2017 Obituaries

[Retro Rider]

Pioneer Bernie Custis, pro football's first designated starting black quarterback passed away yesterday at age 88. Custis started every game at QB for Hamilton in 1951 and led them to the IRFU Finals.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/football ... at-88.html

Bernie Custis 1951.jpg (97.49 KiB) Viewed 29608 times

[BD Sullivan]

Former Raider Mickey Marvin has died:

http://gridironnow.com/former-vols-grea ... n-dies-61/

[Gary Najman]

Ezzrett "Sugarfoot" Anderson, a WR/DB who played in 1947 for the Los Angeles Dons of the AAFC, and then went on to a successfull 6-year career with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, died on March 8 in Calgary. He was 97 years old.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/11/24/le ... nd-stardom

http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/718 ... at-age-97/

[LJP]

Former LA Dons, NY Yankees & NY Yanks T Paul Mitchell died March 11th, aged 96.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latime ... =184607150

[Citizen]

Dan Rowe, the Vikings' radio play-by-play announcer from 1991-2000, died at 67.

http://www.startribune.com/dan-rowe-who ... 416508373/

[Gary Najman]

Larry Highbaugh, a defensive back who played 13 seasons in the CFL for the BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos from 1971-1983, died March 21 in Georgia. He was 67 years old. Highbaugh was a three time CFL All-Star, won 6 Grey Cups with the Eskimos and in 2004 he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ ... -1.4036484

http://www.indiana-football.org/?q=node/936


Note: the CFHOF website is mixed-up, the player in the photo in Highbaugh's bio is Ken Lehmann. Highbaugh's photo in turn is in Merv Luster's page.

http://cfhof.ca/hof-player-details/?id=84

[BD Sullivan]

Clay Matthews, Sr., father and grandfather of multiple NFL players and an NFL player in his own right with the 49ers, has died at the age of 88:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/clay-matth ... 24545.html

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/p ... ttCl20.htm

[Citizen]

Paul Mitchell, who played for the Los Angeles Dons and New York Yanks after starring as an All-American at Minnesota, died earlier this month at 96.

http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/d ... y-mitchell

[LJP]

Former Chicago Blitz & Arizona Wranglers TE Paul Ricker died March 23rd, aged 60.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/wicked ... =184711473

http://www.justsportsstats.com/football ... ickepau001

[LJP]

Former Chiefs RB James Hadnot died March 31st, aged 59.

http://www.kltv.com/story/35046186/jame ... -age-of-59