January of 2021 proved deadly for four American sports figures, two from Los Angles, one from Atlanta and one from New Haven.
Floyd Little, a Denver Bronco All-Pro running back, died on New Year’s Day in Henderson, Nev. Little was born on July 4, 1942, in New Haven.
A star running back at Syracuse University where he earned All-American honors three times, Little was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
As a Denver Bronco, he became known as “the franchise” and was selected to play in the NFL Pro Bowl five times. He led the NFL in rushing in 1971 with 1,133 yards, and he finished his career that spanned 1967-1975 with 2,704 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns.
On Aug. 7, 2010, Little was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He is one of only four to be inducted without having played in a post-season game.
Paul Westphal, a star guard at Aviation High School in Torrence, Calif. near L.A. who went on to play in the NBA and coach NBA teams, passed away on Jan. 2, 2021, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Westphal, was instrumental in helping the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship in 1974 when his scoring average was 7.2. During his career in the NBA, he played for the Celtics, the Knicks, the Suns, and the Thunder.
As an NBA coach, he coached the Phoenix Suns, the Seattle SuperSonics and the Sacramento Kings. Following his coaching career that had included three stints as a college coach prior to coaching in the NBA, Westphal became a sports commentator.
Major League Baseball’s Tommy Lasorda died on Jan. 7, 2021, in Fullerton, Calif., not far from Dodger Stadium where he managed the Los Angeles Dodgers, leading his team to two World Series championships: 1981 and 1988.
Lasorda managed the Dodgers for 20 seasons and compiled a winning record of 1,599-1,439. His teams won four National League pennants and finished as division winners eight times.
Born on Feb. 5, 1934, Hank Aaron, the Major League Baseball Hall of Farmer who broke Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home runs to finish his career with 755 home runs, died in Atlanta on Jan. 22, 2021.
Aaron earned the nickname, “Hammerin’ Hank,” during his 23 seasons in MLB from 1954-1978.
Undeniably one of the best baseball players of all-time, Aaron’ stats reveal his greatness: first in extra base hits, 1,477; first in RBIs, 2,297; first in total bases, 6,856; third in hits, 3,771; fourth in RS, 2,174; and fourth in intentional walks, 293.
During the months following Jan., the world of sports lost other famous athletes and sports figures in 2021, but Jan. set the stage for the grief that was to follow.
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