In 2024, the sports world lost several remarkable athletes who had made major contributions and left a lasting mark on the world. Here’s the list of 43 athletes who passed away this year.
Frank Ryan
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Frank Ryan passed away on January 1, 2024, in Connecticut. The NFL champion, who was 87, had been battling Alzheimer’s disease. Following his demise, his family released a statement revealing that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was suspected to have contributed to the progression of his illness.
Bud Harrelson
Bud Harrelson passed away on January 10, 2024, at the age of 79 in New York. The cause of his death was reported to be Alzheimer’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2018. The American professional shortstop, known for being a part of the ‘Miracle Mets’ of 1969, served as a coach for the 1986 Mets team and as manager of the Mets in 1990 and 1991, after retirement.
Norm Snead
Norm Snead, a National Football League quarterback, who played for 16 seasons during the 1960s and ’70s and earned four-time Pro Bowl selections, passed away on January 14 at the age of 84 in Florida.
Jack Burke Jr.
Professional golfer Jack Burke Jr., who won two major golf titles- Masters and the PGA Championship (1956), passed away on January 19, 2024, of natural causes, in Houston, just 10 days before his 101st birthday. At the time of his death, Jack was the oldest living major golf champion.
Lance Larson
Lance Larson, who lost a disputed Olympic swim race 60 years ago, passed away on January 19, 2024, in California. The Olympic champion and world record-holder in four events died of complications from pneumonia.
Sid Eudy
Sid Eudy, who is best known by his ring names, Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, and Sycho Sid, died of cancer, specifically non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, on August 26, 2024, in Arkansas. The 63-year-old professional wrestler was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2021.
Frank Selvy
American basketball player Frank Selvy, who played nine NBA seasons, passed away in Simpsonville on August 13, 2024, at the age of 91. He is remembered for scoring high points in his college basketball game.
Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan, known for his controversial persona, passed away on August 9, 2024, in Massachusetts, due to complications from a blood clot. The 75-year-old legendary American professional wrestler and booker was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Billy Beane
After battling acute myeloid leukemia for 11 months, Billy Beane passed away on August 6, 2024. The professional baseball player, who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB), came out as gay in 1999 after his retirement.
Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant, who had been battling health issues previously, passed away on July 16, 2024 after suffering a stroke. The American professional basketball player, who had played eight seasons in the NBA with three different franchises, was 69 years old at the time of his death. For several years, Joe spent in different coaching roles.
Tamayo Perry
The professional surfer and actor, who was known for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, passed away on June 23, 2024, after an apparent shark attack while surfing in Hawaii. He was 49.
Taylor Wily
The sumo wrestler, mixed martial artist and actor, who is best known for his roles in Hawaii Five-0 (TV show) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (movie), passed away on June 20 at the age of 56. Taylor’s manager revealed that he died of natural causes.
Willie Mays
American professional baseball player Willie Mays, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder, died of heart failure on June 18, in California. He was regarded as baseball’s greatest and most entertaining player. He was 93.
Bill Walton
Hall of Famer Bill Walton passed away on May 27 at the age of 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was an all-time great champion in high school, college, and the NBA, and a two-time NCAA champion with UCLA.
Sean Burroughs
American professional baseball third baseman Sean Burroughs passed away on May 9 at the age of 43. A two-time winner of the Little League World Series and a 2000 Olympic gold medalist was found unconscious near his car at Stearns Champions Park in Long Beach. As per reports, he died of fentanyl intoxication.
Darius Morris
Darius Morris, who played as point guard for the Lakers and the Clippers, died on May 4 of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Reports indicated that ethanol, hydrocodone, and cocaine were contributing conditions for his death.
Akebono Tarō
Hawaii-Japanese Sumo Grand Champion Akebono Tarō died of heart failure on April 11. The 54-year-old was renowned for becoming the first non-Japanese sumo wrestler to achieve the highest rank of Yokozuna in 1993.
O.J. Simpson
The former Hall of Fame football player O.J. Simpson passed away from metastatic prostate cancer on April 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. The 76-year-old played 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. Apart from his contribution to sports, Simpson also acted in movies. He was known for his role in The Naked Gun trilogy.
Vontae Davis
Vontae Davis passed away on April 1, 2024. The 35-year-old American football player, who played over 10 seasons in the NFL, was reportedly found dead in a Florida mansion and it is believed that he might have collapsed or slipped after coming out of a sauna.
Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers, a former professional football player and actor known for his role as Apollo Creed in the film Rocky, passed away on February 1 at the age of 76.
Don Gullett
Don Gullett, an American professional baseball player and coach, passed away on February 14, due to heart issues and other natural causes. Nicknamed Smokin’ Don, the 73-year-old was a prominent Major League pitcher who played for four consecutive World Series champions in the 1970s.
Char-ron Dorsey
Char-ron Dorsey died on March 4, 2024, after suffering complications from a stroke. The 46-year-old former NFL star was an offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.
Richard Caster
Richard Caster passed away on February 2, 2024, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The 75-year-old former NFL player, playing for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
Earl Cureton
Earl Cureton died on February 4, 2024. The 66-year-old former National Basketball Association (NBA) champion collapsed at his Farmington Hills home, but the cause of death was not revealed.
Grayson Murray
Grayson Murray died by suicide in Texas on May 25, 2024. The 30-year-old golfer and a two-time PGA winner was apparently suffering from depression, anxiety, and alcoholism.
Andy Russell
Andy Russell died on February 29, 2024. The 82-year-old legendary Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker and a two-time Super Bowl champion, who played 12 seasons with the team, apparently died due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease and RSV.
Bill Plummer
Bill Plummer, who played in Major League Baseball as a catcher to Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and later served as a coach and manager in the majors and minors, passed away on March 12 after suffering a heart attack in California. He was 76.
Pat Zachry
Former Big Red Machine pitcher Pat Zachry passed away on April 4, 2024, in Texas after a long illness. The 71-year-old was a World Series champion and 1976 National League Rookie of the Year with the Cincinnati Reds.
Jerry Grote
Jerry Grote, a two-time All-Star who played 12 seasons in Flushing, passed away on April 7, 2024, in Texas due to respiratory failure. The 81-year-old, who was a member of the 1969 Miracle New York Mets, was regarded as the best defensive catcher in franchise history.
Carl Erskine
Carl Erskine, nicknamed Oisk, passed away on April 16, 2024, at the age of 97 following a bout of pneumonia. He was best known for his role as a pitcher in Major League Baseball, playing in five World Series for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Butch Johnson
Five-time Olympian Butch Johnson passed away on May 29 at the age of 68. The Atlanta 1996 team gold medalist had been battling a type of blood cancer called chronic lymphocytic leukemia for several years. His recovery was complicated by leukemia, which led to a stroke, post which he was unable to recover.
Carl Cain
Freeport and Iowa Hawkeyes basketball star Carl Cain passed away on June 2, 2024, at 89. He was on the Olympic team in 1956 and won a gold medal.
Bob Schul
Former Miami Track and Field standout Bob Schul passed away on June 16, 2024, at the age of 86 due to complications from dementia. He was America’s only gold medalist in the 5000 m at Tokyo’s 1964 Summer Olympics.
Jacoby Jones
Former Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease on July 14, 2024. The 40-year-old was known for his outstanding performance in the 2012 postseason, which ended with a victory in Super Bowl XLVII.
Abner Haynes
Abner Haynes passed away in Dallas on July 18, 2024, at the age of 86. He was a star of the American Football League (A.F.L.) in the early years and a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.
Mark Carnevale
Former PGA TOUR winner Mark Carnevale passed away on July 22, 2024. The professional golfer was also a commentator for Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and was awarded Rookie of the Year in 1992.
Don Wert
Nicknamed Coyote, Don Wert, the Major League Baseball player, passed away on August 24, 2024, in Strasburg at the age of 86. The Tigers’ hero from the 1968 World Series champion had been in poor health in his later years after suffering a series of strokes.
Rebecca Cheptegei
Marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei was attacked by her former boyfriend, who set her on fire at her residence in Kenya on September 1, 2024. The 33-year-old Ugandan Olympian, who suffered burns on 75% of her body, was in critical condition and passed away on September 5, 2024. Since 2010, Rebecca has represented her country at several World Championships and has even participated in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Matheus Pavlak
The 19-year-old Brazilian bodybuilder Matheus Pavlak was found dead at his home on September 1, 2024, due to a suspected heart attack. He grabbed the limelight for his amazing transformation and had won the “Mr. Blumenau” title in the U23 category.
Ed Kranepool
Major League Baseball infielder Ed Kranepool passed away from cardiac arrest in Florida on September 8, 2024. The 79-year-old was known as the longest-tenured player in New York Mets history and was a member of the Miracle Mets and won the 1969 World Series.
Harvey Marlatt
E-Club Hall of Famer Harvey Marlatt died in Atlanta on August 8, 2024, at the age of 75. The legendary basketball player from Eastern Michigan was celebrated as a two-time team MVP.
Reyes Moronta
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Reyes Moronta was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic on July 28. The 31-year-old had played for teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.
