On This Day

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Athletes Who Died on December 2

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  • 1944 Eiji Sawamura, Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (first no-hitter in Japanese pro baseball 1936), dies in battle when his ship torpedoed, at 27
  • 1953 Ernie Hayes, English cricket all-rounder (5 Tests; Surrey CCC, Leicestershire CCC), dies at 77
  • 1953 Reginald "Snowy" Baker, Australian boxer (Olympic silver middleweight 1908), rugby union halfback (2 caps) and actor (The Sword of Valor), dies at 69
  • 1953 Walter "Doc" Meanwell, English Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Wisconsin 1911–1917, 1920–1934), dies at 69
  • 1965 Maharajkumar of Vizianagram "Vizzy", Indian cricket batsman, captain, administrator, broadcaster and politician (3 Tests), dies at 59
  • 1973 Watson Washburn, American tennis player (runner-up Wimbledon doubles 1924, US Nationals 1921, 23; founder International Tennis Hall of Fame), dies at 79
  • 1976 Danny Murtaugh, American baseball infielder (NL stolen base leader 1941 Philadelphia Phillies) and manager (World Series 1960, 71; Pittsburgh Pirates), dies from a stroke at 59
  • 1981 Hershy Kay, American composer (Olympic Hymn, A Chorus Line), dies at 62
  • 1982 Giovanni Ferrari, Italian soccer midfielder (44 caps; US Alessandria, Juventus, Internazionale) and manager (Italy 1958–59, 1960–62), dies at 74
  • 1983 Atholl Mckinnon, South African cricket spin bowler (8 Tests, 26 wickets), dies from a heart attack at 51
  • 1991 George Lott, American tennis player (12 Grand Slam doubles titles), dies at 85
  • 1997 Steve Hamilton, American baseball pitcher (New York Yankees) and basketball forward (Minneapolis Lakers), dies of cancer at 63
  • 2000 Chris Antley, American Racing Hall of Fame jockey (Kentucky Derby 1991, 1999; Preakness 1999), dies of a drug overdose at 34
  • 2008 (Edward) "Ted" Rogers, Canadian entrepreneur (Rogers Communications), MLB team owner (Toronto Blue Jays), and philanthropist, dies of congestive heart failure at 75
  • 2009 Foge Fazio, American college football coach (University of Pittsburgh), dies of leukemia at 71
  • 2010 Ron Santo, American Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman (9 x MLB All Star; 5 x Gold Glove; Chicago Cubs), dies from bladder cancer at 70
  • 2013 Pedro Rocha, Uruguayan soccer midfielder and manager (52 caps; Peñarol, São Paulo F.C.), dies from mesencephalic atrophy at 70
  • 2014 Don Laws, American figure skater and coach (Scott Hamilton, Patrick Chan, Tiffany Chin), dies from heart failure at 85

Jean Béliveau (1931-2014)

Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame center (Hart Trophy 1956, 64; Art Ross Trophy 1956; Conn Smythe Trophy 1965; record 17 Stanley Cups), dies at 83

Jean Béliveau
  • 2014 Josie Cichockyj, British wheelchair athlete (wheelchair racing [WR 5,000m], basketball, tennis, table tennis), dies from cancer at 49
  • 2016 Sammy Lee, American diver (Olympic Gold 10m platform 1948, 52), dies from pneumonia at 96
  • 2019 Francesco Janich, Italian soccer defender (6 caps; Bologna), dies at 82
  • 2020 Rafer Johnson, American decathlete (Olympic gold 1960), dies from stroke complications at 86

Darlene Hard (1936-2021)

American tennis player (US C'ships 1960-61, French C'ships 1960; 18 Grand Slam doubles titles), dies at 85

Darlene Hard
  • 2022 Yoshio Kikugawa, Japanese soccer defender (16 caps; Mitsubishi Motors FC) and manager (Avispa Fukuoka FC 1982-94), dies from pneumonia at 78
  • 2023 Michel Le Milinaire, French soccer coach (Laval 1968-92, Rennes 1993-96), dies at 92


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