The sports world lost many icons in 2025. Let’s remember and honor them.
Photo courtesy MSN
Fay Vincent became the commissioner of Major League Baseball in 1989. It was a tumultuous time during Vincent’s tenure, which lasted only three years. He almost canceled the 1989 World Series after an earthquake struck the San Francisco area. He chose to postpone it for 10 days. Vincent also issued two lifetime bans. The first was to Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner in 1990, and the second was to relief pitcher Steve Howe in 1992.
Paul Tagliabue also started his job as the Commissioner of the National Football League in 1989. He had a thriving 17-year tenure as commissioner, adding four new franchises and navigating the September 11th attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He canceled games following the attacks in New York and made sure that the Saints would move back to New Orleans after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Dick Barnett, a basketball trailblazer, was a member of Tennessee A&I, which was the first HBCU to win a national basketball championship and one of college basketball’s first dynasties. His best years in the NBA came in the early 70s, when he won two championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973.
Lenny Wilkens, another trailblazer, was a nine-time All-Star during the ’60s and ’70s. Wilkins was also a successful coach, leading the Seattle SuperSonics to the 1979 NBA title. As a coach, he won 1,332 games, the third-most all-time. He also coached 2,487 games, the most in NBA history.
Davey Johnson was a three-time World Series champion, twice as a player and once as a manager. He played second base and was known for his power, helping the Baltimore Orioles win titles in 1966 and 1970. As manager of the 1986 New York Mets, he guided them to 108 regular-season wins and a memorable World Series victory. A math major, Johnson was recognized as an early adopter of sabermetrics.
Photo courtesy Kiners Korner
Dave Parker, a two-time World Series Champion, won with the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates—where he earned two batting titles and an MVP award—and again with the Oakland Athletics in 1989. Parker became the first American athlete to average $1 million annually. He passed away just short of being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Ryne Sandberg was remembered for his standout 1984 performance against the St. Louis Cardinals, hitting two home runs and driving in seven runs in a clutch victory. He won nine consecutive Gold Gloves with the Chicago Cubs. After a battle with cancer, Sandberg died at age 65.
Fuzzy Zoeller was one of three golfers to win the Masters in his first attempt. He captured the Green Jacket in 1979. His popularity and public image changed during the 1997 Masters when he was asked about prospective Masters Champion Tiger Woods. His comments were racist, and it would haunt him for the rest of his life, leading to death threats for many years.
Ron Turcotte was best known as the rider of Secretariat, the winner of the U.S. Triple Crown in 1973. In a two-decade career, Turcotte won 3,032 races. His career ended abruptly in 1978 when he fell off a horse, which made him a paraplegic. Turcotte was the last surviving member of Secretariat’s team.
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt became a viral sports sensation at the age of 98. She was the longtime chaplain for the Loyola Ramblers men’s basketball team that went to the Final Four in 2018. She prayed for the team and the opponents before each game and motivated the Ramblers to play hard and play smart. A life well lived, Sister Jean was 106.
Jeff Torborg had an impressive career as an MLB catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels. He was behind the plate for one perfect game and two no-hitters. In 1965, he caught Sandy Koufax’s perfect game. In 1970, he saw Bill Singer’s no-hitter, and in 1973, Torborg caught the first of Nolan Ryan’s seven no-hitters.
“A little bit outside” (photo courtesy X)
But if there were ever a person more associated with baseball, it would have to be “Mr. Baseball” himself, Bob Uecker. He didn’t play much as a baseball player, but was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals team that won the World Series in 1964. Uecker, a Milwaukee native, was the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for more than 50 years. Uecker was also known for his self-deprecating humor, frequently appearing on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. On the small screen, he appeared on Mr. Belvedere in the 1980s, but on the big screen, he became more popular as the vulgar baseball announcer Harry Doyle in Major League. If a baseball heaven exists, let’s hope Ueck has a front row seat. Thank you, Bob. You were one of a kind.
And to all the sports athletes who died this year, you were all one of a kind. We say hail and farewell.
