2019 Obituaries

[Rupert Patrick]

Former Vikings kicker Fred Cox died last night at the age of 80:

http://www.startribune.com/kicker-fred- ... 565290902/

I just read that he invented the Nerf football. I never knew that.

I was thinking about Fred Cox yesterday, when I got to thinking about which kicker was on the most Super Bowl losing teams, and he was the obvious answer.

I bet he made a lot more money from Nerf footballs than he ever did from playing football. I don't know if he got a percentage of all the other Nerf merchandise like the Nerf guns that shoot the foam bullet thingys or the little Nerf basketballs with nets.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe John Elway either invented or got the patent on those footballs that have the tail on the end with the fins like a dart that are supposed to increase distance and accuracy:

https://forthemommas.com/deals-and-stea ... ega-howler

[Ronfitch]

Former Vikings kicker Fred Cox died last night at the age of 80:

http://www.startribune.com/kicker-fred- ... 565290902/

A friend reminded me - because Fred Cox was one of the guys on the Vikings' basketball team - that there was once a time when they (the basketball team, made up of Viking players) would travel around Minnesota and Iowa (and probably the Dakotas) and play exhibition games against a local team to raise money for local charities. Other teams did it as well at the time.

But my friend, who grew up in north central Iowa, met a number of these guys because after the games, after signing autographs and taking pictures and answering questions and talking with fans, they would inevitably end up at the place his mom managed for some food and hang out. And, generally, they were wonderful guests. And if it was a very small town with limited hotel/motel options, players would stay with host families.

How wonderful would it be to be the eight-year-old who wakes up and gets to eat breakfast with Fred Cox or Wally Hilgenberg?

Different era, much different relationship with the fans.

[Eagles One]

Hank Bullough, former guard with the Green Bay Packers. Former head coach of the New England Patriots & Buffalo Bills died on November 24, at the age of 85:


https://www.mlive.com/sports/2019/11/mi ... ge-85.html

[Rupert Patrick]

Seymour Siwoff, 99, longtime head of the Elias Sports Bureau and surely the most important pure sports statistician who ever lived:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/281 ... er-dies-99

Seymour Siwoff, the statistics maven who turned the Elias Sports Bureau into the place to go for exact information on teams and athletes for more than a half-century, died Friday. He was 99.

[TodMaher]

Seymour Siwoff, 99, longtime head of the Elias Sports Bureau and surely the most important pure sports statistician who ever lived:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/281 ... er-dies-99

Seymour Siwoff, the statistics maven who turned the Elias Sports Bureau into the place to go for exact information on teams and athletes for more than a half-century, died Friday. He was 99.

Years ago I had sent Elias my early NFL game participation charts and out of the blue I got a call from Seymour Swioff! It wasn't a very long conversation but he knew about the Pro Football Encyclopedia. Sad to see his passing.

[Eagles One]

Pat Sullivan, former quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons, 1971 Heisman Trophy winner died on November 30 at the age of 69:


https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/st ... 346970002/

[Eagles One]

George Atkinson, III, former running back with the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns died on December 2, at the age of 27:


https://www.si.com/college/2019/12/03/g ... -years-old

[BD Sullivan]

Cas Banaszek, the former 49ers linemen, has died:

https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/art ... 885826.php

[Gary Najman]

Former referee Chuck Heberling, who officiated in the NFL from 1965-1986, has died. He was 94 years old.

Heberling was the referee in the 1977 and 1986 AFC Championship games (Denver-Oakland and Denver-Cleveland, respectively). He also was the referee in 1975 in the Dallas-Minnesota NFC Divisional playoff game. He wore uniform number 46 for the majority of his career.


https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/hig ... 1912090098

[Eagles One]

R-Kal Truluck, former defensive end with the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes died on November 29, at the age of 45:


https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/footba ... da788335d9