Athletes and Sports Stars Who Died on February 17

Red Ruffing (1904-1986)

American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (6 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1932, 36–39, 41; NY Yankees), dies from stroke related problems at 80

1989 Lefty Gomez, American Baseball HOF pitcher (7 × MLB All-Star; 5 × World Series; Triple Crown 1934, 37; NY Yankees), dies of congestive heart failure at 80
1990 Hap Day, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman (Stanley Cup 1932 [captain], 42, 45, 47, 48, 1949 [coach], 1951 [assistant manager]; Toronto Maple Leafs), dies at 88
1993 Leslie Townsend, English cricket all-rounder (England in 4 Tests 1930-34), dies at 89
1994 Gretchen Fraser, American slalom skier (Olympic gold 1948, 1st American Olympic skiing gold), dies at 75
2001 Bob Geary, Canadian football player and manager (b. 1933)
2004 Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete (Olympic gold 80m hurdles 1952, 56; 4 x 100m relay 1956), dies at 78
2005 Omar Sívori, Argentine soccer forward and manager (19 caps Argentina, 9 caps Italy; Juventus), dies of pancreatic cancer at 69
2016 Andy Ganteaume, Trinidadian cricketer and West Indian batsman who scored 112 in his only Test innings in 1948, dies at 95
2016 Tony Phillips, American MLB player (Oakland Athletics), dies at 56
2017 Peter Richardson, British cricket batsman (34 Tests, 5 x 100, 9 x 50, HS 126; Worcestershire CCC, Kent CCC), dies at 85

American golfer (13 major titles; 82 LPGA Tour wins), dies from a heart attack at 85

2020 Terry Lineen, New Zealand rugby union centre (12 caps; Auckland), dies at 84
2021 Gianluigi Saccaro, Italian fencer (Olympic gold épée team 1960; silver épée team 1964; bronze épée 1968), dies at 82
2021 Martí Vergés, Spanish soccer midfielder (12 caps; FC Barcelona), dies at 86
2021 Özcan Arkoç, Turkish soccer goalkeeper (9 caps; Hamburger SV) and manager (Hamburger SV, Hannover 96), dies at 81
2022 Máté Fenyvesi, Hungarian soccer forward (76 caps; Ferencváros 343 games) and politician (MP 1998-2006), dies at 88
2022 Steve Burtenshaw, English soccer manager (Sheffield Wednesday, Everton, QPR, Arsenal) and midfielder (Brighton & HA 237 games), dies at 86
2023 John Holdsworth, English rugby league referee (2 x Challenge Cup Finals; record 6 x Premiership Finals; first World Club Challenge 1987: Wigan beat Manly 8-2), dies at 76
2024 Bill Francis, Welsh rugby league utility back (4 Tests Great Britain, 19 Wales; Wigan, St. Helens, Oldham), dies at 76
2024 Lefty Driesell, American Basketball HOF coach (first to win 100+ games at 4 different NCAA Div I schools: Davidson College, Uni of Maryland, James Madison, Georgia State), dies at 92
2024 Levan Tediashvili, Georgian freestyle wrestler (Olympic gold USSR 82kg 1972, 90kg 1976; World C'ship gold x 4), dies at 75
2024 Mike Procter, South African cricket all-rounder (7 Tests, 41 wickets, BB 6/73; Gloucestershire CCC, Natal, Western Province, Rhodesia, Orange Free State), dies of cardiac arrest at 77