Famous Dead Athletes: Recent Athlete Deaths and Obituaries

Over 20,000 obituaries of famous dead athletes. Notable deaths, news, info, and memorial pages.

José Santamaría, died on April 15, 2026. He was 96. Born José Emilio Santamaría Iglesias in Montevideo, he spent his 18-year playing career with Nacional and Real Madrid, winning five national championships with Nacional and 12 titles with Real Madrid, including four European Cups. A central defender, he represented both Uruguay and Spain at international level. Santamaría later worked as a manager, including a two-year spell with the Spanish national team, died on April 15, 2026

José Santamaría died at age 96

José Santamaría, a footballer and manager, died on April 15, 2026. He was 96. Born José Emilio Santamaría Iglesias in Montevideo, he spent his 18-year playing career with Nacional and…

John Fitzgerald dies at 77

John Fitzgerald, an American football player who played center for the Dallas Cowboys, died on April 14, 2026. He was 77. Fitzgerald, born in Southbridge, Massachusetts, on April 16, 1948,…

Death of Henry Newton at age 82

Henry Newton, the English football midfielder who played for Nottingham Forest, Everton and Derby County, died on April 14, 2026, aged 82. Newton made almost 500 league appearances for Football…

Death of Nicky Smith at age 57

Nicky Smith, an English professional footballer and later policeman and football manager, died on April 13, 2026. Born Nicholas Leslie Smith on 28 January 1969 in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, he began…

Edgardo Roque dies at age 88

Edgardo Roque, a Filipino Olympic basketball player, died on April 12, 2026, at age 88. Born on February 11, 1938, in Obando, Bulacan, in the Philippine Commonwealth, he competed in…

Dominic Frimpong death at age 20

Dominic Frimpong, a Ghanaian professional footballer who played for Berekum Chelsea, died on April 12, 2026, after he was shot when the club’s team bus was attacked by armed robbers.…

Paul Berry dies at 68

Paul Berry, the English footballer who played for Oxford United and Witney United, died on April 11, 2026, aged 68. Born on April 8, 1958, he was a professional player…

Valery Rukhledev, died aged 78

Valery Rukhledev, a Russian sports activist and six-time Deaflympics wrestling gold medalist, died on April 9, 2026, at the age of 78. Born on January 18, 1948, in Rybinsky District,…

Jackie Moore dies at age 93

Jackie Moore, an American basketball player, died on April 9, 2026, at age 93. Born in Philadelphia on September 24, 1932, John T. "Jackie" Moore was a 6-foot-5 small forward…

Billy Bryan, New York Yankees, Washington Senators, died on April 9, 2026

Billy Bryan, died aged 87

Billy Bryan, an American baseball player who appeared for the Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees and Washington Senators, died on April 9, 2026, at age 87. William Ronald Bryan…

Brian Garvey death at age 88

Brian Garvey, the English footballer who played as a defender in the Football League, died on April 8, 2026, aged 88. Born in Kingston upon Hull, he joined his hometown…

Kostakis Pierides death at age 85

Kostakis Pierides, a Cypriot footballer who played for Pezoporikos Larnaca, Olympiakos Nicosia and the Cyprus national team, died on April 8, 2026, at the age of 85. Born on April…

Chuck Nieson passed away at age 83

Chuck Nieson, an American former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, died on April 7, 2026. He was 83. Born Charles Bassett Nieson in Hanford, California, on September…

Ken Smale dies at age 92

Ken Smale, an Australian footballer and music director, died on April 7, 2026. He was 92. Smale played for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was a forward…

Mircea Lucescu passed away at age 80

Mircea Lucescu, the Romanian footballer and manager, died on April 7, 2026, from complications from a heart attack. He was 80. Lucescu played for Dinamo București and the Romania national…

Alex Hilton has died at age 61

Alex Hilton, a Canadian boxer, died on April 7, 2026, at age 61. A former professional boxer, he won the vacant Canadian middleweight title at age 18 in December 1983,…

Nancy Garapick died at age 64

Nancy Garapick, the Canadian swimmer and 1976 Olympic bronze medalist, died on April 6, 2026. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1961, she won two bronze medals at the 1976…

Eberhard Riedel dies at age 88

Eberhard Riedel died on April 5, 2026. He was a German Olympic alpine skier who competed in the 1960, 1964, and 1968 Winter Games. His career included appearances across three…

Death of Gerard Williams at age 73

Gerard Williams, an American professional football cornerback, died in April 2026 at the age of 73. Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1952, he played in the National Football League…

Death of Garner Ekstran at age 84

Garner Ekstran, an American football player who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions, died on April 4, 2026. His death was reported without further details. Ekstran was known…

Paul Orsatti, died aged 84

Paul Orsatti, the French footballer and manager who played as a goalkeeper and coached Gazélec Ajaccio, died on April 4, 2026, at the age of 84. Orsatti played professionally from…

Obituary: John Cheek, dead at age 70

John Cheek died on April 3, 2026. He was an American lacrosse player who played on the national team. John Cheek, 70, American lacrosse player (national team). Tags Athletes, 03…

Gilbertson Sangma dead at age 70

Gilbertson Sangma, an Indian footballer who played as a forward, died on April 2, 2026. He received his early football lessons at the Assam Police Reserve in Dergaon. Sangma began…

Trygve Berge, died aged 93

Trygve Berge, Norwegian Olympic alpine skier, died on April 2, 2026, at the age of 93. Born in Voss Municipality on April 13, 1932, he competed in alpine skiing at…

Dick Roberge died at age 91

Dick Roberge died on April 1, 2026. He was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach who played for the Johnstown Jets, New Westminster Royals and Pittsburgh Hornets. His career…

Obituary: Willie Watson, dead at age 76

Willie Watson, a Scottish footballer who played as a defender, died on March 29, 2026. Born William Watson on 4 December 1949, he signed with Manchester United in 1970 and…