Sports Stars Who Tragically Died Too Soon

[corkedbat]

Wendall Ladner (Kentucky Colonels forward killed in a plane crash)
Len Bias
Hank Gathers
The Marshall Univ Football team - I'll never forget that evening - it was really foggy and rainy. I was at my grandmother's house in Kenova, WV that evening and heard the explosion.

16 years later I was working at the Ashland Oil across the river in Cattletsburg, KY (where the Little Sandy R. meets the Ohio). Talked to a couple of the old timers that worked the refinery that night. They said that the pilot had never flown into Tri-State Airport outside of Kenova. They said he came out of the clouds and saw the lights thinking it was the airport. By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late to gain altitude and make it back up to the top of the hill where the airport sits.

Don't know if there's any truth to it or not, but I could see how it could happen. Had he landed it in the refinery, it would have been a major catastraphe in addition to the terrible tragedy it was. They make refine some nasty ish in that place.

[George Anderson]

Vince Lombardi

[BearcatShane]

Josh Hancock, Joe Kennedy.

[Edskin]

Jerome Brown

[cumberlandreds]

Steve Olin and Tim Crews died in a boating accident about 15 years ago.

[RichRed]

Sean Taylor

[Eric_the_Red]

The Reds and Bengals' franchises
Vernon Forrest
Payne Stewart
Florence Griffith-Joyner
Korey Stringer
Darrent Williams
Marquis Cooper
Corey Smith
Drazen Petrovic
Billy Martin (not rreally young but still a life cut short)
Alexei Cherepanov
Rocky Marciano
Derrick Thomas

[reds1869]

Wendall Ladner (Kentucky Colonels forward killed in a plane crash)
Len Bias
Hank Gathers
The Marshall Univ Football team - I'll never forget that evening - it was really foggy and rainy. I was at my grandmother's house in Kenova, WV that evening and heard the explosion.

16 years later I was working at the Ashland Oil across the river in Cattletsburg, KY (where the Little Sandy R. meets the Ohio). Talked to a couple of the old timers that worked the refinery that night. They said that the pilot had never flown into Tri-State Airport outside of Kenova. They said he came out of the clouds and saw the lights thinking it was the airport. By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late to gain altitude and make it back up to the top of the hill where the airport sits.

Don't know if there's any truth to it or not, but I could see how it could happen. Had he landed it in the refinery, it would have been a major catastraphe in addition to the terrible tragedy it was. They make refine some nasty ish in that place.

I spent most of my childhood summers in Huntington and attended Marshall. My wife, sister and both parents are MU alums as well. I have flown out of Tri-State Airport many times and never stop thinking about the crash when I'm there. Those of us who are from the area or attended MU are forever bound to that tragedy.

[GAC]

I work with Munson's cousin. I came into work last night and asked him what occurred on this date 30 years ago, and he looked at me and asked "What?" I said Thurman died. He couldn't believe it's been that long.

Then, throughout the night, he kept coming up to me and telling me various stories about Thurman.

[cincrazy]

Has anyone mentioned Knute Rockne? And I actually haven't taken the time to read through the list provided with the link, so maybe they mentioned him.

[cincrazy]

Also, Darryl Kile.

And on an NBA note, Bobby Phills.

[Betterread]

Football - Derrick Thomas
NBA - Malik Sealy -killed by a drunk driver going the wrong way
International BB - Drazen Petrovic
Soccer - Serginho -died on the field

[Chip R]

Jim Creighton

[Slyder]

Leon Bender
Eric Turner
Darrell Russell
Marquis Cooper

[reds44]

Sean Taylor

Of all the ones mentioned, for some reason this one effected me the most.