Sports Deaths of the Year
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014 SPORTS Sports deaths of the year AMERICAN FOOTBALL tionals. The 1975 World Cup was his finest poverty in the then Portuguese colony of Ralph Wilson moment as he took six wickets for 14 runs in Mozambique and went on to score 733 Owner of the Buffalo Bills since founding the semi-final victory over England and goals in 745 matches. It was at Portuguese them in 1960 and a driving force behind then five for 48 in the final against the vic- giants Benfica he established his reputation. what became the Super Bowl died aged 95 tors West Indies. Never the healthiest of In 1962 he scored the crucial goals in a 5-3 on March 25. Bought the Bills for $25000 in men he had a liver transplant in 2005. Also victory over Real Madrid in the European 1959, they were valued by Forbes magazine lost a son Clint to a brain tumour aged just Cup final and in 1965 he was awarded the last year at $870 million. He was elected to 33. “He was at the front of the queue when Ballon d’Or. “I was the best player in the the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. His they were handing out talent, but unfortu- world, top scorer in the world and Europe. I greatest impact was in bringing together nately he was right at the back of the queue did everything, except win a World Cup,” the flashy upstart AFL and the NFL to create when they handed out health and good Eusebio said in 2011, recalling his tears after the Super Bowl and usher in the modern luck,” said his captain Ian Chappell, who led Portugal’s loss in the 1966 World Cup semi- gridiron era, helping guide the league’s rise the fundraising for the liver transplant, after final to England. Tens of thousands of into America’s most popular sports league. his death. Portuguese lined the streets of Lisbon Sadly for him his vision was not rewarded despite the driving rain to watch his funeral with the trophy itself despite his hugely-tal- Phillip Hughes cortege pass by while it was also broadcast ented but temperamentally suspect Bills Australian batsman who died on live on television. reaching four successive Super Bowls in the November 27 just days away from his 26th 1990’s and losing on every occasion-the birthday and provoked an outpouring of Tom Finney only team ever to do so on both counts. grief in a country where those who earn the A dashing player for Preston North End right to wear the green baggy cap are and England and regarded as the equal of ATHLETICS idolised. Hughes died from a head injury his contemporary, Stanley Matthews died Chris Chataway inflicted when a bouncer by Sean Abbott aged 91 on February 14. Nicknamed the British athletics great best known for struck him in the neck. In all he played 26 ‘Preston Plumber’ because his father insist- being one of the pacemakers for Roger tests with his most memorable his second ed he finish his apprenticeship, he served in Bannister’s landmark four-minute mile run against South Africa in 2009 scoring a cen- World War II in the Desert and Italy. On Ralph Wilson in 1954, died aged 82 on January 19. tury in each innings to become at the age of returning from duty he scored 210 goals in think there can be any other figure in the RUGBY UNION Chataway, who was knighted by Queen 20 years and 96 days the youngest player to 473 appearances for Preston. He also repre- history of professional team sports who bet- Jackie Kyle Elizabeth II for his services to the aviation achieve such a feat. Australian Prime sented his country on 76 occasions, includ- ter exemplifies the word ‘winner.” Outstanding fly-half who in 1948 inspired industry, had a stellar year in 1954 when he Minister Tony Abbott led the many tributes. ing at three World Cup finals, scoring 30 Ireland to their only ever Five Nations Grand also broke the 5,000 metres world record. “Phillip Hughes was a young man living out goals. Apart from a Second Division (now RACING Slam died aged 88 on November 27. Capped For that achievement and for his role in his dreams. His death is a very sad day for the Championship) title, Finney never won Toby Balding 46 times, he also played six times for the Bannister’s remarkable effort it was he and cricket and a heartbreaking day for his fami- one of football’s major honours, ending up Ebullient trainer died aged 78 on British and Irish Lions, the Ulster legend was not Bannister who was named the first-ever ly. What happened has touched millions of on the losing side in an FA Cup final and September 25. Became the youngest trainer voted in 2002 Ireland’s greatest ever rugby BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Later Australians. For a young life to be cut short twice runners-up in the First Division (now in Britain when he took over his late father’s player, though, this was before Brian O’Driscoll became successful journalist and was also a playing our national game seems a shock- the Premier League). The late Bill Shankly, stables aged just 20. Went on to train the win- reached his peak. Conservative MP and achieved ministerial ing aberration.” the legendary Liverpool manager who ner of the Grand National and Champion Was present in Cardiff when O’Driscoll led office twice. played with Finney at Preston, said of him: Hurdle twice and the ‘blue riband’ of steeple- Ireland to the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009. FOOTBALL “Tom Finney would have been great in any chasing the Cheltenham Gold Cup once. Was A modest man despite his achievements after Mbulaeni Mulaudzi Alfredo di Stefano team, in any match and in any age... even if also adept at spotting riding talent principally retiring he devoted 30 years working as a sur- Outstanding South African 800 metres Real Madrid legend considered one of he had been wearing an overcoat.” 19-times champion jumps jockey Tony McCoy geon in Zambia before returning to live in runner whose crowning glory came with the greatest footballers ever, died aged 88 who he lured from Ireland at a young age. “I Northern Ireland. “I was with Jack at a dinner the world outdoor title in Berlin in 2009. on July 7 after lapsing into a coma following Klas Ingesson cried when I heard the news my old boss and when he was named as the best player ever Died in a car crash aged 34 on October 24. a heart attack. Nicknamed the ‘Blonde Robust former Swedish international friend Toby Balding had died. We had great produced by Ireland and he felt embarrassed Described as a true hero by South African Arrow’ he played for both his native midfielder died aged just 46 on October 29 times together, he was my ultimate mentor,” by it, he felt humbled by it-but that was the president Jacob Zuma among many other Argentina and then his adopted country after a five year battle with multiple myelo- said the normally unemotional McCoy. nature of the man,” recalled another Irish leg- ma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Most end Mike Gibson. memorable moment came when Sweden Terry Biddlecombe surprised many and reached the 1994 World Three-time British National Hunt champi- TENNIS Cup semi-finals where his physical ball-win- on jockey nicknamed the ‘Blonde Bomber’ Elena Baltacha ning skills were pivotal to their success. In died aged 72 on January 5. Lived life to the Former British women’s tennis number all he played 57 times for the national side, full both on and off the course his favourite one died of liver cancer aged 30 on May 4. scoring 13 goals, and numbered PSV tipple being brandy mixed with babycham. Born in Ukraine-her father was Soviet Union Eindhoven, Bologna, Marseille and Sheffield He won the 1967 Cheltenham Gold Cup on international footballer Sergei who played Wednesday among his clubs. Woodland Victory, only able to ride thanks to in the 1988 European Championships final- a painkilling injection because he had badly and brought up in Scotland, she was ranked Senzo Meyiwa injured knee ligaments the day before. a career high 49 and won 11 titles despite South African and Orlando captain and Conquered alcoholism and then with his being diagnosed with primary sclerosing goalkeeper aged 27 shot dead by intruders third wife trainer Henrietta Knight combined cholangitis, a chronic liver condition which at his pop singer girlfriend’s house in a brilliantly to produce triple Gold Cup winner compromises the immune system, aged 19. township near Johannesburg on October Best Mate (2002/03/04). The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) paid trib- 26. Irvin Khoza, the chairman of the Orlando ute to a “tireless fighter”. Pirates, for whom Meyiwa played, said: “This Dessie Hughes is a sad loss to Senzo’s family especially his Top Irish jockey and a leading trainer who Dorothy “Dodo” Cheney children, to Orlando Pirates & the nation.” both rode and subsequently trained a winner The first American woman to win Meyiwa had been in outstanding form for of the Champion Hurdle died aged 71 on what is now known as the Australian club and country, starring for the latter in November 16. After an inauspicious start to Open, died aged 98 on November 23. the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers his riding career, he was disqualified and Cheney won the 1938 Australian where he kept four successive clean sheets placed last, he rode Davy Lad to victory in the Championships and reached the semi- to set up Bafana Bafana nicely to eventually 1977 Cheltenham Gold Cup and then finals of the other three Grand Slam qualify after his death.