Final farewells: Deaths in sport in 2022

Pele, Shane Warne and Bill Russell – just three sporting icons to die in 2022.

AFP Sport looks at his legacy as well as nine other famous sports stars who died in the past year:

BASKETBALL

– He won a record 11 NBA crowns as the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty, overcame racism to become the league’s first Black superstar and became a prominent civil rights activist.

He became the first Black coach to win the NBA Finals. That victory came in 1968, particularly poignant because it came just weeks after civil rights leader Martin Luther King was assassinated.

“Good people and good Americans who are doing everything they can to deliver the promise of America to all Americans,” said US President Joe Biden.

BOXING

Earnie Shavers – Died at age 78 on September 1st

— “Earnie hit me hard to shake me kinfolk in Africa,” said Muhammad Ali after that 1977 heavyweight world title match which Ali won after 15 pulsating rounds.

One of 10 children, the Shavers family fled Alabama under threat from the Ku Klux Klan. He only took up boxing in his early 20s but his devastating punches weren’t the only thing that surprised Ali.

“I was in a make-believe state. I heard saxophones and trombones ringing in my ears… I saw little blue mice walking around smoking cigars, drinking whiskey, people,” said another opponent, James ‘Quick’ Tillis.

CRICKET
Shane Warne – Died aged 52 on 4th March

– Considered by many in sports-mad Australia to be second only to Don Bradman, Warne mixed legendary cricketing action with colorful titles away from the field and earned the nickname ‘Hollywood’ in an astonishing career as one of the ‘un’.

Warne took 708 wickets in his 145-Test career. “I have to think there have been many great cricketers, great spinners and great leg-spinners but Warnie will always, certainly from my point of view, be number 1,” said Mike Gatting, who was behind the wrong. Warne’s ‘ball of the century’ in 1993.

Rod Marsh – Died aged 74 on March 4th

– A flamboyant Australian wicketkeeper – nicknamed ‘Iron Gloves’ – he made his international debut in 1970 against England before retiring in 1984 with what was then a world record 355 Test dismissals, 95 off the bowling of Dennis Lillee.

He was not the first Aussie wicket-keeper batsman to score a Test century, against Pakistan in 1982.

FOOTBALL

– The Brazilian superstar whose name became synonymous with his sport, “O Rei” (The King) is the only footballer in history to win three World Cups – 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Known for his genius on the ball, he represented a style of play called “samba football” in Brazil, where he was declared a “national treasure”.

Pele scored a record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games for Santos (1956-74), the Brazilian national team, and the New York Cosmos (1975-77).

“Football has lost the greatest player in its history,” said German legend Franz Beckenbauer.

George Cohen – died on December 23 at the age of 83

— The 37-time defender played every minute of England’s winning 1966 campaign that culminated in a 4-2 extra-time victory over West Germany that gave England their first and only World Cup.

Cohen spent his entire career with Fulham, playing 459 games for the Cottagers from 1956-1969 before a knee injury cut short his career at the age of 29.

Uwe Seeler – Died on July 21 at the age of 85

– Played in all four World Cups when Pele appeared (1958-70) but unlike the Brazilian legend never lifted the trophy. The closest he came was captaining the team that lost to England in the 1966 final.

Like his father, Seeler played for Hamburg from 1953 to 1972 where he was referred to as ‘Uns Uwe’ (Our Uwe) with 476 appearances.

NFL

Dan Reeves – Died on January 1st aged 77

– The bespectacled coach is tied with legendary Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy and Minnesota Vikings’ Bud Grant for the most visits to the Super Bowl without a win (four).

Ironically the last trip to the Super Bowl in 1999 resulted in the Broncos (who have been taken to the Super Bowl three times) defeating the Atlanta Falcons. He won one Super Bowl ring – as a running back for the Dallas Cowboys.

RACING
Lester Piggott – died on 29 May aged 86

– For many the greatest jockeys of all time. Known as the ‘Long Fellow’, he rode to a record nine Epsom Derby wins.

Piggott, who rode to his first championship when he was just 12, was jailed for a year for tax fraud in 1987 and made a shock return to riding.

He was reunited with Irish trainer Vincent O’Brien to win the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Mile at the Royal Academy at the age of 54 in 1990.

“Lester walks around with an aura about him,” said rival great Willie Carson.

RUGBY UNION

Phil Bennett – Died on June 12th aged 73

– Considered the best fly-half to play for Wales, important for the country’s glory years in the 1970s who became a cult figure due to his pre-match speech before facing England, the old enemy, in Cardiff in 1977.

“Look what these bastards are doing to Wales. They’re taking our coal, our water, our steel. They’re buying our houses and living in them for two weeks every year. What are they giving us?” said.

“It’s really nothing. We have been exploited, raped, controlled and punished by England – and that is what you are playing for this evening,” said Bennett. Wales won 14-9.

RUGBY UNION / LEAGUE

Va’aiga Tuigimala – Died on February 24 at the age of 52

– Known as ‘Inga the winger’ to rugby union and rugby league fans, he played for the All Blacks in union and Samoa in both codes. He was also a member of the Wigan team that dominated rugby league in the 1990s.

TENNIS

Nick Bollettieri – Died on December 4th at the age of 91

– Legendary coach who helped develop superstars such as Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova.

The demanding routine for the children and teenagers living and training at the Korean War veterans’ academy produced results but also drew criticism.

“I hated the Bollettieri academy,” Agassi said. “The only way I can get out is to succeed.”

However, Bollettieri remained unrepentant. “I did what I had to do. Tennis is not a sport for the choir.

Read Next