- Dec 2 Pedro Rocha, Uruguayan soccer midfielder and manager (52 caps; Peñarol, São Paulo F.C.), dies from mesencephalic atrophy at 70
- Dec 3 Khalid Hasan, Pakistani cricket leg-spin bowler (1 Test; 16 years, 352 days, then youngest Test player), dies at 76
- Dec 4 McDonald Bailey, British-Trinidadian athlete (Olympic bronze 100m 1952; 100m WR 10.2s 1951-56), dies at 92
- Dec 7 Jacob Matlala, South African boxer (WBO, WBU, IBA flyweight champion; shortest world champion ever at 1.47m [4-foot-10]), dies from pneumonia at 51
- Dec 16 Madhusudan Rege, Indian cricket batsman (1 Test; Maharashtra), dies at 89
- Dec 21 Bronzell Miller, American WLAF linebacker (Amsterdam Admirals), dies at 42
- Dec 22 Ed Herrmann, American baseball catcher (MLB All Star 1974 Chicago White Sox; caught Larry Dierker no-hitter 1975 Houston Astros), dies from prostate cancer at 67
- Dec 25 Mike Hegan, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1969 NY Yankees; World Series 1972 Oakland A's), dies from heart failure at 71
- Dec 26 Paul Blair, American baseball outfielder (MLB All-Star 1969, 73; World Series 1966, 70, 77-78; Gold Glove Award 1967, 69–75; Baltimore Orioles), dies from a heart attack at 69
- Dec 29 Andy Granatelli, American motorsports entrepreneur (CEO STP automotive products; innovative Lotus four-wheel drive car 1969 Indy 500 winner), dies from congestive heart failure at 90
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions