He was beloved by New York fans for his willingness to play hurt, as memorably exemplified in the decisive Game 7 of the 1970 N.B.A. finals at Madison Square Garden.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Willis Reed, Hall of Fame Center for Champion Knicks, Dies at 80
The New York Times – Sports: -
Polito Vega, Salsa ‘King’ of New York Radio, Dies at 84
The New York Times – Music:In a career that began in 1960, the Puerto Rico-born Mr. Vega became, one admirer said, “the architect of Hispanic radio at a global level.”
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Jim Gordon, Top Rock Drummer With a Troubled Life, Dies at 77
The New York Times – Music:He was an elite studio musician who played with A-list artists and helped write the Eric Clapton hit “Layla.” But his life was shattered by mental illness and a murder conviction.
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Jerry Samuels, Creator of a Novelty Hit, Is Dead at 84
The New York Times – Music:Under the name Napoleon XIV, he recorded “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” and, to almost everyone’s surprise, it stormed the charts in 1966.
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Lewis Spratlan, Who Took Winding Route to Music Pulitzer, Dies at 82
The New York Times – Music:His opera sat unproduced for decades. Then a piece of it garnered one of the field’s top prizes. Then it sat some more.
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Bobby Caldwell, Silky-Voiced R&B Crooner, Dies at 71
The New York Times – Music:His much-covered 1978 hit “What You Won’t Do for Love” launched him on a prolific career that spanned decades and genres.
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Richard Rosenberg, Who Rejuvenated Bank of America, Dies at 92
The New York Times – Business:As chief executive and chairman in the 1990s, he helped turn the bank into the nation’s second-largest through a series of acquisitions.
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Joe Pepitone, Rambunctious Star When the Yankees Faded, Dies at 82
The New York Times – Sports:He had All-Star years, won three Gold Gloves, hit with power and was a fan favorite, but as the team’s fortunes dimmed, his renegade lifestyle had its costs.
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Dick Fosbury, 76, Whose ‘Flop’ Transformed the High Jump, Is Dead
The New York Times – Sports:His back-first, neck-down leaping style struck competitors and onlookers as a novelty act. After he won an Olympic gold in 1968, it came to dominate his sport.
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Masatoshi Ito, 98, the King of Convenience Stores in Japan, Dies
The New York Times – Business:He introduced the American chain 7-Eleven to the country, covering the landscape with thousands of outlets and starting a retail revolution there.
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Pat McCormick, Olympic Diving Champion, Is Dead at 92
The New York Times – Sports:The first diver to sweep the gold medals in two Olympics, she won 26 national championships in a career that ended when she was still in her 20s.
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Jesus Alou, Youngest in Trio of Baseball-Playing Brothers, Dies at 80
The New York Times – Sports:He and his brothers, Felipe and Matty, were the only three brothers in major league history to play together in a single game.