RIP - Wilbur Wood

 

Long-time White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood passed away on January 17, 2026 at age 84.

Wood played for the Red Sox (1961-64) and Pirates (1964-65) before spending the last 12 seasons of his career with the White Sox. 

 

With Chicago, he was a reliever from 1967 to 1970, and led the AL in appearances from 1968 to 1970. His heavy workload could be attributed to primarily throwing the knuckleball, which he learned from teammate Hoyt Wilhelm in 1967. 

 

Converted to a starter in 1971, he led the league in starts from 1972-75. He also led the AL with 24 wins in both 1972 and 1973.  

 

MLB.com obituary  

 

Yahoo Sports obituary 

 

   

Dick Stigman is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (1/24) to Dick Stigman!

RIP - Dave Giusti

 

Dave Giusti, one of the original Houston Colt .45 players, passed away on January 11, 2026 at age 86.

Giusti played for the Colt .45s / Astros from 1962-68, and was a key member of the starting rotation from '66-'68. 

 

He was traded to the Cardinals after the 1968 season for catcher Johnny Edwards, but 3 days later was drafted by the expansion Padres. (Poor planning by the Cardinals?) No matter, 6 weeks later the Pads traded him back to St. Louis for a basket of players.

 

After one season, he was traded to the Pirates, and became their closer for the next 7 seasons. 

 

Following the 1976 season, he was traded to the Athletics in a 9-player deal that included Tony Armas, Doc Medich, Phil Garner, and Tommy Helms. He spent his final season (1977) with the A's and Cubs.  

 

MLB.com obituary 

 

ESPN obituary 

  

2025 Re-cap

 

Ok boys and girls, it's time for one last look back at the 1960s' baseball players who left us in 2025:

                  (Tom Brown was also a safety for the Green Bay Packers.) 

 

 

And from outside the baseball world:

Wayne Osmond
Peter Yarrow
Sam Moore (Sam & Dave)
Joan Plowright
Marianne Faithfull
Tony Roberts
Gene Hackman
Jerry Butler
Robert John
Roberta Flack
Michelle Trachtenberg
Boris Spassky
Joey Molland (Badfinger)
Bruce Glover
Wings Hauser
Jesse Colin Young
George Foreman
Richard Chamberlain
Val Kilmer
Jay North
Nino Tempo
Wink Martindale
Pope Francis
J.C. Snead
Priscilla Pointer (was 100)
Ruth Buzzi
Joe Don Baker
George Wendt
Rick Derringer
Loretta Swit
Sly Stone
Brian Wilson
Lou Christie
Bobby Sherman
Bill Moyers
Jimmy Swaggart
David Gergen
Connie Francis
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Ozzy Osbourne
Chuck Mangione
Hulk Hogan
Cleo Laine
Loni Anderson
Jim Lovell
Terence Stamp
Polly Holliday
Charlie Kirk
Bobby Hart
Robert Redford
Bernie Parent
Claudia Cardinale
Jane Goodall
Joan Kennedy
John Lodge (Moody Blues)
Diane Keaton
Samantha Eggar
Ace Frehley
June Lockhart (was 100)
Prunella Scales
Diane Ladd
Dick Cheney
Paul Tagliabue
Steve Cropper
Rob Reiner
Anthony Geary
Gil Gerard
Brigitte Bardot

Football deaths in 2025 

  

Sandy Koufax is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (12/30) to Sandy Koufax!

RIP - Andy Kosco

 

Andy Kosco, an outfielder for 7 teams from 1965 to 1974, passed away on December 19, 2025 at age 84.

Kosco played parts of 3 seasons (1965-67) with the Twins, then saw regular playing time with the Yankees (1968) and Dodgers (1969). 

 

After another season with the Dodgers, he moved around to the Brewers, Angels, and Red Sox from 1971-72, before finishing up as a part-time player for the Reds from 1973-74.

  

Obituary 

 

I REFUSE TO POST ANY MORE OBITUARIES FROM SOURCES THAT SIMPLY SHOW A PHOTO OF A BASEBALL CAP OR GLOVE, RATHER THAN A PLAYER PHOTO. 

FOR EXAMPLE, KOSCO'S OBITUARY IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SHOWS A CAP AND GLOVE ON A BENCH, WITH AN INTELLIGENCE-INSULTING CAPTION OF "A photo of a cap and glove on the Dodgers' bench during a game in 2019." 

LAZY-ASSED NEWS SOURCES!!!

 

RIP - Tim Harkness

 

Tim Harkness, a first baseman for the Dodgers and Mets in the early-1960s, passed away on November 30, 2025 at age 87.

Signed by the Phillies in 1956, after one season he was traded to the Dodgers, and played in their farm system from 1957-1961. Harkness played for the Dodgers from 1961-62. 

 

After the '62 season, he was traded to the Mets with Larry Burright (who also passed recently) for pitcher Bob Miller. He was the Mets' regular 1st baseman in 1963, but was replaced by Ed Kranepool in 1964. 

 

In mid-season, he was traded to the Reds, but never played for them. Harkness played minor-league ball for the Reds, Braves, and Pirates through the 1966 season. 

 

After his playing career, he managed amateur teams in Canada, and was a scout for the San Diego Padres. 

 

Cooperstowners in Canada obituary  

 

NJ.com obituary  

 

Durham College obituary

    

RIP - Dave Morehead

 

Dave Morehead, who pitched for the Red Sox in the mid-1960s, passed away on November 23, 2025 at age 82.

Morehead was a member of the Sox' starting rotation from 1963-65. He pitched a no-hitter in September 1965, the last no-hitter by a Red Sox pitcher until 2001. 

 

Arm troubles hampered him for the rest of his career after 1965. He only pitched about a dozen games each season from 1966-68, and spent parts of '67 and '68 in the minors. 

 

Morehead finished his career with the Kansas City Royals from 1969-70.

  

Mass Live obituary  

 

WFTV-9 obituary

     

RIP - George Altman

 

George Altman, an outfielder for the Cubs and others, passed away on November 25, 2025 at age 92.

Altman was a starting outfielder for the Cubs from 1959-1962. 

 

He also started for the Cardinals in '63 and the Mets in '64. 

 

(In 1962, he played in the same outfield with Billy Williams and Lou Brock. In 1963, his 2 outfield mates were Stan Musial and Curt Flood.)

 

Altman returned to the Cubs in a backup role from 1965-67. He played in Japan from 1968 to 1975.

  

Bleed Cubbie Blue obituary  

 

MLB obituary 

    

RIP - Bart Shirley

 

Bart Shirley, a middle infielder for the Dodgers in the 1960s, passed away on November 19, 2025 at age 85.

Shirley played in the Dodgers' farm system from 1961-1970. He had a few cups of coffee with LA in '64, '66, and '68. He also played a few games for the Mets in early-1967. 

 

Bart wrapped up his pro career in Japan from 1971-72. 

 

Dodger Insider obituary