Athletes Who Died in 2006

  • Jan 1 Paul Lindblad, American baseball pitcher (World Series champion 1973-74, 78; Kansas City Athletics, Oakland Athletics), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 64
  • Jan 3 Steve Rogers, Australian rugby league centre (24 Tests; NSW; Cronulla-Sutherland), dies after swallowing combination of prescription drugs and alcohol at 51
  • Jan 9 Andy Caldecott, Australian motorcycle racer (b. 1964)
  • Jan 13 Frank Fixaris, American sportscaster (b. 1934)
  • Jan 13 Marc Potvin, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1967)
  • Jan 14 Mark Philo, English footballer, dies in a car crash at 21
  • Jan 19 Geoff Rabone, New Zealand cricket all-rounder, captain (NZ 12 Tests @ 31.22, 16 wickets), dies at 84
  • Feb 1 Dick Bass, American NFL running back (Pro Bowl 1962, 63, 66; LA Rams), dies at 68
  • Feb 3 Lou Jones, American athlete (Olympic gold 4x400m relay 1956), dies at 74
  • Feb 7 Shujauddin Butt, Pakistani cricket all-rounder (19 Tests, 20 wickets; Combined Services, Bahawalpur), dies at 75
  • Feb 9 Ron Greenwood, English soccer defender (Brentford) and manager (West Ham Utd 1961-74; FA Cup 1964, European Cup Winners' Cup 1965; England 1977-82), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 84
  • Feb 10 Dick Harmon, American golf instructor (Fred Couples, Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Lanny Wadkins, Steve Elkington), dies from pneumonia at 58
  • Feb 16 Ernie Stautner, American Pro Football HOF defensive end (Super Bowl 1971, 77; 4 × All-Pro First Team; 9 × Pro Bowl; Pittsburgh Steelers), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 80
  • Feb 18 Charles Leonard, American pentathlete (Olympic silver medal 1936), dies at 92
  • Feb 21 Angelica Rozeanu, Romanian table tennis player (World C'ship gold x 17; singles 1950-55), dies at 84
  • Feb 23 Telmo Zarraonaindía, Spanish footballer (b. 1921)
  • Feb 25 Charlie Wayman, English footballer (b. 1922)
  • Mar 1 Peter Osgood, English soccer striker (4 caps; Chelsea, Southampton), dies from a heart attack at 59
  • Mar 4 Roman Ogaza, Polish soccer striker (21 caps; Szombierki Bytom, GKS Tychy, Szombierki Bytom, RC Lens), dies at 53

Kirby Puckett (1960-2006)

Mar 6 American Baseball HOF centerfielder (10 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1987, 91; ALCS MVP 1991; 6 × Gold Glove Award; Minnesota Twins), dies of a stroke at 45

  • Mar 9 Dennis Brookes, English cricketer (one Test England v WI 1948, scored 10 & 7), dies at 90
  • Mar 11 Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Canadian Hockey HOF right wing (11 x NHL All-star; 6 x Stanley Cup - Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers) and coach (NY Rangers, Atlanta Flames, Montreal Canadiens), dies at 75
  • Mar 13 Jimmy Johnstone, Scottish soccer forward (23 caps; Celtic FC), dies from motor neuron disease at 61
  • Mar 17 Ray Meyer, American basketball coach (b. 1913)
  • Mar 26 Paul Dana, American race car driver (b. 1975)
  • Mar 30 Red Hickey, American football coach (HC SF 49ers 1959-63; devised shotgun formation), dies at 89
  • Apr 3 Marshall Goldberg, American College Football HOF back (Uni of Pittsburgh; All Pro, Pro Bowl 1941; Chicago Cardinals), dies at 88
  • Apr 6 Maggie Dixon, American college basketball coach (b. 1977)
  • Apr 9 Billy Hitchcock, American baseball player, coach, and official (b. 1916)
  • Apr 13 Bill Baker, American baseball player, dies at 95
  • Apr 15 Louise Smith, American auto racer (tied for 2nd woman to race in top level NASCAR), dies of cancer at 89
  • Apr 18 John Lyall, English soccer manager (West Ham United 1974-89; FA Cup 1980), dies from a heart attack at 66
  • Apr 21 Telê Santana, Brazilian soccer winger (Fluminense FC 557 games) and manager (Brazil, Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras, São Paulo), dies from an abdominal infection at 74
  • Apr 23 Steve Stavro, Canadian businessman and sports executive (owner Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors) and thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder (Knob Hill Stable, Newmarket Ontario), dies at
  • Apr 24 Brian Labone, English soccer defender (26 caps; Everton FC 451 games), dies at 66
  • May 1 George Haines, American swimming coach (7 x US Olympic teams), dies of a stroke at 82

Floyd Patterson (1935-2006)

May 11 American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1956-59, 1960-62, Olympic gold 1952), dies of prostate cancer at 71

  • May 14 James Botten, South African cricketer (all-rounder in 1965 South African series v England), dies at 67
  • May 23 Kazimierz Górski, Polish footballer (b. 1921)
  • May 26 Kevin O'Flanagan, Irish rugby union winger (1 Test; London Irish RFC), soccer striker (FAI 10 caps; Ireland 3 caps) and administrator (International Olympic Committee 1976-94), dies at 86
  • May 26 Ted Schroeder, American tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1942, Wimbledon 1949), dies of cancer at 84
  • May 27 Craig Heyward, American NFL fullback (Pro Bowl 1995; New Orleans Saints), dies from brain cancer at 39
  • May 28 Thorleif Schjelderup, Norwegian author and ski jumper (b. 1920)
  • Jun 2 Keith Smith, English professional rugby player (b. 1952)
  • Jun 11 Neroli Fairhall, New Zealand archer (first paraplegic to compete in the Olympic Games 1984), dies at 61
  • Jun 20 Billy Johnson, American baseball player, dies at 87
  • Jun 23 Budhi Kunderan, Indian cricket wicketkeeper and batsman (18 Tests; 2 x 100s), dies of lung cancer at 66
  • Jun 23 Dave Webster, American football player (led his football team to a National Championship in 1958), dies at 68
  • Jun 23 Luke Graham, American wrestler, dies at 66
  • Jun 29 Randy Walker, American football fullback (Miami University) and coach (Miami University 1990-98, Northwestern University 1999-2005), dies of a heart attack at 52
  • Jul 1 Fred Trueman, England cricket fast bowler (England 67 Tests, 307 wickets), dies of small cell carcinoma at 75

Gert Fredriksson (1919-2006)

Jul 5 Swedish canoeist (6 Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56, 60), dies at 86

  • Jul 11 John Spencer, English snooker player (b. 1935)
  • Jul 16 Ossi Reichert, German alpine skier (Olympic gold women's giant slalom 1956; silver slalom 1952), dies at 80
  • Jul 30 Al Balding, Canadian golfer (first Canadian to win PGA Tour event in US, 4-time winner), dies of cancer at 82
  • Jul 31 Paul Eells, American sportscaster ("Voice of the Razorbacks"), dies at 70
  • Aug 13 Payao Poontarat, Thai Olympic boxer (b. 1957)
  • Aug 15 Faas Wilkes, Dutch soccer star (Xerxes, Fortuna, Inter Milan), dies at 82
  • Aug 15 Rick Bourke, Australian rugby league player (Cronulla), dies of cancer at 52
  • Aug 23 Wasim Raja, Pakistani cricket all-rounder (57 Tests, 4 x 100, HS 125, 51 wickets; Lahore, Durham CCC), dies from a heart attack at 54
  • Aug 26 Sir Clyde Walcott, West Indian cricket batsman (44 Tests @ 56.68; 15 x 100s) and administrator (ICC chairman 1997-2000), dies at 80
  • Aug 31 Mohamed Abdelwahab, Egyptian soccer left back (19 caps; African Cup of Nations 2006; Al Ahly SC, Aluminium Nag Hammâdi), dies from a heart defect at 22
  • Aug 31 Tom Delaney, British racing driver (oldest licensed racing driver in the world), dies at 95
  • Sep 2 Bob Mathias, American decathlete (Olympic gold 1948, 52) and congressman, dies of cancer at 75
  • Sep 2 Charlie Williams MBE, English soccer defender (Doncaster Rovers 151 games) and comedian, dies from Parkinson's disease at 78
  • Sep 4 Giacinto Facchetti, Italian soccer left-back (94 caps; Inter Milan 476 games), dies at 64
  • Sep 8 Erk Russell, American football, basketball, baseball and track coach, dies at 80
  • Sep 8 Peter Brock, Australian auto racer (3 x Australian Touring Car C'ship; 9 x Bathurst 500/1000; 9 x Sandown Endurance), dies in a rally crash at 61

Patty Berg (1918-2006)

Sep 10 American golfer (15 major titles, US Open 1946), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 88

  • Sep 16 Floyd Curry, Canadian ice hockey right wing (Stanley Cup 1953, 56-58; Montreal Canadiens), dies at 81
  • Sep 19 Roy Schuiten, Dutch cyclist (b. 1950)
  • Sep 22 Carla Benschop, Dutch basketball player (b. 1950)

Sofia Muratova (1929-2006)

Sep 25 Soviet-Russian gymnast (1952-60 Olympics: 6 gold, 3 silver & 4 bronze medals), dies at 77

Byron Nelson (1912-2006)

Sep 26 American golfer (winner 5 major titles; record 19 tournaments 1945), dies of a blood disorder at 94

  • Sep 29 Walter Hadlee, New Zealand cricket batsman (11 Tests, 1 x 100, 2 x 50; Canterbury; father of Richard, Dayle & Barry), dies from a stroke at 91
  • Oct 1 André Viger, French Canadian wheelchair marathoner (3 Paralympics gold medals), dies from cancer at 54

Buck O'Neil (1911-2006)

Oct 6 American Baseball HOF coach (1st African-American coach in MLB) and first baseman (NgL World Series 1942; 2 x NgL All Star; KC Monarchs), dies at 94

  • Oct 6 Puck Brouwer, Dutch athlete (b. 1930)
  • Oct 6 Valentin Muratov, Russian gymnast (4 gold, 1 silver medals 1952, 1956 Olympics), dies at 78
  • Oct 9 Paul Hunter, English snooker player (Masters 2001, 02, 04), dies from neuroendocrine tumours at 27
  • Oct 11 Cory Lidle, American baseball pitcher (b. 1972)
  • Oct 27 Joe Niekro, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1979; NL wins leader 1979; Houston Astros; World Series 1987; NY Yankees), dies from a brain aneurysm at 61
  • Oct 27 Marlin McKeever, American NFL linebacker (Pro Bowl 1966; LA Rams), dies from injuries suffered in a fall at 66

Red Auerbach (1917-2006)

Oct 28 American Basketball HOF coach (9xNBA C'ship; NBA Coach of the Year 1965 Boston Celtics; 11×NBA All-Star Game HC) and executive (President Boston Celtics 7× NBA C'ship), dies of a heart attack at 89

Trevor Berbick (1954-2006)

Oct 28 Jamaican boxer (WBC heavyweight champion 1986), dies from blows to the head by his nephew at 52

  • Nov 3 Alberto Spencer, Ecuadorian soccer forward (11 caps; 5 caps Uruguay; most goals in Copa Libertadores [54] 1960-72), dies of heart failure at 68
  • Nov 5 LaMar Clark, American boxer (record most consecutive knockouts 44, including unsanctioned bouts), dies at 71
  • Nov 6 Federico (Fico) López, Puerto Rican basketball player, dies of a heart attack at 44
  • Nov 6 Francisco Fernández Ochoa, Spanish alpine skier (slalom Olympic Gold 1972), dies of cancer at 56
  • Nov 7 Bryan Pata, American football defensive tackle (University of Miami) (murdered) (b. 1981)
  • Nov 7 Johnny Sain, American baseball pitcher, dies at 89
  • Nov 7 Polly Umrigar, Indian cricket all-rounder & captain (59 Tests, 12 x 100, HS 223, 35 wickets; Bombay, Gujarat), dies from lymph cancer at 80
  • Nov 8 Annette Rogers, American athlete (Olympic gold 4x100m relay 1932, 36), dies at 93
  • Nov 8 Lyudmila Buldakova, Russian volleyball player (Olympic gold USSR 1968, 72), dies at 68
  • Nov 16 Geoff Griffin, South African cricket fast bowler (2 Tests; first RSA Test hat-trick 1960; throwing controversy), dies at 67
  • Nov 17 Bo Schembechler Jr., American College Football Hall of Fame tackle (Miami U), coach (Miami U 1963-68, University of Michigan 1969-89; career record 234–65–8), and administrator (Michigan), dies at 77
  • Nov 17 Ferenc Puskás, Hungarian soccer forward (Hungary 85 caps, Spain 4; Real Madrid, Budapest Honvéd) and manager (Panathinaikos), dies of pneumonia at 79
  • Nov 17 Tony Pithey, Rhodesian cricket batsman (17 Tests for South Africa; top score 154, 1965), dies at 73
  • Nov 20 Andre Waters, American football player (b. 1962)
  • Nov 22 Pat Dobson, American baseball player (b. 1942)
  • Nov 23 Willie Pep, American boxer (b. 1922)
  • Nov 26 Graham Roope, English cricket batsman (21 Tests, 7 x 50; Surrey CCC, Berkshire CCC, Griqualand West), dies of a heart attack at 60
  • Nov 26 Isaac Gálvez, Spanish procyclist (b. 1975)
  • Nov 27 Casey Coleman, American sportscaster (b. 1951)
  • Nov 29 Hanumant Singh, Indian cricket batsman (14 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 105; Madhya Bharat, Rajasthan, Central Zone) and ICC match referee (9 Tests, 54 ODIs 1995-2002), dies from dengue fever at 67
  • Dec 3 Len Sutton, American auto racer and broadcaster (Indianapolis 500, 1962 runner-up), dies from cancer at 81
  • Dec 5 David Bronstein, Ukrainian-born chess grandmaster, dies at 82
  • Dec 8 José Uribe, Dominican baseball player (b. 1959)

Paul Arizin (1928-2006)

Dec 12 American College/Basketball HOF small forward (NBA C'ship 1956; 10 x NBA All Star; NBA scoring champion 1952, 57; Philadelphia Warriors), dies in his sleep at 78

  • Dec 13 Lamar Hunt, American sports executive and NFL owner (KC Chiefs), dies at 74
  • Dec 15 Clay Regazzoni, Swiss Formula One driver, dies at 67
  • Dec 17 Larry Sherry, American baseball pitcher (World Series MVP 1959, LA Dodgers), dies at 71
  • Dec 21 Scobie Breasley, Australian jockey (b. 1914)
  • Dec 21 Sydney Wooderson, English athlete dubbed "The Mighty Atom" (world record 1937), dies at 92
  • Dec 22 Elena Mukhina, Russian gymnast (3 x World C'ship gold 1978; 2 x World Cup gold 1977), dies of complications from quadriplegia at 46
  • Dec 23 Johnny Vincent, English footballer for Birmingham City and Middlesbrough (b. 1947)
  • Dec 30 Michel Plasse, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1948)
  • Dec 31 Liese Prokop, Austrian pentathlete (Olympic silver 1968), dies at 65