Once famously described as being "on the charge like a mad giraffe" by commentator Bill McLaren, he was selected for the British and Irish Lions in 1997 but his tour of South Africa was ended prematurely by injury.

Earlier this month, he appeared at Murrayfield with the match ball before Scotland kicked off against New Zealand, receiving a rapturous welcome from the capacity crowd.

It mirrored the emotional on-pitch appearance he made with his three sons against the same opponents in autumn 2017.

Weir was honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at the 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

"Our vision of a world free of MND remains at the heart of our strategy," said My Name'5 Doddie Foundation chief executive Jill Douglas.

"He inspired us every day with his positivity and energy and was fully committed to the work of the Foundation he launched with his close friends in November 2017.

"My Name'5 Doddie Foundation continues to shine a light on MND and the need to seek meaningful treatments and one day, a cure for this devastating disease."

Doddie Weir: Former Scotland lock dies at 52 after battle with motor neurone disease - BBC Sport

[reinvented]

^^
RIP Doc
Great Player

[Happy As Larry]

[Happy As Larry]

Gaylord Perry, two-time Cy Young winner, dies at 84

GAFFNEY, S.C. (AP) — Baseball Hall of Famer and two-time Cy Young Award winner Gaylord Perry, a master of the spitball and telling stories about the pitch, died Thursday. He was 84.
Perry died at his home in Gaffney at about 5 a.m. Thursday, Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler said. He did not provide additional details. A statement from the Perry family said he “passed away peacefully at his home after a short illness.”

The native of Williamston, North Carolina, made history as the first player to win the Cy Young in both leagues, with Cleveland in 1972 after a 24-16 season and with San Diego in 1978 — going 21-6 for his fifth and final 20-win season just after turning 40.
“Before I won my second Cy Young, I thought I was too old — I didn’t think the writers would vote for me,” Perry said in an article on the National Baseball Hall of Fame website. “But they voted on my performance, so I won it.”


“Gaylord Perry was a consistent workhorse and a memorable figure in his Hall of Fame career,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, adding, “he will be remembered among the most accomplished San Francisco Giants ever ... and remained a popular teammate and friend throughout his life.”

[harrybarracuda]

a master of the spitball

I'm almost afraid to ask, but how?

[Happy As Larry]

A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of a foreign substance such as saliva or petroleum jelly. This technique alters the wind resistance and weight on one side of the ball, causing it to move in an atypical manner.

It may also cause the ball to "slip" out of the pitcher's fingers without the usual spin that accompanies a pitch. In this sense, a spitball can be thought of as a fastball with knuckleball action.

Alternative names for the spitball are spitter, mud ball, shine ball, supersinker, or vaseline ball (because originally, Vaseline was used to give the ball a little more break). A spitball technically differs from an emery ball, in which the surface of the ball is cut or abraded. Saliva or Vaseline smooths the baseball, while the emery paper roughens it. The general term for altering the ball in any way is doctoring

[harrybarracuda]

So basically he was a really good cheat then.

[Happy As Larry]

double post

[Happy As Larry]

So basically he was a really good cheat then.

Well he was certainly accused of being a cheat often enough but only suspended once I believe.

He also won the Cy Young award twice (Best pitcher)

At his peak it certainly was fun watching hitters trying to lmake contact with his pitches

[Happy As Larry]

[harrybarracuda]

So that's where Rafa Nadal got it from.