- Dec 7 Lonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough, American race car (Nascar) driver, dies of head injury from a fall at 46
- Dec 15 Jan Peerce [Jacob Pincus Perelmuth], American tenor (NBC Symphony, 1938-55; NY Metropolitan Opera, 1941-67; "Bluebird of Happiness"), dies at 80
- Dec 16 Debs Garms, American baseball utility (World Series 1944 St. Louis Cardinals; NL batting champion 1940 Pittsburgh Pirates), dies at 77
- Dec 26 Tebbs Lloyd Johnson, English race walker (Olympic bronze 50k 1948; oldest Olympic medal-winning athlete; 48 years and 115 days), dies at 84
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions