Lists of sportspeople who died during their careers
This is a list of sports people who have died either during their respective careers or due to career-ending injury or disease at an age when they could still have been active. It includes both on-duty and off-duty deaths, although there are separate lists for the former in sports which have an especially high number. People who had announced their retirement from sport despite still being at an age when they could still have been active are not listed.
Does not include those who died in aircraft sport crashes such as aerobatics and air racing. Those names go in a separate article.
- Carl Boenish, 43, American cinematographer (1984)
- Patrick de Gayardon, 38, French skydiver and aviation pioneer (1998)
- Rob Harris, 28, American skydiver (1995)
- Roger Nelson, 47, American skydiver (2003)
Pro Football
- Johnathan Goddard, 27, Colorado Crush, Defensive End, motorcycle accident (2008)
- Al Lucas, 26, Los Angeles Avengers, Defensive Tackle fatal neck injury (2005)
- Justin Skaggs, 28, Utah Blaze, Wide Receiver, brain cancer (2007)
This list includes players who left the NFL for active military service. Each player is listed with his last team, even if it is not the team with which he is typically associated.
- Gaines Adams, 26, DE, Chicago Bears, cardiac arrest (2010)
- Jeff Alm, 25, DT, Houston Oilers, suicide (1993)
- Ralph Anderson, 24, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (AFL), diabetic reaction (1960)
- Eric Andolsek, 25, OG, Detroit Lions, car accident (1992)
- Troy Archer, 24, DE, New York Giants, car accident (1979)
- Brad Beckman, 24, TE, Atlanta Falcons, car accident, (1989)
- Ricky Bell, 29, RB, San Diego Chargers, complications of dermatomyositis (1984)
- Leon Bender, 22, DT, Oakland Raiders, seizure (1998)
- Al Blades, 26, S, San Francisco 49ers, car accident (2003)
- Al Blozis, 26, OT, New York Giants, died in World War II (1945)
- Jerome Brown, 27, DT, Philadelphia Eagles, car accident (1992)
- Frank Buncom, 29, LB, Cincinnati Bengals, blood clot (1969)
- Brandon Burlsworth, 22, OL, Indianapolis Colts, car accident (1999)
- J.V. Cain, 28, TE, St. Louis Cardinals, heart attack (1979)
- Marcus Cassel, 23, DB, Carolina Panthers, car accident (2006)
- Rusty Chambers, 22, LB, Miami Dolphins, car accident (1981)
- Marquis Cooper, 26, LB, Oakland Raiders, lost at sea (2009)
- David Croudip, 30, DB, Atlanta Falcons, drug overdose (1988)
- Rodney Culver, 26, RB, San Diego Chargers, plane crash (1996)
- Shane Curry, 24, DL, Indianapolis Colts, homicide (1992)
- Ernie Davis, 23, Syracuse RB, leukemia (1963) (appeared in uniform prior to a preseason game with the Cleveland Browns)
- Joe Delaney, 24, RB, Kansas City Chiefs, drowned trying to save 3 children in a pond (1983)
- Bo Farrington, 28, TE, Chicago Bears, car accident (1964)
- Don Fleming, 25, DB, Cleveland Browns, accidental electrocution (1963)
- Willie Galimore, 29, RB, Chicago Bears, car accident (1964)
- Blenda Gay, 26, DE, Philadelphia Eagles, homicide (1976)
- Howard Glenn, 26, OG, New York Titans (AFL), neck injury (1960)
- Larry Gordon, 28, LB, Miami Dolphins, heart attack while jogging (1983)
- David Griggs, 28, LB, San Diego Chargers, car accident (1995)
- Roger Hagberg, 31, TE, Oakland Raiders, car accident (1970)
- Chris Henry, 26, WR, Cincinnati Bengals, road accident (2009)
- Thomas Herrion, 23, G, San Francisco 49ers, Ischaemic heart disease (2005)
- Mack Lee Hill, 25, FB, Kansas City Chiefs (AFL), pulmonary embolism (1965)
- Marquise Hill, 24, DE, New England Patriots, drowned (2007)
- Chuck Hughes, 28, WR, Detroit Lions, heart attack during a game (1971)
- Stone Johnson, 23, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (AFL), neck injury (1963)
- Bob Kalsu, 25, OL, Buffalo Bills (AFL), killed in Vietnam War (1970)
- Fred Lane, 24, RB, Carolina Panthers, homicide (2000)
- Bob Laraba, 28, LB, San Diego Chargers, car accident (1962)
- Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, 31, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers, drug overdose (1963)
- Stan Mauldin, 27, T, Chicago Cardinals, heart attack (1948)
- Kenny McKinley, 23, WR, Denver Broncos, suicide (2010)
- Damien Nash, 24, RB, Denver Broncos, collapsed and died after a charity basketball game (2007)
- Ralph Norwood, 23, OT, Atlanta Falcons, car accident (1989)
- David Overstreet, 25, RB, Miami Dolphins, car accident (1984)
- Brian Piccolo, 26, FB, Chicago Bears, embryonal cell carcinoma (1970)
- Ron Rector, 24, RB, Atlanta Falcons, motorcycle accident (1968)
- Lucien Reeberg, 21, OT, Detroit Lions, heart attack (1964)
- Don Rogers, 23, FS, Cleveland Browns, drug overdose (1986)
- Corey Smith, 29, DE, Detroit Lions, lost at sea (2009)
- Dave Sparks, 26, DT, Washington Redskins, heart attack (1954)
- Andy Spiva, 24, LB, Atlanta Falcons, car accident (1979)
- Korey Stringer, 27, OT, Minnesota Vikings, heat stroke during practice (2001)
- Sean Taylor, 24, FS, Washington Redskins, homicide (2007)
- Derrick Thomas, 33, LB, Kansas City Chiefs, complications from a spinal cord injury suffered in a car accident (2000)
- Stacey Toran, 27, DB, Los Angeles Raiders, car accident (1989)
- Eric Turner, 31, DB, Oakland Raiders, stomach cancer (2000)
- Fred Washington, 23, DT, Chicago Bears, car accident (1990)
- Dave Waymer, 34, DB, Los Angeles Raiders, heart attack due to cocaine use (1993)
- Darrent Williams, 24, CB, Denver Broncos, homicide (2007)
- Donald Sellers, 26, WR, Scottish Claymores, car accident (2001)
- Troy Stark, 28, OL, New York/New Jersey Hitmen, complications from surgery (2001)
College football
NCAA football
- Sal Aunese, 21, University of Colorado, quarterback, stomach cancer (1989)
- Eraste Autin, 18, University of Florida, fullback, heat stroke (2001)
- Marlin Barnes, 22, University of Miami, homicide (1996)
- Nick Bell, 20, Mississippi State Bulldogs, defensive end, brain cancer (2010)
- Heath Benedict, 24, Newberry College, offensive tackle, enlarged heart (2008)
- Brook Berringer, 22, Nebraska Cornhuskers, quarterback, plane crash (1996)
- Kendall Berry, 22, FIU, homicide (stabbed) (2010)
- Taylor Bradford, 21, Memphis Tigers, defensive tackle, homicide (2007)
- Mario Danelo, 21, USC kicker, fell off a cliff (2007)
- Devaughn Darling, 19, Florida State, linebacker, cardiac arrhythmia, possible sickle cell complications (2001)
- Berndt Diettrich, Simon Fraser University, drowned as a result of heart failure
- Keeley Dorsey, 19, University of South Florida, long QT syndrome (2007)
- Kwane Doster, 21, Vanderbilt University, running back, homicide (2004)
- Todd Doxey, 19, University of Oregon, defensive back, drowned (2008)
- Trent DiGiuro, 20, University of Kentucky, homicide (1994)
- Butch Duhe, 21, Louisiana State University, brain hemorrhage (1970)
- Brandon Fails, 18, Texas A&M, blood clot in leg (2002)
- George Gipp, 25, Notre Dame, strep throat infection and pneumonia (1920)
- Vernon Grant, 22, Oklahoma State University, car crash (2005)
- Danroy “DJ’’ Henry Jr., 20, Pace University, wide receiver and defensive back, killed in police involved shooting(2010)[1]
- Brian Hiemer, 21, University of Nebraska, suicide, (1985)
- Jasper Howard, 20, University of Connecticut, homicide (stabbed) (2009)
- Chucky Mullins, 21, University of Mississippi, complications from a spinal cord injury suffered in an on-field collision, injured 1989, died 1991
- Aaron O'Neil, 19, University of Missouri, defensive back, heat stroke (2005)
- Bryan Pata, 22, University of Miami, homicide (2006)
- Cole Pittman, 21, University of Texas, defensive tackle, car crash (2001)
- Ereck Plancher, 19, University of Central Florida, athlete, heat stroke (2008)
- Greg Pratt, 20, Auburn University, fullback, collapsed on practice field (1983)
- Joe Roth, 21, University of California, Berkeley, melanoma (1977)
- John "Button" Salmon, 22, University of Arizona, quarterback, car crash (1926)[2]
- Shannon Smith, 20, University of Hawaii kicker, drowned (1997)
- Freddie Steinmark, 22, University of Texas defensive back, osteosarcoma (1971)
- Owen Thomas, 21, University of Pennsylvania, defensive end, suicide (2010)[3]
- Jack Trice, 21, Iowa State University, lung hemorrhage and internal bleeding due to injuries sustained in game against the University of Minnesota (1923)
- McCollins Umeh, 18, University of Arizona, enlarged heart (2004)
- Rashidi Wheeler, 22, Northwestern University, defensive back, heat stroke (2001)
- Curtis Williams, 24, University of Washington, complications from a spinal cord injury suffered in an on-field collision, injured 2000, died 2001
- Earl Wilson, 24, US Naval Academy, quarterback, neck injury sustained in a game against Villanova University, injured 1909, died 1910.
- Marshall University Thundering Herd football team, 37 members died in an airplane crash (1970)
- Wichita State University Shockers football team, most of the starting players and coaches died in an airplane crash (1970)
- Cal Poly Mustangs football team, 16 players and 6 others died in an airplane crash (1960)
Association football (Soccer)
Does not include footballers who died on the pitch during a game or training, or because of injuries or other health issues suffered on the pitch. Those names go in a separate article. Please refer to the article List of footballers who died while playing.
- Saad Al-Dosari, 27, Saudi Arabian midfielder, car accident (2004)
- Martin Aldridge, 25, English forward, car accident (2000)
- Alemão, 23, Brazilian striker, car accident (2007)
- George Allan, 24, Scottish forward, tuberculosis (1899)
- John Allan, Scottish player, Heart of Midlothian, Battle of Arras (1917)
- Shalva Apkhazava, 23, Georgian striker, heart attack (2004)
- Georgi Asparuhov, 28, Bulgarian striker, car accident (1971)
- Panagiotis Bachramis, 34, Greek midfielder, speedboat accident (2010)
- Valerio Bacigalupo, 25, Italian goalkeeper Superga air disaster (1949)
- Aldo Ballarin, 27, Italian defender, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Dino Ballarin, 23, Italian goalkeeper, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Harry Bamford, 38, English defender, motorcycle accident (1958)
- Maurice Banach, 24, German striker, car accident (1991)
- Patrick Banda, 22, Zambian striker, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Mike Barrett, 24, English winger, cancer (1984)
- Elson Becerra, 27, Colombian striker, homicide (2006)
- Mario Beltrán, 23, Colombian midfielder, car accident (2009)
- Julio César Benítez, 27, Uruguayan defender, food poisoning (1968)
- Geoff Bent, 25, English defender, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Einar Örn Birgisson, 27, Icelandic midfielder, homicide (2000)
- Milo Bongiorni, 28, French midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Luc Borrelli, 33, French goalkeeper, car accident (1999)
- Othman Boughanmi, Tunisian defender, heart defect
- Gary Bownes, 26, Irish striker, suicide (2005)
- James Boyd, Scottish player, Heart of Midlothian, Battle of the Somme (1916)
- Robert Bradley, English defender, died during his sleep
- Thomas Bradshaw, 26, English winger, consumption (1899)
- Shane Brennan, 23, Irish winger, collapsing roof accident (2005)
- Barry Butler, 31, English defender, car accident (1966)
- Roger Byrne, 28, English defender, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Eusebio Castigliano, 28, Italian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Ramiro Castillo, 31, Bolivian midfielder, suicide (1997)
- Luciano Re Cecconi, 28, Italian midfielder, shot during practical joke (1977)
- David Efford Chabala, 33, Zambian goalkeeper, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Whiteson Changwe, 23, Zambian defender, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Wisdom Mumba Chansa, 29, Zambian midfielder, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Moses Chikwalakwala, 19, Zambian midfielder, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Samuel Chomba, 29, Zambian defender, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Andriy Chopenko, 26, Ukrainian midfielder, car accident (2003)
- Dave Clement, 34, English defender, suicide (1982)
- Ludo Coeck, 30, Belgian midfielder, car accident (1985)
- Eddie Colman, 21, English midfielder, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Ernie Cooksey, 28, English midfielder, skin cancer (2008)
- Davie Cooper, 39, Scottish winger, brain haemorrhage (1995)
- Hernan Córdoba, 19, Colombian striker, car accident (2009)
- Federico Crescentini, 24, San Marinese defender, drowned (2006)
- Enrico Cucchi, 30, Italian midfielder, cancer (1996)
- Laurie Cunningham, 33, English striker, car accident (1989)
- Duncan Currie, Scottish player, Heart of Midlothian, Battle of the Somme (1916)
- Mattia Dal Bello, 20, Italian midfielder, car accident (2004)
- Vitaly Daraselia, 25, Soviet striker, car accident (1982)
- Alan Davies, 30, Welsh winger, suicide (1992)
- Jimmy Davis, 21, English winger, car accident (2003)
- Ruud Degenaar, 25, Dutch-Suriname defender, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Sébastien Demeersman, 37, Belgian winger, suicide (2008)
- Dener, 23, Brazilian striker, car accident (1994)
- Kazimierz Deyna, 41, Polish midfielder, car accident (1989)
- Vladimir Dimitrijević, 20, Serbian defender, heart attack (2001)
- Stan Docking, English midfielder, heart attack
- Lloyd Doesburg, 29, Dutch-Suriname goalkeeper, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Hussein Dokmak, 25, Lebanese defender, car bomb (2007)
- Steve van Dorpel, 23, Dutch-Suriname striker, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Marcio Dos Santos, 28, Peruvian striker, heart attack (2002)
- Ibrahim Dossey, 36, Ghanaian goalkeeper, car accident (2008)
- Angus Douglas, 29, Scottish winger, Spanish flu (1918)
- Johnny Doyle 30, Scottish midfielder, electrocuted (1981)
- Peter Dubovský, 28, Slovakian striker, diving accident (2000)
- Gustavo Eberto, 24, Argentine goalkeeper, testicular cancer (2007)
- Edivaldo, 30, Brazilian striker, car accident (1993)
- Duncan Edwards, 21, English midfielder, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Lutz Eigendorf, 26, German midfielder, car accident (1983)
- Youssef Elbai, 30, French defender, accident (2009)
- Ernest Ellis, English player, Heart of Midlothian, Battle of the Somme (1916)
- Robert Enke, 32, German goalkeeper, suicide (2009)
- Andrés Escobar, 27, Colombian defender, homicide (1994)
- Roy Evans, 25, Welsh defender, car accident (1969)
- Rubens Fadini, 21, Italian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Rommel Fernandez, 27, Panamanian striker, car accident (1993)
- Aaron Flahavan, 25, English goalkeeper, car accident (2001)
- Milton Flores, 28, Honduran goalkeeper, homicide (2003)
- Andrea Fortunato, 23, Italian defender, leukemia (1995)
- Wendel Fräser, 22, Dutch-Suriname forward, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Francisco Frione, 22, Uruguayan-Italian midfielder, pneumonia (1935)
- Guglielmo Gabetto, 33, Italian striker, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Hubert Gad, 24, Polish forward, swimming accident (1939)
- Niccolò Galli, 17, Italian defender, motorbike accident (2001)
- Ibragim Gasanbekov, 29, Azerbaijani-Russian striker, car accident (1999)
- Sirous Ghayeghran, 35, Iranian midfielder, car accident (1998)
- Lenar Gilmullin, 22, Russian defender, motorcycle accident (2007)
- Frits Goodings, 25, Dutch-Suriname player, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Tommy Goodwill, 22, English midfielder, victim of World War I (1916)
- Jefferson Gottardi, 27, Bolivian striker, Lou Gehrig's disease (2003)
- Craig Gowans, 17, Scottish, training ground accident (2005)
- Thomas Gracie, Scottish player, Heart of Midlothian F.C., died in action, WW1 (1915)
- Ruggero Grava, 27, French striker, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Giuseppe Grezar, 30, Italian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Alan Groves, 29, English winger, heart attack (1978)
- Jerry Haatrecht, 28, Dutch-Suriname player, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Jeff Hall, 29, English full-back, polio (1959)
- Jimmy Hampson, 31, English striker, boating accident (1938)
- Austin Hayes, 28, English winger, lung cancer (1986)
- Conrad Hendricks, 26, South African goalkeeper, car accident (2006)
- Dean Horrix, 28, English striker, car accident (1990)
- Peter Houseman, 31, English midfielder, car accident (1977)
- Ralph Hunt, 31, English striker, car accident (1964)
- Besian Idrizaj, 22, Austrian striker, heart attack (2010)
- Zdeněk Jánoš, 32, Czech goalkeeper, car accident (1999)
- Daniel Jarque, 26, Spanish defender, heart attack (2009)
- Virgall Joemankhan, 20, Dutch-Suriname player, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Jack Jones, 29, English forward, Typhoid fever (1904)
- Mark Jones, 24, English defender, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Ray Jones, 18, English striker, car accident (2007)
- Rolston Jones, Trinidad and Tobagan, shot dead
- Godfrey Kangwa, 29, Zambian midfielder, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Ihab Kareem, 26, Iraqi midfielder, injuries from bombing (2007)
- Dick Keith, 33, Northern Irish defender, accident dismantling a garage door (1967)
- Oliver King-Onzila, 19, English midfielder, stab wounds (2008)
- Alexei Klimenko, Soviet, execution by German soldiers during World War II (see The Death Match)
- Andro Knel, 21, Dutch-Suriname midfielder, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Ruben Kogeldans, 22, Dutch-Suriname defender, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Nikolai Korotkykh, Soviet, execution by German soldiers during World War II (see The Death Match)
- Yiannis Koskiniatis, 25, Greek midfielder, suicide (2008)
- Nikola Kotkov, 32, Bulgarian striker, car accident (1971)
- Marek Krejčí, 26, Slovak striker, car accident (2007)
- Mykola Kudrytsky, 31, Ukrainian midfielder, car accident (1994)
- Ernst Künz, 32, Austrian defender, military action during World War II (1944)
- Ivan Kuzmenko, Soviet, execution by German soldiers during World War II (see The Death Match)
- Pedro Lavoura, 26, Venezuelan striker, car accident (2000)
- Adam Ledwoń, 34, Polish midfielder, suicide (2008)
- Gift Leremi, 22, South African midfielder, car accident (2007)
- Mahicon Librelato, 21, Brazilian striker, car accident (2002)
- Ortwin Linger, 21, Dutch-Suriname defender, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Ezio Loik, 30, Itlaian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- David Longhurst, 25, English Striker, cardiac arrest (1990)
- John Lyons, 26, English striker, suicide (1982)
- Michael Maidens, 20, English midfielder, car accident (2007)
- Derby Makinka, 26, Zambian midfielder, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Stephen Malcolm, 30, Jamaican midfielder, car accident (2001)
- Dragan Mance, 22, Serbian striker, car accident (1985)
- Lesley Manyathela, 21, South African striker, car accident (2003)
- Virgilio Maroso, 23, Italian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Danilo Martelli, 25, Italian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Moses Masuwa, 22, Zambian striker, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Jason Mayélé, 26, Congolese striker, car accident (2002)
- Valentino Mazzola, 30, Italian striker, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Norrie McCathie, 34, Scottish defender, accidental carbon monoxide poisoning (1996)
- Bobby McKean, 25, Scottish midfielder, accidental carbon monoxide poisoning (1978)
- Tommy McLaren, 29, Scottish midfielder, suicide (1978)
- Tommy Meehan, 28, English half-back, encephalitis lethargica (1924)
- Romeo Menti, 29, Italian striker, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Vittorio Mero, 27, Italian defender, car accident (2002)
- Gigi Meroni, 27, Italian winger, car accident (1967)
- Claudio Milar, 34, Uruguayan striker, bus crash (2009)
- Michael Millett, 17, English defender, car accident (1995)
- Gionata Mingozzi, 23, Italian midfielder, car accident (2008)
- Damián Lucas Molina, Argentine goalkeeper, respiratory problems caused by heart defect
- Emiliano Molina, 17, Argentine goalkeeper, car accident (2005)
- Lester Morgan, 26, Costa Rican goalkeeper, suicide (2002)
- Eddie Moussa, 26, Swedish-Lebanese striker, homicide (2010)
- Eston Mulenga, 26, Zambian midfielder, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Winter Mumba, 23, Zambian defender, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Kelvin Mutale, 24, Zambian striker, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Richard Mwanza, 33, Zambian goalkeeper, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Numba Mwila, 21, Zambian midfielder, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Timothy Mwitwa, 25, Zambian striker, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Hussein Naeem, 20, Lebanese striker, car bomb (2007)
- Alan Nicholls, 22, English goalkeeper, motorcycle accident (1995)
- John Nicholson, 30, English defender, car crash (1966)
- Antonio de Nigris, 31, Mexican striker, heart attack (2009)
- Rogério Oliveira, 30, Brazilian striker, heart attack (2006)
- Piero Operto, 22, Italian defender, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Franco Ossola, 27, Italian striker, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Josheph Ouhm, 32, Cameroonese striker, pulmonary edema (2009)
- Maksym Pashaiv, 20, Ukrainian defender, car accident (2008)
- Fred Patrick, 23, Dutch-Suriname midfielder, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Simon Patterson, 24, English striker, car accident (2006)
- Serhiy Perkhun, 23, Ukrainian goalkeeper, brain hemorrhage as a result of head injury (2001)
- David Pegg, 22, English winger, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Mark Philo, 21, English midfielder, car accident (2006)
- Clément Pinault, 23, French defender, heart attack (2009)
- Federico Pisani, 22, Italian striker, car accident (1997)
- Danijel Popović, 20, Croatian midfielder, car accident (2002)
- Abdón Porte, 37, Uruguayan defender, suicide (1918)
- Kiyan Prince, 15, English youth team midfielder, homicide (2006)
- Antonio Puerta 22, Spanish midfielder, cardiac arrest (2007)
- Brian Purcell, 30, Welsh defender, car accident (1969)
- Aurel Radulescu, Romanian defender, died jumping off a moving train
- Avi Ran, 23, Israeli goalkeeper, hit by speed boat (1987)
- Mel Rees, 26, Welsh goalkeeper, cancer (1993)
- Régis, Brazilian defender, bus crash
- Renato, 28, Brazilian midfielder, homicide during robbery (2004)
- Claudinei Resende, 26, Brazilian midfielder, homicide (2004)
- Mario Rigamonti, 26, Italian midfielder, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Dale Roberts, 24, English goalkeeper, (2010)
- David Rocastle, 33, English midfielder, lymphoma (2001)
- Nick Ross, 31, Scottish defender, consumption/tuberculosis (1894)
- Silvester Sabolčki, 23, Croatian defender, car accident (2003)
- Diego Santa Cruz, 22, Parguayan striker, car accident (2005)
- Mirko Saric, 21, Argentine midfielder, suicide (2000)
- Andy Scharmin, 21, Dutch-Suriname defender, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Julius Schubert, 26, Hungarian striker, Superga air disaster (1949)
- Sergio Schulmeister, 25, Argentine goalkeeper, suicide (2003)
- Kenan Simambe, 19, Zambian defender, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Matthias Sindelar, 35, Austrian striker, officially carbon monoxide poisoning (1939) (see Matthias Sindelar#Death and myth)
- George Smith, 28, English defender/striker, heart attack (1908)
- Nicol Smith, 32, Scottish defender, enteric fever (1905)
- John Soko, 23, Zambian defender, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- James Speedie, Scottish player, Heart of Midlothian, died in action, WW1 (1915)
- Adam Stansfield, English player, Exeter City, bowel cancer (2010)
- François Sterchele, 26, Belgian striker, car accident (2008)
- Nick Stienstra, 33, Dutch-Suriname player, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Anatoli Sylka, 30, Russian defender, heart attack (2009)
- Sándor Szűcs, 30, Hungarian international defender, execution by the communist regime for defection attempt (1951)
- Giuliano Taccola, 24, Italian striker, heart attack (1969)
- Tommy Taylor, 26, English striker, Munich air disaster (1958)
- Otilino Tenorio, 25, Ecuadorian striker, car accident (2005)
- Donald Thobega, 29, Botswanan midfielder, car accident (2009)
- Alfredo Tomassini, 23, Peruvian midfielder, drowned (1987)
- David Di Tommaso, 26, French midfielder, heart attack (2005)
- Mickey Trotman, 26, Trinidad and Tobagan midfielder, car accident (2001)
- Nikolai Trusevich, Soviet goalkeeper, execution by German soldiers during World War II (see The Death Match)
- Raimundo Tupper, 26, Chilean defender, suicide (1995)
- Petea Valcov, 32, Romanian striker, died on the Eastern Front (1942)
- Ferry van Vliet, 20, Dutch midfielder, car accident (2001)
- Edy Vasquez, 23, Honduran midfielder, car accident (2007)
- Elfried Veldman, 23, Dutch-Suriname midfielder, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Florian Vijent, 27, Dutch-Suriname goalkeeper, Surinam air disaster (1989)
- Karl Wallmüller, 30, Austrian midfielder, military action during World War II (1944)
- Wang Donglei, 23, Chinese midfielder, car accident (2008)
- Robert Watiyakeni, 24, Zambian defender, Gabon air disaster (1993)
- Harry Wattie, Scottish player, Heart of Midlothian, Battle of the Somme (1916)
- Walter Werginz, 31, Austrian forward, military action during World War II (1944)
- Liam Whelan, 22, Irish striker, Munich air disaster (1958)
- John White, 27, Scottish midfielder, hit by lightning (1964)
- Dave Wiggett, 20, English defender, car accident (1978)
- Frank Wilson, 22, English centre forward, "maniacal exhaustion caused by football and excitement"[4]
- Whayne Wilson, 29, Costa Rican striker, car accident (2005)
- Zhang Yalin, 28, Chinese midfielder, lymphoma (2010)
- Mikhail Yeremin, 23, Soviet goalkeeper, car accident (1991)
- Gábor Zavadszky, 31, Hungarian midfielder, embolism (2006)
- Hicham Zerouali, 27, Moroccan striker, car accident (2004)
- Abebe Bikila, 41, Ethiopian long distance runner and two-time Olympic gold medalist, complications from spinal cord injury suffered in a car accident (1973)
- Lillian Board, 22, British sprinter, 400m and middle distance runner and Olympic silver medallist, cancer (1970)
- Richard Chelimo, 29, Kenyan long distance runner and Olympic silver medalist, brain tumour (2001)
- Maria Cioncan, 29, Romanian middle distance runner, car accident (2007)
- Ivo Van Damme, 22, Belgian middle distance runner and two-time Olympic silver medalist, car accident (1976)
- Foy Draper, 31, American sprinter, military actions during World War II (Battle of Kasserine Pass) (1943)
- James Duffy, 24, Irish marathon runner, KIA during Second Battle of Ypres (1915)
- Pål Arne Fagernes, 29, Norwegian javelin thrower, car accident (2003)
- Piotr Gładki, 33, Polish long distance runner, car accident (2005)
- Nils Uhlin Hansen, 25, Norwegian long jumper, killed as a resistance fighter during World War II (1945)
- Rudolf Harbig, 30, German middle distance runner, military actions during World War II (1944)
- René Herms, 26, German middle distance runner, myocarditis caused by a viral infection (2009)
- Kinue Hitomi, 24, Japanese sprinter and jumper and Olympic silver medallist, tuberculosis (1931)
- Owe Jonsson, 21, Swedish sprinter and European gold medalist, car accident. (1962)
- Yutaka Kanai, 30, Japanese long distance runner, car accident (1990)
- Janusz Kusociński, 33, Polish long distance runner and Olympic gold medalist, executed by the Gestapo in 1940 during Nazi Germany's occupation of Poland. (1940)
- Francisco Lázaro, 21, Portuguese marathon runner, dehydration due to high temperature (1912)
- Wilhelm Leichum, 30, German jumper and sprinter, military actions during World War II (1941)
- Luz Long, 30, German jumper and Olympic silver medalist who is most famous for befriending Jesse Owens during the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, military actions during World War II (1943)
- Bronisław Malinowski, 30, Polish Olympic champion 3000m steeplechaser, car accident (1981)
- Wesly Ngetich, 30, Kenyan long distance runner, murdered in the Kenyan political crisis' riots (2008)
- Sueo Ōe, 27, Japanese pole vaulter, military actions during World War II[5] (1941)
- Steve Prefontaine, 24, American long distance runner, car accident (1975)
- Bob Roggy, 30, American javelin thrower, car accident (1986)
- Ryan Shay, 28, American long distance runner, collapsed during the 2007 US Olympic Marathon Trials (2007)
- Kamila Skolimowska, 26, Polish hammer thrower, pulmonary embolism (2009)
- Ian Syster, 28, South African long distance runner, drowned in car accident, died a few months after the 2004 Olympics[6] (2004)
- Tomoyuki Taniguchi, 29, Japanese long distance runner, car accident (1990)
- Kokichi Tsuburaya, 27, Japanese long distance runner, suicide (1968)
- Geoff Watt, Australian long distance runner. First to run up and down Mount Kilimanjaro. Died of exposure in snow. (1969)
- Hans Woellke, 32, German shot putter, military actions during World War II.[7] (1943)
- Troy Broadbridge, 24, Melbourne defender, swept out to sea and drowned in the 2004 Asian Tsunami (2004)
- Norm Collins, 29, Hawthorn player, found hanged in his garage (1933)
- Peter Crimmins, 28, Hawthorn rover, testicular cancer (1976)
- Ron Doig, Sr, 23, South Fremantle on-field injury, (1932)
- Lyle Downs, 24, Carlton rover, heart attack (1921)
- Brian Gilmore, 25-26, Footscray premiership player, car accident (1959)
- Wayne Gordon, 28-29, Collingwood & Melbourne player, cancer (1983)
- Ron James, 19, Footscray player, waterskiing (1990)
- Darren Millane, 26, Collingwood wingman, car accident (1991)
- Richard Nixon, 26-27, Richmond, car accident (1992)
- Fred Phillips, 27-28, St Kilda utility, Hawthorn Captain-coach, blood poisoning (1933)
- Maurie Sankey, 25, Carlton ruckman, car accident (1965)
- Doug Tassell, 24, Essendon player, car accident (1970)
- Les Witto, 23, Carlton defender, tetanus (1926)
Players/umpires with an asterisk (*) are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Minor-league players are listed with their major-league affiliations.
- Nick Adenhart, 22, P, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, car accident (2009)
- Harry Agganis, 26, 1B, Boston Red Sox, blood clot (1955)
- Steve Bechler, 23, P, Baltimore Orioles, complications from misuse of Ephedra (2003)
- Marty Bergen, 28, C, suicide after murdering his family (1900)
- Tony Boeckel, 31, 3B, Boston Braves, car crash (1924)
- Walt Bond, 29, OF, Minnesota Twins, leukemia (1967)
- Tiny Bonham, 36, P, Pittsburgh Pirates, appendicitis (1949)
- Lyman Bostock, OF, 27, California Angels, homicide (1978)
- Hal Carlson, 38, P, Chicago Cubs, stomach hemorrhage (1930)
- Ray Chapman, 29, SS, Cleveland Indians, hit by pitch in game (1920)
- Néstor Chávez, 21, P, San Francisco Giants , airplace accident(1969)
- Roberto Clemente*, 38, RF, Pittsburgh Pirates, plane crash (1972)
- Tim Crews, 31, RP, Cleveland Indians, boat accident that killed teammate Steve Olin and injured teammate Bobby Ojeda (1993)
- Mike Coolbaugh, 35, first base coach, Colorado Rockies, struck by line drive in coach's box (2007)
- Jay Dahl, 19, P, Houston Colt .45s, car accident (1965)
- Mike Darr, 25, OF, San Diego Padres, car accident (2002)
- Jake Daubert, 40, 1B, Cincinnati Reds, appendicitis (1924)
- Ed Delahanty*, 35, OF, Washington Senators, swept over Niagara Falls (1903)
- Joe DeSa, 27, 1B, Chicago White Sox, car accident (1986)
- Lou DiMuro, 51, Umpire, American League, car accident (1982)
- Alfredo Edmead, 18, RF, Pittsburgh Pirates, on-field collision with teammate (1974)[8][9]
- Paul Edmondson, 27, P, Chicago White Sox, car accident (1970)
- Danny Frisella, 30, P, Milwaukee Brewers, dune buggy accident (1977)
- Tom Gastall, 24, C, Baltimore Orioles, plane crash (1956)
- Elmer Gedeon, 27, OF, Washington Senators, died in World War II (1944)
- Geremi Gonzalez, 33, P, Milwaukee Brewers, genital warts (2008)
- Eddie Grant, 35, 2B, New York Giants, died in World War I (2008)
- Josh Hancock, 29, P, St. Louis Cardinals, car accident (2007)
- Willard Hershberger, 30, C, Cincinnati Reds, suicide (1940)
- Gil Hodges, 47, Manager, New York Mets, heart attack (1972)
- Dick Howser, 51, Manager, Kansas City Royals, brain cancer (1987)
- Ken Hubbs, 22, 2B, Chicago Cubs, plane crash (1964)
- Addie Joss*, 31, P, Cleveland Indians, meningitis (1911)
- Joe Kennedy, 28, P, Toronto Blue Jays, hypertensive heart disease (2007)
- Darryl Kile, 33, P, St. Louis Cardinals, heart defect (2002)
- Len Koenecke, 31, OF, Brooklyn Dodgers, homicide (1935)
- Walter Lerian, 26, C, Philadelphia Phillies, car accident (1929)
- Cory Lidle, 34, P, New York Yankees, plane crash (2006)
- Steve Macko, 27, IF, Chicago Cubs, cancer (1981)
- Dan McGann, 39, 1B, New York Giants, suicide (1910)
- Austin McHenry, 27, OF, St. Louis Cardinals, brain tumor (1922)
- John McSherry, 51, Umpire, National League, heart attack during Cincinnati Reds Opening Day game vs. Montreal Expos (1996)
- Mike Miley, 23, SS, California Angels, off road vehicle accident (1977)
- Doug Million, 21, P, Colorado Rockies, asthma attack (1997)
- Bob Moose, 29, P, Pittsburgh Pirates, car accident (1976)
- Donnie Moore, 35, P, California Angels, suicide (1989)
- Thurman Munson, 32, C, New York Yankees, plane crash (1979)
- Steve Olin, 27, P, Cleveland Indians, boat accident that killed teammate Tim Crews and injured teammate Bobby Ojeda (1993)
- Harry O'Neill, 27, C, Philadelphia Athletics, died in World War II (1945)
- Charlie Peete, 27, OF, St. Louis Cardinals, plane crash (1956)
- Gus Polidor, 33, Infielder, Montreal Expos, murdered during robbery (1995)
- Doc Powers, 38, C, Philadelphia Athletics, gangrene (1909)
- Jimmy Sebring, 27, RF, Washington Senators, Bright's disease (1909)
- Mike Sharperson, 34, IF, San Diego Padres, car accident (1996)
- Urban Shocker, 38, P, New York Yankees, pneumonia (1928)
- Chick Stahl, 34, OF, suicide (1907)
- Dernell Stenson, 25, OF, Cincinnati Reds, murdered during robbery (2003)
- Alan Storke, 25, infielder, Cincinnati Reds, general streptococcus due to empyema (1910)[10]
- Danny Thompson, 29, IF, Texas Rangers, leukemia (1976)
- Jim Umbricht, 33, P, Houston Colt .45's, lymphoma (1964)
- Lee Weyer, 51, Umpire, National League, heart attack (1988)
- Don Wilson, 29, P, Houston Astros, carbon monoxide poisoning (1975)[11]
- Cliff Young, 29, P, Cleveland Indians, car accident (1993)
- Josh Gibson*, 35, C, Homestead Grays, brain tumor and stroke (1947)
International (men)
- Miska Alanko, Pussihukat, car accident (1997)
- Ángel Almeida, 25, Clube Portugal Telecom, heart attack (1997)[12]
- Davide Ancilotto, 23, Virtus Roma, brain hemorrhage (1997)[13]
- Paolo Barlera, 27, Virtus Bologna, leukemia (2009)[14]
- Alexander Belov, 26, Spartak Leningrad, cardiac sarcoma (1978)
- Jonathan Bourhis, 19, JDA Dijon, car accident (2009)[15]
- Haris Brkić, 26, KK Partizan, homicide (shot) (2000)
- Lavelle Felton, 29, Paderborn Baskets, homicide (shot) (2009)[16]
- Scott Fenton, 24, Perth Wildcats, car accident (1989)
- Joan Filbá, 26, OAR Ferrol, car accident (1981)[17]
- Alphonso Ford, 32, Scavolini Spar Pesaro, Euroleague, leukemia (2004)
- Valery Goborov, 24, CSKA Moscow, car accident (1989)
- Zoltán Horváth, 30, Falco KC Szombathely, car accident (2009)[18]
- Kenyon Jones, 27, Maroussi BC, heart attack (2005)[19]
- Yadgar Karimov, 20, UNICS Kazan, heart attack, 2001[20]
- Radivoj Korać, 30, Boario Padova, car accident (1969)
- Kari "Kanni" Kulonen, FoKoPo, UU, car accident (1990)
- Tapani Manninen, Pussihukat, car accident (1996)
- Fernando Martín, 27, Real Madrid, car accident (1989)
- Aidin Nikkhah Bahrami, 25, Saba Battery Tehran BC, car accident (2007)
- Alexander Petrenko, 30, Khimki BC, car accident (2006)
- Paulo Pinto, 27, Aveiro Basket, cardiac arrest (2002)[21]
- Trajko Rajković, 32, OKK Beograd (1970)
- Enrico Ravaglia, 23, Pallacanestro Cantù, car accident (1999)[22]
- Gabriel Riofrío, 23, Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca, heart attack (2001)[23]
- Marvin Stone, 26, Al-Ittihad (Jeddah), heart attack (2008)
- Gregory Vallenilla, 27, Marinos de Oriente, car accident (2007)[24]
- Heino Veskila, 22, World War II (1941)[25]
- Kevin Widemond, 23, Ovarense, heart attack (2009)
International (women)
- Olga Yakovleva, 24, Chevakata Vologda, drowning (2010)[26]
USA
NBA
- Ricky Berry, 24, Sacramento Kings, suicide (1989)
- Len Bias, 22, Boston Celtics (drafted but never played in the NBA), cocaine overdose (1986)
- Jason Collier, 28, Atlanta Hawks, cardiac arrest (2005)
- Terry Furlow, 25, Utah Jazz, car accident (1980)
- Eddie Griffin, 25, Minnesota Timberwolves, car accident (2007)
- Wendell Ladner, 26, New York Nets (ABA), plane crash (1975)
- Reggie Lewis, 27, Boston Celtics, heart failure, (1993)
- Conrad McRae, 29, Orlando Magic (summer league), unknown but most likely heart failure (2000)
- Dražen Petrović, 28, New Jersey Nets, car accident (1993)
- Bobby Phills, 30, Charlotte Hornets, car accident (2000)
- Malik Sealy, 30, Minnesota Timberwolves, car accident (2000)
- Nick Vanos, 24, Phoenix Suns, plane crash (1987)
- Lorenzen Wright, 34, Free Agent, homicide (shot) (2010)
NCAA (men)
- De'Andre Adams, 20, Winthrop Eagles, car crash (2007)
- Warren Alston, 18, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Jerode Banks, 20, Baylor Bears men's basketball, car crash (1994)
- Ray Comandella, 18, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Chris Daniels, 22, Dayton Flyers, cardiac arrest (1996)
- Patrick Dennehy, 21, Baylor Bears, homicide (see Baylor University basketball scandal) (2003)
- Mike Duff, 18, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Wayne Estes, 21, Utah State Aggies, accidental electrocution (1965)
- Nate Fleming, 20, Oklahoma State Cowboys, plane crash (2001)
- Ryan Francis, 19, USC Trojans, homicide (2006)
- Hank Gathers, 23, Loyola Marymount Lions, cardiac arrest during a game (1990)
- Kraig Heckerdorn, 19, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Mike Joyner, 19, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Kevin Kingston, 21, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Dan Lawson, 21, Oklahoma State Cowboys, plane crash (2001)
- Barney Lewis, 18, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Jeron Lewis, 21, University of Southern Indiana Screamin' Eagles, enlarged heart (2010)
- Steve Miller, 20, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Keith Moon, 20, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Tobi Oyedeji, 18, Texas A&M University, car accident (2010)
- Danny Rumph, 21, Western Kentucky University, heart attack (2005)
- Mark Siegel, 19, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Greg Smith, 18, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash, (1977)
- Chris Street, 20, Iowa Hawkeyes, car accident (1993)
- Bryan Taylor, 20, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- John Ed Washington, 21, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
- Tony Winburn, 22, Evansville Purple Aces, plane crash (1977)
WNBA
- Kim Perrot, 32, Houston Comets, cancer (1999)
NCAA (women)
- Alisa Lewis, 20, University of California, bacterial meningitis (2004)[27]
- Shawntinice Polk, 22, University of Arizona, pulmonary embolism (2005)
- Reto Capadrutt, 26, Swiss bobsledder, crashed during the four-man event of the 1939 FIBT World Championships
- Yvonne Cernota, 24, German bobsled driver, crashed during practice run (2004)
- Felix Endrich, 31, Swiss bobsled driver, crashed during 1953 FIBT World Championships
- Max Houben, 50, Belgian bobsledder, crashed during practice run prior to the 1949 FIBT World Championships
- James Morgan, 32, American bobsled driver, crashed during the 1981 FIBT World Championships at Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy[28]
- Anton Pensperger, German bobsled driver, race crash during 1966 FIBT World Championships
- Sergio Zardini, 34, Italian bobsled driver, slid into retaining wall during a competition in 1966.
- Mohammed Benaziza, 31, heart attack (1992)[29]
- Andreas Münzer, 31, liver and kidney failure (1996)[30]
- Brian Taylor, 38, heart attack (1980)
Deaths in the ring
Name | Nationality | Death Year | Championship | Class | Opponent | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pedro Alcázar | Panamanian | 2002 | WBO | super flyweight | Fernando Montiel | |
Simon Byrne | Ireland | 1833 | heavyweight | James Burke | ||
Frankie Campbell | American | 1930 | Heavyweight | Max Baer | ||
Yo-Sam Choi | Korean | 2008 | Light-flyweight | Heri Amol | ||
Leavander Johnson | American | 2005 | IBF | lightweight | Jesús Chávez | |
Duk Koo Kim | Korean | 1982 | lightweight | Ray Mancini | ||
Alexander McKay | Scottish | 1830 | heavyweight | Simon Byrne | ||
Davey Moore | American | 1963 | featherweight | Sugar Ramos | ||
James Murray | British | 1995 | bantamweight | Drew Docherty | ||
Johnny Owen | British | 1980 | bantamweight | Lupe Pintor | ||
Kevin Payne | American | 2006 | welterweight | Ryan Maraldo | ||
Benny Paret | Cuban | 1962 | welterweight | Emile Griffith | ||
Tosh Powell | British | 1928 | bantamweight | Billy Housego | ||
Martín Sánchez | Mexican | 2005 | super featherweight | Rustam Nugaev | ||
Ed Sanders | American | 1954 | heavyweight | Willie James | ||
Angelito Sisnorio | Filipino | 2007 | lightweight | Chatchai Sasakul | ||
Robert Wangila | Kenyan | 1994 | welterweight | David Gonzales |
Deaths outside the ring
- Oscar "Ringo" Bonavena, 33, Argentine heavyweight, homicide (1976)
- Marcel Cerdan, 33, French middleweight champion, killed in plane crash (1949)
- Billy Collins, 22, car accident (1984)
- Diego Corrales, 29, American super featherweight and lightweight champion, motorcycle accident (2007)
- Carlos Cruz, 32, Dominican lightweight champion, killed in plane crash (1970)
- Tiger Flowers, 32, American world middleweight champion, complications from surgery (1927)
- Vernon Forrest, 38, welterweight and light welterweight, homicide (2009)
- Arturo Gatti, 37, Canadian world super featherweight champion, cause of death disputed (2009)
- Harry Greb, 32, American world middleweight champion, complications from surgery (1926)
- Stanley Ketchel, 24, American world middleweight champion, homicide (1910)
- Julian Letterlough, 35, American light heavyweight, homicide (2005)
- Sonny Liston, 38, American world heavyweight champion, cause of death disputed (1970)
- Michael Murach, 30, German welterweight Olympic champion, military actions during World War II (1941)[31]
- Giselle Salandy, 21, Trinidadian boxer, car accident (2009)
- Agapito Sánchez, 35, Dominican World super bantamweight champion, homicide (2005)
- Salvador Sánchez, 23, Mexican world featherweight champion, car accident (1982)
- Mzukisi Sikali, 34, South African flyweight, homicide (2005)
- Edwin Valero, 28, Venezuelan lightweight champion, suicide by hanging (2010)
- Pancho Villa, 23, Filipino world flyweight champion, Ludwig's angina (1925)
- Juanito Apinani, 22-23, Spanish bullfighter, broken neck (1850)
- José Falcón, 29, Portuguese bullfighter, injuries sustained after being gored by a bull named Cucharero (1974)
- José Gómez Ortega, 25, Spanish bullfighter, gored to death by a bull (1920)
- Felix Guzman, Spanish bullfighter, injuries sustained when gored by a bull named "Reventón" during a bullfight (1943)
- Manolete, 30, Spanish bullfighter, injuries sustained when gored in the right upper leg by a bull named "Islero" during a bullfight in Linares, Jaén (1947)
- Nimeño II, 37, French bullfighter, suicide (1991)
- Paquirri, 36, Spanish bullfighter, injuries sustained after being gored by a bull named "Avispado" in Pozoblanco (1984)
- Ernesto Pastor, 28-29, Puerto Rican bullfighter, injuries sustained by a bull during a bullfight (1921)
- Jean-Pierre Rachou, French bull leaper, injuries sustained a bull's horn, when it tore his femoral artery (2003)
- Ignacio Sánchez Mejías, 43, Spanish bullfighter, gored to death by a bull (1934)
- Norm Casola, 29, Toronto Argonauts, Running Back/Receiver, cancer (1998) [32]
- Travis Claridge, 27, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Offensive Guard, acute pneumonia (2006)
- Cal Jones, 23, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, offensive guard, plane crash which also killed 4 members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and a CFL official (1956)
- Tom Pate, 23, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, linebacker, brain aneurysm (1975)
Canoeing
- György Kolonics, 36, Hungarian sprint canoer, heart attack during practice (2008)
- Rich Weiss, 33, American slalom canoer, drowned in accident (1997)
- Alexander Alekhine, 53, Russian world chess champion. The circumstances of his death (1946) are still a matter of debate.
- Karen Asrian, 28, Armenian chess grandmaster. Died in 2008 of a suspected heart attack while driving.
- Vladimir Bagirov, 65, Soviet-Armenian grandmaster of chess. Died of a heart attack while playing a tournament game (2000).
- Tony Miles, 46, English chess grandmaster. Died of a heart failure in 2001.
- Lembit Oll, 33, Estonian chess grandmaster. He jumped out of the window of his house on the 5th floor (1999).
- Abdul Aziz, 17, Pakistani cricketer, hit over heart by ball during a game (1959)
- Tamim Bashir, 19, Khulna Division, malaria (2004)
- Charlie Bull, 30, Worcestershire, car accident (1939)
- Jock Cameron, 30, South Africa, typhoid fever (1935)
- Cyril Christiani, 24, West Indies, malaria (1938)
- Hansie Cronje, 32, South Africa, plane crash (2002)
- Stanley de Silva, 23, Sri Lanka, motorcycle accident (1980)
- John Dunn, Hong Kong, 30, drowned with the SS Bokhara (1892)
- Ken Farnes, 30, England, flying accident on active service with the Royal Air Force (1941)
- Ian Folley, 30, English cricketer, heart attack after being hit in the face by a ball during a game (1993)
- Fred Grace, 29, English cricketer, pneumonia (1880)
- Sajjadul Hasan, 28, Bangladesh, motorcycle accident (2007)
- Ben Hollioake, 24, England, car accident (2002)
- Archie Jackson, 23, Australia, tuberculosis (1933)
- Graham Kersey, 25, Surrey, car accident (1997)
- Raman Lamba, 38, India, died of internal hemorrhage suffered after being hit by a ball during a game (1998)
- Trevor Madondo, 24, Zimbabwe, malaria (2001)
- Scott Mason, 28, Tasmania, heart attack while training (2005)
- Maurice Nichol, 29, Worcestershire, unknown (1934)
- Dallas Page, 25, Gloucestershire car accident (1936)
- Dudley Pope, 27, Essex, car accident (1934)
- Rahatullah, 18, Peshawar, homicide (2008)
- Manjural Islam Rana, 22, Bangladesh, motorcycle accident (2007)
- Umer Rashid, 26, Sussex, drowned in Grenada (2002)
- Sadashiv Shinde, 31, India, typhoid (1955)
- Wilf Slack, 34, England, collapsed and died while playing cricket in Gambia (1989)
- Collie Smith, 26, West Indies, car accident (1959)
- Claude Tozer, 30, New South Wales, homicide (1920)
- Haseeb-ul-Hasan, 25, Karachi, homicide (1990)
- Maurits van Nierop, 25, Netherlands, accidental fall (2008)
- Ken Wadsworth, 29, New Zealand, skin cancer (1976)
- Solène Coulot, 20, French curler, suicide (2010)
- Marj Mitchell, 35, Canadian curler, cancer (1983)
- Scott Patterson, 34, Canadian curler, car crash (2004)
- Sandra Schmirler, 36, Canadian curler, oesophageal cancer (2000)
Does not include those who died in wheeled sports such as cycling accident, as there is a separate list for such, please refer to List of professional cyclists who died during a race. All are road cyclists unless stated.
- Yulia Arustamova, 24, Russian track, suicide (2007)
- Beryl Burton, 58, British, heart failure (1996)
- Fausto Coppi, 40, Italian, malaria (1960)
- François Faber, 28, French, KIA during World War I (1915)
- Andrei Kivilev, 29, Kazakhstan, edema (2003)
- Octave Lapize, 29, French, KIA during World War I (1917)
- Andreas Matzbacher, 25, Austrian, car crash (2008)
- Lucien Mazan, 35, Argentine cyclist, road accident whilst in military action during World War I (1917)
- Dave Rayner, 27, British road cyclist. A fund is his name has been set up to support British road racing cyclists. (1994)
- Bert Oosterbosch, 32, Dutch, heart failure (1989)
- Carlo Oriani, 29, Italian, pneumonia (1917)
- Marco Pantani, 34, Italian, drugs overdose (2004)
- René Pottier, 27, French, suicide (1907)
- Albert Richter, 27, German track, execution by the Gestapo (1940)
- Jure Robic, 45, Slovenian, car crash (2010)
- Lucien Storme, 28, Belgian, accidentally shot by American servicemen during World War II (1945)
- Gavin Brown, 22, British diver, hit-and-run (2007)
- Sergei Chalibashvili, 21, professional diver, accident during the World University Games (1983)
- Loïc Leferme, 36, French free-diver, drowned (2007)
- Audrey Mestre, 28, French free-diver, drowned (2002)
- Vladimir Smirnov, 28, Olympic champion fencer, accident during a match (1982)
- Tony Austin, British, KIA in World War II
- Jean-Pierre Brunet, 19, American, car accident (1946)
- Walter Gregory, British, KIA in World War II
- Sergei Grinkov, 28, Russian, heart attack during practice for Stars on Ice tour (1995)
- Morgan Innes, 14, Australian, boating accident (2007)
- Rob McCall, 33, Canadian, AIDS-related brain cancer (1991)
- Freddie Tomlins, 23, British, KIA in World War II (1943)
- The following Americans all died in the 1961 crash of Sabena Flight 548:
- Roger Campbell, 19
- Dona Lee Carrier, 20
- Patricia Dineen, 24-25
- Robert Dineen, 23
- Ila Ray Hadley, 18
- Ray Hadley, Jr., 17
- Laurie Hickox, 15
- William Hickox, 19
- Gregory Kelley, 16-17
- Bradley Lord, 23
- Rhode Lee Michelson, 17
- Laurence Owen, 16
- Maribel Owen, 20
- Larry Pierce, 23-24
- Douglas Ramsay, 15-16
- Dudley Richards, 29
- Diane Sherbloom, 18
- Stephanie Westerfeld, 17
- Erica Blasberg, 25, LPGA golfer, suicide by asphyxia (2010)
- Heather Farr, 28, LPGA golfer, breast cancer (1993)
- Tony Lema, 32, The Open champion, plane crash (1966)
- Young Tom Morris, 25, The Open champion, heart attack (1875)
- Payne Stewart, 42, PGA and U.S. Open champion, plane crash (1999)
- Babe Zaharias, 45, LPGA golfer, colon cancer (1956)
- Alexander Beresch, 26, car accident (2004)
- Joaquín Blume, 25, Spanish gymnast, plane crash (1959)
- Julissa Gomez, 18, injuries due to a vaulting accident (1991)
- Christy Henrich, 22, anorexia (1994)
- Oxana Kostina, 20, car accident (1993)
- Natalia Lavrova, 25, car accident (2010)
- Yuri Ryazanov, 22, Russian gymnast, car crash[33] (2009)
- Marian Cozma, 26, Romanian handball player, homicide (stabbed to death) (2009)
- Georg Dascher, 33, German handball player, military actions during World War II (1944)[34]
- Sebastian Faißt, 20, German handball player, heart failure (2009)
- Arthur Knautz, 32, German field handball player, KIA during World War II (1943)[35]
- Heinz Körvers, 27, German field handball player, KIA during World War II (1942)[36]
- Oleg Velyky, 32, Ukrainian-born German handball player, skin cancer (2010)
Does not include those who died in riding accident such as equestrian or horse racing, as there is a separate list for such, please refer to List of horse accidents.
- Chris Antley, 34, American jockey, drug overdose (2000)
- Fred Archer, 29, English jockey, suicide (1886)
- Silvio Coucci, 27, American jockey, suicide (1942)
- Ron Hansen, 33, American jockey, car accident (1994)
- Frank Hayes, 34-35, American jockey, died from a heart attack while riding his horse Sweet Kiss to victory at Belmont Park (1923)
- Don MacBeth, 37, Canadian jockey, cancer (1987)
- Jamie Kyne, 18, Irish jockey, arson (2009)
- Jan Wilson, 19, Scottish jockey, arson (2009)
- Kim Hyung-chil, 47, Korean jockey, died in Dec 2006 while attending the equestrian race in 2006 Asian Games (2006)
- Stathi Katsidis, 31, Australian jockey, cause of death unknown (2010)
- Don Ashby, 26, NHL, car accident (1981)
- Bill Barilko, 24, NHL, plane crash (1951)
- Jeff Batters, 25, NHL, car accident (1996)
- Michel Briere, 21, NHL, car accident (1971)
- Luc Bourdon, 21, NHL, motorcycle accident (2008)
- Alexei Cherepanov, 19, KHL, heart condition (2008)
- Steve Chiasson, 32, NHL, car accident/drunk driving (1999)
- Luděk Čajka, 26, Czech Extraliga, on-ice spinal injury (1990)
- Jonathan Delisle, 28, NHL, car accident (2006)
- Yanick Dupré, 24, NHL, leukemia (1997)
- Bob Gassoff, 24, NHL, alcohol-related motorcycle accident (1977)
- Joe Hall, NHL, 36, pneumonia related to influenza (1919)
- Roland Hedberg, 62, Linesman, puck shot (2010)
- Tim Horton, 44, NHL, car accident (1974)
- Peter Karlsson, 29, Swedish hockey player, homicide (1995)
- Valeri Kharlamov, 33, Soviet hockey player, car accident (1981)
- John Kordic, 27, NHL, cocaine overdose (1992)
- Pelle Lindbergh, 26, NHL, car accident (1985)
- Roman Lyashenko, 24, NHL, suicide (2003)
- Bill Masterton, 29, NHL, on-ice brain hemorrhage from a check by Larry Cahan and Ron Harris (1968)
- Howie Morenz, 34, NHL, blood clot from broken leg (1937)
- Stéphane Morin, 29, hockey, heart attack (1998)
- Robert Müller, 28, hockey, cancer (2009)
- Darcy Robinson, 26, Serie A, heart failure (2007)
- Mickey Renaud, 19, OHL, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (2008)
- Terry Sawchuk, 40, NHL, heart failure from blood clot (1970)
- Babe Siebert, 35, NHL, drowning accident (1939)
- Dan Snyder, 25, NHL, injuries from a car accident with teammate Dany Heatley (2003)
- Dmitri Tertyshny, 22, NHL, boating accident (1999)
- Georges Vézina, 39, NHL, advanced tuberculosis (1926)
- Sergei Zholtok, 31, NHL, heart failure (2004)
- Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski, 50, British luger, accident during the 1964 Winter Olympics
- Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, Georgian luger, crashed during practice on the day of the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics
- Gilbert Aldana, 29, American MMA fighter, drowning (2007)
- André Brilleman, 25, Dutch kickboxer, gang related murder (2010)
- Ross Clifton, 32, American MMA fighter, heart attack (2009)
- Douglas Dedge, 31, American MMA fighter, first known American competitor to be fatally injured in an MMA fight. (1998)
- Justin Eilers, 30, American MMA fighter, homicide (2008)[37]
- Ryan Gracie, 33, Brazilian MMA fighter, drug overdose (2007)
- Andy Hug, 35, Swiss karateka and kickboxer, myeloid leukemia (2000)[38]
- Justin Levens, 28, American MMA fighter, suicide (2008)
- Evan Tanner, 37, American MMA fighter, hyperthermia (2008)[39]
- Sam Vasquez, 34-35, American MMA fighter, complications of brain injury suffered in an October 2007 bout
- Shelby Walker, 31, American MMA fighter, prescription pill overdose (2006)
- Jeremy Williams, 27, American MMA fighter, suicide (2007)
Motorsport
Does not include race car drivers who died in race or practice crashes. Those names go in a separate article. Please refer to List of racing drivers who died in racing crashes.
- Johnny Aitken, 33, Indycar driver, Spanish Flu (1918)
- Davey Allison, 32, NASCAR driver, helicopter crash at Talledega Superspeedway (1993)
- Edgar Barth, 48, Formula One and sportscar racing driver, cancer (1965)[40]
- Norman Batten, 35, Indycar driver, shipwreck of the SS Vestris (along with fellow driver Earl Devore) (1928)
- Walter Bäumer, 32, Grand Prix driver, freak road accident (1941)[41]
- René Le Bègue, 32, Grand Prix driver, asphyxiation by gas fumes of his bathroom boiler (1946)[42]
- Derek Bennett, 44, Formula 3 driver, owner & designer of Chevron Cars, hang gliding accident (1978)
- Herbert Berg, Grand Prix driver, concussion following a fall in the street (1938)[41]
- Ulrich Bigalke, Grand Prix driver, KIA at Battle of Britain (1940)[41]
- Tim Birkin, 36, Grand Prix driver and member of the Bentley Boys, illness (cause of death varies from source to source) (1933)[41]
- Georges Boillot, 31, Grand Prix driver, military action during World War I (1916)
- Possum Bourne, 47, Champion rally car driver, car accident (2003)
- Charlie Bradberry, 24, NASCAR driver, car accident (2006)
- Tony Brise, 23, Formula One driver, plane crash (1975)
- Ernst Burggaller, 43, Grand Prix driver, KIA at Battle of Britain (1940)[41]
- Richard Burns, 34, World Rally Champion in 2001, brain tumour (2005)
- Shaun Carlson, 35, drag racer, Brugada Syndrome (2009)[43]
- Jimmy Caruthers, 30, Indycar / Silver Crown driver, cancer (1975)
- Spencer Clark, 19, NASCAR driver, car accident (2006)
- Earl Devore, 39-40, Indycar driver, shipwreck of the SS Vestris (1928)
- Ralph Earnhardt, 45, NASCAR driver, heart attack (1973)
- AFP Fane, Grand Prix driver, aviation accident (1942)
- Luis Fontés, Grand Prix driver, aviation accident (1940)
- Elmer George, 47, (father of Indy Racing League founder Tony George), Indycar / Sprint car driver, murder (1976)
- Peter Gregg, 40, sportscar racer, suicide (1980)
- William Grover-Williams, 42, Grand prix driver, Killed during The Holocaust as a spy for the Special Operations Executive (1945)
- Bobby Hamilton, 49, NASCAR driver, cancer (2007)
- Rudi Hasse, 36, Grand Prix driver, illness during military service during the Eastern Front (1942)[44]
- Mike Hawthorn, 29, Formula 1 World Champion, road accident (1959)
- Ricky Hendrick, 24, owner affiliated to Hendrick Motorsports owned by his father Rick Hendrick, plane crash (2004)
- Graham Hill, 46, team boss of Embassy Racing and two-time Formula One World Champion as a driver in 1962 and 1968, plane crash (1975)
- Jesse Hockett, 26, American sprint car driver, electrocution (2010)
- Al Hofmann, 60, NHRA Funny Car driver, massive heart attack (2008)
- Al Holbert, 41, IMSA champion, plane crash (1988)
- Denny Hulme, 56, Formula 1 World Champion / sports car driver, heart attack while competing in the 1992 Bathurst 1000.
- Bobby Isaac, 45, NASCAR driver and 1970 Cup champion, heart attack while competing at Hickory Motor Speedway (1977)
- Camille Jenatzy, 44-45, Belgian racing driver, shot while impersonating a wild boar (1913)
- Andy Kirby, 40, NASCAR driver, motorcycle accident (2002)
- Erwin Kremer, 67, founder/owner of Kremer Racing, stroke (2006)
- Alan Kulwicki, 38, NASCAR driver and 1992 Cup champion, plane crash in Tennessee (1993)
- Atsushi Kuroi, 40, D1GP driver, motorcycle accident (2010)
- Elmo Langley, 68, NASCAR pace car driver, heart attack during an evaluation run at a NASCAR exhibition race in Suzuka Circuit (1996)
- Clarence Lovell, 26, NASCAR driver, car accident (1973)[45]
- Percy MacLure, Grand Prix driver, military actions during World War II
- Willy Mairesse, 40, Belgian sportscar racer, suicide (1969)
- Gerry Marshall, 63, British racing driver, heart attack while test driving Richard Petty's IROC Camaro (2005)
- Colin McRae, 39, British rally driver, helicopter accident (2007)
- Harry Melling, 53-54, owner of Melling Racing, heart attack (1999)
- Dick Meyer, age unknown, NASCAR driver, crashed during illegal street race (1954)[46]
- Jimmy Miller, 20, Sprint car driver, killed in combat in Vietnam (1967)[47]
- Rob Moroso, 22, NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 1990, car accident
- Mike Mosley, 37, Indycar driver, car accident (1984)
- Gary Niece, 36, NASCAR driver, heart attack while competing in NASCAR Busch Series race (1991)
- Gunnar Nilsson, 29, Formula One driver, cancer (1978)
- Carlos Pace, 32, Formula One driver, plane crash (1977)
- Harvey Postlethwaite, 55, F1 engineer and Technical Director, heart attack while supervising a testing session for Honda (1999)
- Tim Richmond, 34, NASCAR driver, AIDS (1989)
- Dean Roper, 62, ARCA stock racer, heart attack while competing (2001)
- Thierry Sabine, 36, founder and main organizer of Paris Dakar, helicopter crash (1986)
- Bruce Sarver, 43, NHRA driver, Self inflicted gun shot (2005)
- Carl Scarborough, 38, Indycar driver, heat exhaustion during the 1953 Indianapolis 500
- Josef Schnitzer, 39, founder of Schnitzer Motorsport, road accident (1978)
- Richard Shuttleworth, 31, Grand Prix driver, aviation accident (1940)
- Chris Staniland, Grand Prix driver, aviation accident (1939)
- Ryoji Takada, D1GP driver, truck loading accident (2005)
- Joel Thorne, 41, Indycar driver / industrialist, plane crash (1955)
- Chris Trickle, 24, NASCAR driver, drive-by shooting (1998)
- Curtis Turner, 46, NASCAR driver, plane crash (1970)
- Fermin Vélez, 43, sports car driver, cancer (2003)
- Johnny Wakefield, 27, Grand Prix driver, aviation accident (1942)
- Nick Whiting, British racing driver, murder (1990)
- Carl Williams, 42, Indycar driver, motorcycle accident (1973)[48]
- Bob Wollek, 57, sportscar driver, cycling accident (2001)
- Donald Aronow, 59, boat builder, murdered (1987)
- Mike Thomas, hydroplane driver, construction accident (1967)[49]
- Dwight Bale, drag boat driver, drowned whilst riding in a rubber raft through a rapid (1973)[50]
- Brian McCosker, 61, Unlimited Displacement Driver, 3 April 2010 during powerboat racing.>[1]
Does not include motorcycle riders who died in race or practice crashes. Those names go in a separate article. Please refer to List of deaths by motorcycle accidents.
- Norifumi Abe, 32, Moto GP rider, scooter accident (2007)
- John Britten, 45, racing motorcycle designer/builder, cancer (1995)
- Andy Caldecott, 41, From injuries whilst competing at the Dakar Rally (2006)
- Kenny Carter, 25, British motorcycle speedway rider, suicide (1986)
- Edward "Teddy" Carroll, 26, board track motorcycle racer, Tuberculosis (1920)
- Frank Charles, 31, British motorcycle speedway rider, gliding accident (1939)
- Ricky Graham, 40, burns sustained from a house fire (1998)[51]
- Steve Hislop, 41, British Superbike rider, helicopter crash (2003)
- Donald Jacks, 25, AMA superbike rider, road accident (1995)[52]
- Juan López Mella, 30, Spanish road racer (1995)[53]
- Adam Neal, 35, AMA rider, suicide in late 2003 following paralyzing race crash in late 1999
- Randy Renfrow, 46, AMA rider, fall from staircase[54]
- Billy Sanders, 29, Australian motorcycle speedway rider, suicide (1985)
- Donny Schmit, 29, aplastic anemia (1996)[55]
- Dave Simmonds, 32, fire (1972)[56][56]
- Pascal Terry, 49, myocardial infarction, whilst competing at the Dakar Rally (2009)[57]
- Herbert Adamski, 31, German rower, military actions during World War II (1941)[58]
- Hugo Strauß, 34, German rower, military actions during World War II (1941)[59]
- Sam Doble, 33, English rugby union player, cancer (1977)
- Yves du Manoir, 23, French rugby union player, plane crash (1928)
- Nick Duncombe, 21, English rugby union player, meningitis (2003)
- Sonny Fai, 20, New Zealand National Rugby League (NRL) player, disappeared off Te Henga (Bethells Beach) in Auckland while swimming with family. His body has never been found. (2009)
- Barry Holmes, 21, English/Argentinian rugby union player, typhoid (1949)[60]
- Aaron Hopa, 27, New Zealand rugby union player, death as a result of a heart defect, while diving (1998)
- Hudson Irving, English rugby league player, heart attack (1947)
- Frederick Kelsall, 24-25, English rugby league player, motorcycle accident (1931)
- Roy Muir Kinnear, 38, Scottish rugby union/league player, heart attack (1942)
- Shawn Mackay, 26, Australian rugby union player, spinal cord and other injuries suffered when struck by a motor vehicle (2009)
- Harry Myers, 31, English rugby league player, injuries sustained in a collision while playing for Keighley (1906)
- Terry Newton, 31, English rugby league player, suicide (2010)
- Alexander Obolensky, 24, Russia-born English rugby union player, plane crash during military training (1940)
- Dick Stafford, 19, English rugby union player, spinal cancer (1912)[61]
- Leon Walker, 20, English rugby league player, death was the result of a rare undiagnosed heart defect, and the coroner ruled that he died of natural causes. (2009)
- Adam Watene, 31, Cook Islands rugby league player, heart attack (2008)
- Michael Bannister, drowned (competing in 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race)
- Glyn Charles, drowned (competing in 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race)
- Donald Crowhurst, 36-37, suicide (whilst competing in Sunday Times Golden Globe Race)
- John Dean, drowned (competing in 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race)
- Bruce Guy, heart attack (competing in 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race)
- Hans Horrevoets, 32, drowning (whilst competing in 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race)
- James Lawler, drowned (competing in 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race)
- Tony Philips, drowning (whilst competing in 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race)
- Gerry Roufs, 43-44, drowning (whilst competing in 1996-97 Vendée Globe)
- Felix Scheder-Bieschin, 40, military actions during World War II (1940)
- Phillip Skeggs, drowned (competing in 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race)
- Eric Tabarly, 66, lost at sea (1998)
- Nigel Tetley, 47-48, strangulation by hanging (coroner recorded an Open Verdict) (1972)
- Tim Brauch, 25, American professional skateboarder, cardiac arrest (1999)
- Shane Cross, 20, Australian skateboarder, motorcycle accident (2007)
- Harold Hunter, 31, American professional skateboarder and actor, accidental cocaine overdose (2006)
- Keenan Milton, 26, American professional skateboarder, drowned (2001)
- Jeff Phillips, 33, American professional skateboarder, suicide (1993)
- Dave Vanderspek, 24, American skateboarder, suicide (disputed as some believed it to be autoerotic asphyxiation) (1988)[62]
- Van Wastell, 24, American professional skateboarder, fell from a hotel balcony (2008)[63]
Does not include skiers and snowboarders who died in competition or practice crashes. Those names go in a separate article. Please refer to List of skiing deaths.
- Richard Kröll, Austrian alpine skier, car accident
- Rudolf Nierlich, 25, Austrian alpine skier, car accident (1991)
- Spider Sabich, 30, American skier, homicide (1976)
- Sondra Schmidt, German freestyle skier, Kaprun disaster (2000)
- Sergey Shupletsov, 25, Russian mogul skier, motorcycle accident (1995)
- Paul Ausserleitner, 26-27, Austrian ski jumper who crashed in Bischofshofen (1952)
- Jermo Ribbers, 15, Dutch ski jumper, had an accident in Oberstdorf K-90 in 2008.
- Nicolas Bochatay, 27, speed skier, accident at the 1992 Winter Olympics
- Eddie Aikau, 31, drowning (1978)
- Mark Foo, 36, surfing accident (1994)
- George Freeth, 35, the "Father of Modern Surfing", influenza (1919)
- Nick Gabaldon, 24, surfing pioneer, surfing accident (1951)
- Andy Irons, 32, three-time American World Champion, undisclosed illness after an event in Puerto Rico (2010)[64]
- Malik Joyeux, 25, surfing accident (2005)
- Rick Rasmussen, 27, homicide (1982)
- Zeca Scheffer, Brazilian surfer, car accident (2006)
- Robert Wilson Simmons, 35, drowning (1954)
- Shigeo Arai, 27, Japanese swimmer, military actions during World War II (1944)[65]
- Fran Crippen, 26, American long distance swimmer, heart attack while competing in an open water swimming race in the United Arab Emirates (2010)
- Victor Davis, 25, Canadian swimmer, car accident (1989)[66]
- Edsard Schlingemann, 23, Dutch Olympic swimmer, car crash (1990)[67]
- Eliezer Halfin, 24, Israeli, Munich massacre (1972)
- Richard Sanders, 27, American, automobile accident (1972)
- Dave Schultz, 36, American, murdered by John Eleuthère du Pont (1996)
- Mark Slavin, 18, Israeli, Munich massacre (1972)
- Mikael Ljungberg, 34, Sweden, suicide (2004)
The list includes wrestlers who were still active, or at least were of an age when they could reasonably be assumed to still be active if they had been fully healthy. Wrestlers who were semi-retired at the time of their deaths, or who had fully retired while healthy, are not included.[68]
The best-known ring name of each wrestler, which may be his or her birth name, is indicated in bold type.
Name | Ring name(s) | Birth | Death | Cause | Notes | Source | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Adkisson | Chris Von Erich | 1969 | 1991 | Suicide (gunshot) | |||
David Adkisson | David Von Erich | 1958 | 1984 | Heart attack triggered by acute enteritis | Rumors persist that his death was drug-related, despite considerable evidence supporting the official cause. | ||
Kerry Adkisson | Kerry Von Erich | 1960 | 1993 | Suicide (gunshot) | |||
Michael Adkisson | Mike Von Erich | 1964 | 1987 | Suicide (drug overdose plus alcohol) | |||
Gary Albright | 1963 | 2000 | Heart attack | Died during World Xtreme Wrestling show | |||
Mike Alfonso | Mike Awesome | 1965 | 2007 | Suicide (hanging) | |||
Rodney Anoa'i | Yokozuna | 1966 | 2000 | Pulmonary edema | Died during independent wrestling tour in Liverpool, England | ||
Joseph Carl Bailey Jr. | J.C. Bailey | 1983 | 2010 | Brain aneurysm from multiple concussions | |||
Art Barr | Beetlejuice, "The Love Machine" |
1966 | 1994 | Unknown | The circumstances of Barr's death are contested to this day. Initial reports stated that Barr died of an aneurysm, but later reports stated that he died under unknown circumstances. A mixture of drugs and alcohol were found in his bloodstream at the time of his death. | ||
Chris Benoit | Pegasus Kid, Wild Pegasus (both during 1989–94 NJPW run) | 1967 | 2007 | Suicide (hanging) | See Chris Benoit double murder and suicide for further details on his death. | ||
Scott Bigelow | Bam Bam Bigelow | 1961 | 2007 | Drug overdose | Wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation in 1987-1988 and in the 1990s. | ||
Adolfo Bresciano | Dino Bravo | 1948 | 1993 | Homicide (shot) | Billed as "The World's Strongest Man" during late-1980s WWF run. | ||
Christopher Candito | Chris Candido, Bodydonna Skip (late 1990s WWF run) | 1972 | 2005 | Blood clot | The blood clot that caused his death was a complication of a major leg fracture suffered during the TNA Lockdown pay-per-view. | ||
Michael DiBiase | "Iron" Mike DiBiase | 1923 | 1969 | Heart attack | Became ill during wrestling match | ||
Bobby Duncum, Jr. | 1965 | 2000 | Accidental prescription drug overdose | Member of the West Texas Rednecks stable during WCW run. | |||
Mike Durham | Johnny Grunge | 1966 | 2006 | Complications of sleep apnea | |||
Edward Fatu | Jamal (2002–03 WWE run), Jamaal (AJPW), Ekmo, Umaga (2006–09 WWE run) | 1973 | 2009 | Heart attack triggered by drug overdose | |||
Keith Franke | "Adorable" Adrian Adonis | 1954 | 1988 | Car accident | Two other professional wrestlers who were traveling with Franke - Victor "Pat Kelly" Arko, and Dave "Wildman" McKigney - died in the accident. The driver of the vehicle they were traveling in was injured but survived. | ||
Andrés González | Abismo Negro | 1971 | 2009 | Drowning | |||
Jorge González | Giant González | 1966 | 2010 | Diabetes | |||
Frank Goodish | Bruiser Brody | 1946 | 1988 | Stabbing | Details of his death are contested. | ||
Eduardo Guerrero | Eddie Guerrero, Black Tiger II (1990s NJPW run) | 1967 | 2005 | Acute heart failure | |||
Ray Gunkel | 1924 | 1972 | Blood clot due to heart trauma | Fatal injury was suffered during a match with Ox Baker. | |||
Owen Hart | The Blue Blazer | 1965 | 1999 | Internal bleeding from severed aorta | Fatal injury resulted from a stunt accident during a live pay-per-view event at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. | ||
Shinya Hashimoto | 1965 | 2005 | Brain aneurysm | ||||
Michael Hegstrand | Hawk | 1957 | 2003 | Heart attack | One-half of the Road Warriors (WCW) or Legion of Doom (WWF), along with Animal. | ||
Curt Hennig | Mr. Perfect (1988–1996 and 2002 WWF runs) | 1958 | 2003 | Acute cocaine intoxication (allergic reaction) | |||
Brian Howser | Shane Shamrock | 1975 | 1998 | Shot in an altercation with police | |||
Elizabeth Ann Hulette | Miss Elizabeth | 1960 | 2003 | Accidental overdose of alcohol and tranquilizers | |||
Ignacio Jiménez Ibarra | El Hijo de Cien Caras | 1978 | 2010 | Homicide (shot) | |||
Kim Sin-rak | Rikidōzan | 1924 | 1963 | Homicide (stabbed, resulting in peritonitis) | Adopted the Japanese name Mitsuhiro Momota before beginning his wrestling career. | ||
Malcolm Kirk | King Kong Kirk | 1936 | 1987 | Heart failure | Died during a match with Big Daddy | ||
Christopher Klucsaritis | Chris Kanyon, Kanyon, Mortis | 1970 | 2010 | Suicide (apparent overdose) | |||
Mike Lockwood | Crash Holly (WWE), Johnny Pearson, Erin O'Grady, The Green Ghost, Mad Mikey (TNA) | 1971 | 2003 | Suicide by apparent drug overdose | |||
Lance McNaught | Lance Cade, Garrison Cade (2003–04 WWE run), Cowboy Cade (2008–10, indies and Japan) | 1981 | 2010 | Heart failure | |||
Mitsuharu Misawa | Tiger Mask II (1984–90 AJPW run) | 1962 | 2009 | Cervical spine injury | Died after taking a back body drop from Akitoshi Saito during a match. The cause of death is surmised; Misawa's family invoked a Japanese law allowing the next of kin of a deceased person to prevent disclosure of the official cause of death. | ||
Gran Naniwa | 1977 | 2010 | Heart attack | ||||
Ted Petty | Rocco Rock, The Cheetah Kid, Colonel DeKlerk | 1953 | 2002 | Heart attack | |||
Brian Pillman | Flyin' Brian (1989–92 in NWA/WCW), Yellow Dog (briefly in WCW) | 1962 | 1997 | Atherosclerotic heart disease | |||
Sylvester Ritter | Junkyard Dog | 1952 | 1998 | Auto accident | |||
Richard Rood | "Ravishing" Rick Rude | 1958 | 1999 | Accidental drug overdose | |||
André Roussimoff | André the Giant | 1946 | 1993 | Congestive heart failure | He suffered from acromegaly, a pituitary condition that led to his enormous size but ultimately incapacitated him and almost certainly contributed to his premature death. | ||
Mike Shaw | Bastion Booger, Norman The Lunatic | 1957 | 2010 | Heart attack | |||
David Smith | Davey Boy Smith, The British Bulldog | 1962 | 2002 | Heart attack | Was training for a return to wrestling at the time of his death. | ||
Jesús Solís | Oro | 1971 | 1993 | Brain aneurysm | Died as a result of an in-ring injury. Cause of death surmised from circumstances because no autopsy was performed at his family's request. | ||
John Tenta | Earthquake, Avalanche, The Shark, Golga | 1963 | 2006 | Bladder cancer | Was forced to retire because of his ultimately fatal illness. | ||
Raymond Traylor | Big Boss Man, Big Bubba Rogers, Guardian Angel | 1963 | 2004 | Heart attack | |||
Jerry Tuite | The Wall (WCW), Malice (TNA) | 1967 | 2003 | Heart attack | |||
Mariko Umeda | Plum Mariko | 1967 | 1997 | Brain hemorrhage | Died as a result of head injury received during a match. The cause of death is surmised from the circumstances of her injury and events leading to it; her father requested that no autopsy be performed. | ||
Michael Verdi | Trent Acid | 1980 | 2010 | Unknown | |||
Steven Williams | "Dr. Death" Steve Williams | 1960 | 2009 | Complications from throat cancer | Williams had battled cancer for the last years of his life, wrestling while his disease was in remission. He retired at almost the same time as his cancer returned for the last time. | ||
Charles Wolfe | Gino Hernandez | 1957 | 1986 | Apparent cocaine overdose |
- Maruyama Gondazaemon, 35, probably dysentery (1749)
- Tanikaze Kajinosuke, 44, the flu (1795)
- Tamanoumi Masahiro, 27, heart attack during a delayed appendectomy (1971)
- Daishōhō Masami, 32, pancreatic cancer (1999)
- Takashi Saito, heart failure following hazing (2007)
- Tamanishiki San'emon, 34, delayed appendectomy (1938)
- Kenkō Satoshi, 30, pulmonary embolism (1998)
- Henner Henkel, 27, German tennis player, KIA during Battle of Stalingrad (1942)
- Joe Hunt, 24, American tennis player, plane crash (1944)
- Daniela Klemenschits, 25, Austrian tennis player, stomach cancer (2008)
- Karen Krantzcke, 31, Australian tennis player, heart attack (1977)
- Federico Luzzi, 28, Italian tennis player, leukemia (2008)
- Mathieu Montcourt, 24, French tennis player, heart attack (2009)
- Arthur O'Hara Wood, 27-28, Australian tennis player, KIA during World War I (1918)
- Menno Oosting, 34, Dutch tennis-player, car accident (1999)
- Rafael Osuna, 30, Mexican tennis player, plane crash (1969)
- Ernie Parker, 34, Australian tennis player, KIA during World War I (1918)
- Felipe Rivera, Chilean tennis player, car accident
- Michael Westphal, 26, German tennis player, AIDS (1991)
- Tony Wilding, 31, New Zealand tennis player and Wimbledon champion, KIA during World War I (1915)
- Arkadiusz Gołaś, 24, Polish volleyball player, car accident (2005)
- Flo Hyman, 31, American women's volleyball player, aortic dissection caused by Marfan syndrome (1986)
- Agata Mróz-Olszewska, 26, Polish women's volleyball player, infection following a bone marrow transplant (2008)
- Iss Lajos, Romanian water polo player, massive stroke
- David Mark Berger, 28, Israeli weightlifter, Munich massacre (1972)
- Ze'ev Friedman, 28, Israeli weightlifter, Munich massacre (1972)
- Yossef Romano, 32, Israeli weightlifter, Munich massacre (1972)
Other sports
- Harry Chamberlin, 56-57, American show jumping rider, unknown illness (1944)[69]
- Shane Drury, 27, American rodeo performer, cancer (2006)
- Lane Frost, 25, American rodeo performer, gored by bull after completing a ride (1989)
- Kurt Hasse, 36, German show jumping rider, KIA during World War II (1944)
- Tommy Hitchcock, Jr., 44, American polo player, test plane crash (1944)
- Michael Hogan, 23-24, shot by British forces in the Croke Park massacre on Bloody Sunday (1920)
- Paul Hunter, 27, English snooker player, cancer (2006)
- Zdzisław Kawecki, 37, Polish show jumping rider, Katyn Massacre (1940)
- Jesse Marunde, 27, American strongman, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (2007)
- Cormac McAnallen, 24, Irish gaelic football player, undetected heart condition (2004)
- Takeichi Nishi, 42, Japanese show jumping rider, KIA during Battle of Iwo Jima (1945)
- Todd Skinner, 47, American free climber, fell from cliff (2006)
- Jón Páll Sigmarsson, 32, Icelandic strongman, heart failure (1993)
- Jannes van der Wal, 39, Dutch Draughts (or Checkers) player, leukemia (1996)
See also
References
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- ^ "Arizona Wildcats Face of the Program". ESPN. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
- ^ "Penn football player committed suicide". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2010-10-17. [dead link]
- ^ Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1905411502.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/oe/sueo-oe-1.html
- ^ "Ian Syster". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wo/hans-woellke-1.html
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- ^ "Scorecard: A Sad Loss". Sports Illustrated. 1974-09-02. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
- ^ "Alan Storke Dies Suddenly". The New York Times. 1910-03-19. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ "Wilson of Astros Is Found Dead". The New York Times. 1975-01-06. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ Template:Es icon El País: Fallece el jugador de baloncesto Ángel Almeida en un entrenamiento (Jul 30, 1997)
- ^ The Independent: Basketball: Davide Ancilotto dies from brain haemorrhage (Aug 26, 1997)
- ^ Italian basketball mourns Barlera (Dec 18, 2009)
- ^ France mourns after starlet Bourhis is killed in car crash
- ^ Associated Press: Felton, 29, dies after shooting
- ^ Template:Es icon El País: Murió Filbá tras permanecer dos meses en una UVI (Oct 11, 1981)
- ^ R.I.P. Zoltán Horváth (1979-2009) (Dec 29, 2009)
- ^ USA Today/Associated Press: Kenyon Jones, former West Coast Conference MVP, dies in Atlanta
- ^ Russian basketball star dies of heart attack (Sep 13, 2001)
- ^ The Tribune/Reuters: Dies On Court
- ^ Template:It icon La Gazzetta dello Sport: Ravaglia muore nella notte più bella (Dec 24, 1999)
- ^ Template:Es icon Murió el pibe Gabriel Riofrío (Jan 8, 2001)
- ^ Template:Es icon El jugador venezolano Gregory Vallenilla muere en un accidente de tráfico (Jul 23, 2007
- ^ sports-reference.com profile
- ^ Basketball star dies at training camp
- ^ http://www.calbears.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/012204aaa.html
- ^ http://www.bunksplace.com/nitro.html
- ^ Merritt, Greg (2006). "15 Biggest Controversies And Shocking Moments In Bodybuilding History". Flex.
- ^ Merritt, Greg (2006). "15 Biggest Controversies And Shocking Moments In Bodybuilding History". Flex.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mu/michael-murach-1.html
- ^ http://www.city.sault-ste-marie.on.ca/contentadmin/UserFiles/File/CityDepartments/CSD/RecCulture/SportsHallofFame/2005%20Inductees.pdf
- ^ "Gymnast Ryazanov killed in crash". BBC News Online. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/da/georg-dascher-1.html
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/kn/arthur-knautz-1.html
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ko/heinz-korvers-1.html
- ^ http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/27/sports/MMA-Eilers-Killed.php
- ^ Soldwedel, Arne (January 2002). "Honorary Award - Andy Hug". Black Belt. Black Belt Communications Inc. ISSN 0277-3066.
- ^ "Former UFC champ Tanner dies - SI.com - Mixed Martial Arts". CNN. 2008-09-09. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ Historic Motor Racing - historicracing.com
- ^ a b c d e http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/db.htm
- ^ http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/dl.htm
- ^ http://www.sbsun.com/sports/ci_13494762
- ^ http://forix.autosport.com/8w/brauchitsch-hasse.html
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19730513&id=CLofAAAAIBAJ&sjid=49cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4638,2512220
- ^ http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees/2005inductees.html
- ^ http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db2=LWF&db=ct&n=706
- ^ http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db2=LWF&db=ct&n=292
- ^ Bernie Little's Miss Budweiser - A 40-Year Timeline
- ^ http://www.narberthpa.com/Bale/bmp/dwb.htm
- ^ http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=6
- ^ http://www.racerxblog.com/article.php?article_id=1254
- ^ http://www.al-loro.com/Pag_IMLMella.htm
- ^ http://nationalprivateer.com/Randy_Renfrow.html
- ^ http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=180
- ^ a b http://www.ozebook.com/gpwin/documents/passing_parade.html
- ^ Gallagher, Brendan (2009-01-08). "Dakar rider Pascal Terry 'could have been saved'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ad/herbert-adamski-1.html
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/hugo-strauss-1.html
- ^ http://www.espnscrum.com/celticleague-2010-11/rugby/story/105228.html?cmp=viral England's only Puma
- ^ http://www.espnscrum.com/celticleague-2010-11/rugby/story/105228.html?cmp=viral England's only Puma
- ^ http://www.mauricemeyer.com/curb_dogs/vander_rip.html
- ^ Brick, Michael (2008-10-17). "A Fearless Skateboarder Lived Fast, but It Did Not Last". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ "Breaking News: Andy Irons Passes Away". Surfer. 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
- ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ar/shigeo-arai-1.html
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Davis
- ^ Template:NlDutch article about the death of Edsard Schlingemann
- ^ Examples of such individuals include the following:
- Lillian Ellison, better known as The Fabulous Moolah, was sporadically active at the time of her death in 2007, but was age 84, and had largely retired from active wrestling for over 20 years.
- Andrew Martin, best known as Test, died at age 33 in 2009, but had announced his retirement from professional wrestling the previous year while healthy, and had not performed since. Similarly, Luna Vachon died at age 48 in 2010, but had retired in 2007 while in reasonable health.
- John Minton, better known as Big John Studd, died at age 47 of liver cancer in 1995, but had retired in 1990, long before his illness had been diagnosed. (Contrast with John Tenta, who is included because he was forced to retire from wrestling due to the bladder cancer that ultimately caused his death, and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, who retired at almost the same time that the throat cancer he had been battling during his last years returned for the final time.)
- ^ http://www.militaryhorse.org/features/dimarco/hdc.php