RIP - Joe Nossek

 Joe Nossek, an outfielder for the Twins and Athletics, passed away on February 12, 2026 at age 85.

Nossek played for the Twins from 1964-66.

In May 1966 he was sold to the Athletics, and started 54 games in center field for KC that season.

With the arrival of rookie Rick Monday in 1967, Nossek's playing time was cut back.

After spending all of 1968 and part of 1969 in the minors, the A's traded him to the Cardinals midway through the 1969 season.

With St. Louis, he played part of '69 and most of '70 in the minors.

Nossek finished his career in 1971, playing for the Brewers' AA team.

He later coached for the Brewers, Twins, Indians, Royals, and White Sox from 1973 to 2003.

RIP - Elroy Face

 

For the second time in a week, a 1960s' sports hero in their 90's has passed.

 

Elroy Face, a longtime relief pitcher for the Pirates, passed away today, February 12, 2026 at age 97. He was the 3rd-oldest living former player, after Bill Greason (1954) and Bobby Shantz (1949-64), both over 100.  Face died 3 days before his 98th birthday.

 

Face pitched from 1953 to 1969, appearing in 802 games for the Pirates ('53-'68), 2 for the Tigers ('68), and 44 for the Expos ('69). 

 

In 1959, he posted a record of 18-1 in 57 games, all in relief.

 

In the 1960 World Series, Face pitched 10 innings over 4 games, picking up 3 saves.

MLB obituary  

 

Sports Illustrated obituary 

   

RIP - Rick Renick

 

Rick Renick, a utility infielder for the Twins in the late-1960s and early-1970s, passed away on January 31, 2026 at age 81.

Renick played 3rd base, shortstop, and left field for the Twins from 1968 to 1972. 

 

Most of his regular playing time came in his rookie season, when he started 30 games at shortstop (mostly in July), as the Twins struggled to find someone to replace the departed Zoilo Versalles, (finally solving that issue in 1969 by acquiring Chico Cardenas from the Reds) .

 

Renick caught a break in 1969, replacing Rich Rollins (who was drafted by the Seattle Pilots) as the starting 3rd baseman whenever Harmon Killebrew played 1st base. 

 

He also had significant playing time in 1970 (split across 3 positions), which tailed off in the following 2 seasons. 

 

Renick returned to the minors after the 1972 season, playing for the Twins' (1973-76) and Expos' (1977-78) organizations. 

 

From 1981 to 2002, he was a major-league coach for the Royals, Expos, Twins, Pirates, and Marlins.  

 

He also managed in the minor leagues for the Expos (1982-84) and White Sox (1991-96).  

 

Twins Daily obituary 

    

RIP - Mickey Lolich

 

Mickey Lolich, a starting pitcher for the Tigers in the 60s and 70s, passed away today, February 4, 2026 at age 85.

Lolich pitched for Detroit from 1963-75, and won 3 games in the 1968 World Series. All 3 were complete games, including the deciding game 7 against Bob Gibson. 

 

He also pitched for the Mets (1976) and Padres (1978-79). 

 

His 2,679 strikeouts is the second-most in AL history by a left-hander.

 

Lolich's 376 innings pitched in 1971 is the second highest in the majors since 1917. 

 

His 29 complete games in 1971 was the highest in the AL since Bob Feller's 36 in 1946. 

 

From 1965–74, he struck out 2,245 batters, more than any other pitcher during the same period. He also had more wins (172) and more complete games (155) than any other AL pitcher during the same time. 

 

He is the only left-hander with three complete World Series games in the same Series.  

 

MLB.com obituary  

 

New York Post obituary 

 

(Sorry, both Detroit newspapers have a pay wall.)

   

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!!!