Is Kobe most stunning sports death ever?
I remember when Reggie Lewis and Hank Gathers died which were stunning because they both collapsed during games (although Lewis didn’t die until another heart attack a few months). But neither had the stature of Kobe.
Lou Gehrig and Walter Payton were icons, but the public knew they were ill, so it wasn’t a sudden shock when they died.
Really the only two I can think that come close for youth, statute and suddenness are Roberto Clemente and Pete Maravich.
Just stunning.
January 26th, 2020 at 3:57 PM ^
Thurman Munson. He was still an active player and the Yankees captain when he crashed his airplane and died.
January 26th, 2020 at 3:58 PM ^
yeah, this is the closest. Still a legend in NY baseball who no one has forgotten.
January 26th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
Clemente was the same in Pittsburgh.
January 26th, 2020 at 4:55 PM ^
To me, the biggest was the death of Roberto Clemente. He was my favorite non-Detroit Tiger baseball player when I was a kid, he had just gotten hit #3000 at the end of the previous season, and was even better defensively than he was with the bat.
Clemente, who was already known for his charitable works during his offseasons, was assisting in bringing supplies to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua when he died in a plane crash at age 38 on New Year's Eve in 1972. Coulda been sitting back enjoying his own accolades and everything, but he saw where his help was needed and heeded that call instead.
Rest in Peace, Roberto.
January 26th, 2020 at 6:47 PM ^
Clemente's loss was crushing. His contributions went so much beyond the game.
January 27th, 2020 at 2:26 AM ^
Same for me with Roberto. As a Tiger fanatic child during the AL East/Pennant winning reign of the Orioles, we hated the O's. Clemente dominated the '71 WS as few players ever have (.414 avg, 1.210 OPS, one of the historically greatest defensive plays in WS history ).
I fell in love with his immense grace as a player. He became my favorite baseball player of all time, I switched my Little League # to 21.
Just over a year later he was shockingly taken from us, the ultimate sacrifice of a true Samaritan.
For other true "shocks" I'd also include Munson & Payne Stewart in aircraft, and Len Bias as a "Whoa! WTF?!" wake up call for people who liked blow in the 80s - i.e. everyone!
January 27th, 2020 at 8:44 AM ^
Is this the defensive play you referred to:
...Clement pivoted the opposite direction before unleashing a rocket of a throw from the right field corner, the Orioles baserunner knew better than to try to score on the play.
Also stumbled across this footage from the 1971 All Star Game in Detroit, featuring both Clemente and Munson, also Mickey Lolich and a mention of Al Kaline.
I just love watching Clemente swing that huge 38 oz bat!
January 27th, 2020 at 5:15 PM ^
Dock Ellis.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:12 PM ^
Charlie Chan.
#2 son.
January 26th, 2020 at 10:19 PM ^
Clemente was active too and had 3000 hits. He was the face of the Pirates' organization and had been for many years.
January 27th, 2020 at 9:14 AM ^
Thurman lived next door to my parents when I was born. His son and I are still close friends.
January 27th, 2020 at 5:29 PM ^
Ernie "Fat" Holmes
January 27th, 2020 at 10:17 AM ^
Pat Tillman won’t top the list but deserves to be mentioned. He walked away from an NFL career and ends up killed by friendly fire.
January 27th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^
Mine will be when Keith Jackson passes away.
January 27th, 2020 at 12:25 PM ^
Then I have some bad news for you.
January 27th, 2020 at 12:39 PM ^
I shouldn't have but I laughed way to hard at this.
January 27th, 2020 at 3:38 PM ^
Well, it was intended to make you laugh. :-)
On a serious note, Roberto Clemente was my most shocking sports death. As a child and huge baseball fan growing up in Pittsburgh in the 60s & 70s (I was 12 when he died), Clemente was our biggest star and one of my favorite Pirates.
We were glued to the news after his plane went down and were all hoping that maybe he was alive washed up on some beach.
The guy was on a relief flight for earthquake victims and gets killed for it. That was an early lesson on how unfair life can be.
January 27th, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
Gorilla Monsoon.
January 27th, 2020 at 6:38 PM ^
Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb.
January 26th, 2020 at 3:59 PM ^
Len Bias
January 26th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
Forgot about Len.
It looked like the Celtics were poised to carry on their dominance beyond the Bird era and then 48 hours later it was gone.
Between that and Reggie Lewis, Boston really took it hard their stars dying young.
January 27th, 2020 at 5:18 PM ^
Sam Jones
January 26th, 2020 at 4:26 PM ^
Came here to say this. Most heartbreaking sports death for me anyways.
January 27th, 2020 at 5:14 PM ^
Pampero Firpo.
January 26th, 2020 at 9:34 PM ^
Len Bias is probably the most shocking ever.
What made it even worse was Don Rogers dying 8 days later from the same thing, a heart attack from cocaine, the day before he was going to get married. I remember being stunned that I saw it happened again so soon. That week was profound. It was something like Groundhog Day to see it happen again.
Most people on here probably don't know who Len Bias was. Some were saying he was going to be better than Michael Jordan. I didn't know about that. But he was dominant. And it wasn't just that he was dominant, there was something in his demeanor, his presence, that was dominant. It was exciting to watch him play. This dunk is one example.
January 26th, 2020 at 4:00 PM ^
Sean Taylor was pretty shocking. No, he didn't have anywhere near the status of Kobe, but he was a top 5 pick and multiple pro bowler in the peak of his career.
January 26th, 2020 at 9:41 PM ^
Being murdered in his home kicks it up a notch as well. He was well on his way to becoming an all time great.
January 26th, 2020 at 9:53 PM ^
He was murdered but it was by some kids who didn't realize he was suspended and was in the house. He was shot in the leg in probably in a freak spot and bled to death.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
Lima.
Lima Time.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
Harry Carey.
January 27th, 2020 at 1:48 AM ^
Derrick Thomas would be another on the Sean Taylor level. Great NFL player who died too soon.
January 27th, 2020 at 5:20 PM ^
Pee Wee Reese.
January 27th, 2020 at 4:03 AM ^
This is certainly the answer from my lifetime. I'm too young to remember Len Bias or Roberto Clemente (although Clemente was the first person who popped into my head when I saw the thread title). But having grown up as a Washington fan, Sean Taylor's death was devastating. He was just entering the peak of his career, that was the thing. Seemed like he was still growing as a player, although he was already one of the best players in the league. What a shitty way to go out.
January 27th, 2020 at 7:48 PM ^
Agreed. I remember being fascinated by the fact his girlfriend (or wife I can't remember if they were married) was like the niece of Andy Garcia. Just a really random kind of fact, but for some reason I still remember it.
January 29th, 2020 at 6:19 PM ^
Bill Masterson.
Bat Masterson.
January 26th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
Yes. The only thing close to this I can remember was not actually a death, but what seemed a death sentence at the time.....The presser when still active NBA legend Magic Johnson announced he was HIV+
January 26th, 2020 at 4:04 PM ^
Yeah, at first very few thought Magic would even make it to the beginning of the 2000s, let alone end up outliving Kobe.
January 27th, 2020 at 5:56 PM ^
kobe's bed apparently wasn't made of cash...
January 26th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
The Marshall Thundering Herd plane crash was pretty awful and stunning too. That wasn’t just one player or coach who lost his life. That was almost an entire team and staff, gone in an instant.
January 26th, 2020 at 5:26 PM ^
1961 US figure skating team
January 26th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
Junior Seau was pretty shocking
January 26th, 2020 at 4:05 PM ^
Good one. That was so sad because he was such a happy guy in his earlier days and the CTE just destroyed him from the inside.
January 26th, 2020 at 6:04 PM ^
San Diego sports has been cursed.
First it was Seau. Then almost two years exactly after that T. Gwynn died. Some people in the know knew he was in his final days but he kept it pretty secret so it came as a shock. They were hands down SD's biggest sports heroes and if you were here long enough and made your way around town chances are you crossed paths with them and got a chance to meet them both. Both very humble, happy, and gracious guys with their time with fans.
Long time hall of fame radio broadcaster for the Padres Jerry Coleman died suddenly several months before Tony. He was a decorated USMC fighter pilot serving in WWII & Korea as well as being a world series MVP for the Yankees.
Dick Enberg who was a long time SD resident and was twilighting his career as a Padres TV announcer died suddenly a couple years later.
Both Dick and Jerry were elderly and had amazing long lives but their deaths were still unexpected.
Mix in with that the Chargers ripping the heart out of the city in the same time frame.
January 26th, 2020 at 6:53 PM ^
I loved Gwynn.
Pissed me off the strike robbed him of a chance to hit .400
January 27th, 2020 at 1:13 PM ^
Baseball was my favorite sport growing up, and Gwynn and Kirby Puckett were the most fun to watch. Both died way too young.
January 26th, 2020 at 11:52 PM ^
Dale Earnhardt
January 27th, 2020 at 12:50 PM ^
In my lifetime, this is it next to Kobe , and I'm not even a Nascar guy.
January 27th, 2020 at 5:27 PM ^
Bill Buntin.
January 26th, 2020 at 4:03 PM ^
Drazen Petrovic. Not a major-status star like KObe but he was at the prime of his playing career, totally unexpected tragedy.
January 27th, 2020 at 10:06 AM ^
Pelle Lindbergh. Was the Vezina Trophy winning Goalie and took the Flyers to the finals 5 months before his death