Athletes and Sports Stars Who Died on June 2

Lou Gehrig (1903-1941)

American Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman (6 x World Series, 2 x AL MVP; 7 x MLB All Star; NY Yankees), dies of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a disorder now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease at 37

1943 Nile Kinnick Jr., American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1939; University of Iowa), dies during a WWII training flight at 24
1944 Vera Menchik, Russian born British chess master, 1st official Women's World Chess Champion (1927-39), dies in a London air raid at 38
1959 Max Rousié, French rugby footballer, dies in a car crash at 46
1963 Century Milstead, American College Football Hall of Fame tackle (Yale; NFL C'ship 1927, NY Giants), dies at 62

R. Norris Williams (1891-1968)

American tennis player (US National C'ship 1914, 16; survived sinking of RMS Titanic), dies of emphysema at 77

1970 Bruce McLaren, New Zealand car racer and founder of eponymous race team, dies in a car crash at 32
1974 Eric Marx, South African cricket all-rounder (3 Tests, 3 wickets; 240 on FC debut for Transvaal), dies at 78
1974 Hiroshi Kazato, Japanese racing driver, dies at 25
1986 Aurel Joliat, Canadian ice hockey player, dies at 84 (b. 1901)
1989 Dick Mayer, American golfer (US Open 1957), dies from alcoholism complications at 64
1989 Ted à Beckett, Australian cricket fast bowler (4 Tests, 3 wickets; Victoria), dies at 81
1993 Johnny Mize, American Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman (10 x MLB All Star; 5 × World Series champion; NL batting champion 1939; 4 × NL HR leader; St. Louis Cardinals, NY Giants, NY Yankees), dies of cardiac arrest at 80

Helen Jacobs (1908-1997)

American tennis player (7 Grand Slam singles titles, US Open 1932-35), dies of heart failure at 88

2001 Joey Maxim, American boxer (World Light Heavyweight Champion 1950-52), dies from effects of a stroke at 79
2003 John Robin Stephenson, British military officer and cricket administrator (Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), 1987-94), dies at 72
2005 Gunder Gundersen, Norwegian Nordic combined skier and sports official (b. 1930)
2006 Keith Smith, English professional rugby player (b. 1952)
2018 Bruce Kison, American MLB pitcher (World Series 1971, 79), dies at 68
2019 Lowell North, American yachtsman (Olympic Gold 1968) and sailmaker (North Sails), dies at 89
2020 Arrogate, American thoroughbred racehorse (Breeders' Cup Classic, World's Best Racehorse 2016; Pegasus World Cup, Dubai World Cup 2017), dies at 7
2020 Carlo Ubbiali, Italian motorcycle racer (World Champion 125cc 1951, 55, 56, 58-60; 250cc 1956, 59, 60), dies of respiratory failure at 90
2020 John Cuneo, Australian sailor (Olympic gold dragon class 1972), dies at 91

Wes Unseld (1946-2020)

American Basketball HOF center (NBA C'ship, Finals MVP 1978; NBA MVP 1969; 5 x NBA All-Star; Washington Bullets) and coach (Washington Bullets), dies from pneumonia at 74

2021 Bill Scanlon, American tennis player (World #9 1984; 6 x ATP titles), dies from cancer at 64
2021 Ottorino Sartor, Peruvian soccer goalkeeper (27 caps; Defensor Arica, CNI), dies at 75