Athletes we lost in 2022

Here’s a list of athletes and other celebrities that we lost last year.

1. BILL RUSSEL (88) won 11 NBA titles including eight straight with the Boston Celtics.  He was a 12 time All- Star and five-time MVP. He also won an Olympic gold and 2 college titles.

2. PELE (82) Brazil’s soccer icon won 3 World Cup titles.

3. BOB LANIER (73) was an 8th time All-Star who played for Milwaukee and Detroit.  The 6’11” center played 14 seasons in the league.

4. PAUL SILAS (79) was a 3-time champion withthe Boston Celtics and coached the San Diego Clippers.

5. GENE SHUE (90) was a five-time NBA All-Star who was voted Coach of the Year twice.

6. LOUIS ORR (64) played for the Knicks and Pacers in the NBA for eight seasons.

7. MIKE SCHULER (81) coached the Portland Trailblazer (1986-89) and Clippers in 1992.

8. WAYNE COOPER (65) the 6’10” played for Golden State Warriors, Denver and several NBA teams for 14  seasons.

9. JOHNNY EGAN (83) played in the NBA for 11 seasons and coached the Houston Rockets in 1973-76.

10. CALEB SWANIGAN (25) played for Portland and Sacramento who died of natural causes in June.

11. Adreian Payne (31) the 6’10” forward played for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

12. BILL FITCH (89) was a coach for 25 years, mentoring Boston and Houston.  He also coached the Clippers in 1997-98.

13. TSUDOI MIYAZAKI (25) the Japanese triathlete was killed when he was hit by a car while riding his bike in Orleans, 130km south of Paris.

14. TOM WEISKOPT (79) one of the greatest golfers had 16 wins in the PGA Tour.  He was a British Open champion and  golf course designer.

15. MILLS LANE (85) was a veteran boxing referee who was the third man in the ring during the Holyfield-Tyson bout where the latter bit Evander’s  ear.

16. EARNIE SHAVERS (78) was a two-time heavyweight champion who fought Muhammad Ali and lost via unanimous decision. Ali said Shavers was the hardest puncher he encountered.

17.  ADELLE MILLOZ (26) former ski-mountaineering champion, fell to her  death in the French Alps.

18. PATRICK TAMBAY (73) Formula One  car racer won two races with Ferrari.

Here at home, we lost Asia’s former fastest woman

LYDIA DE VEGA (57) in August to breast cancer. 

ROMULO MANARA one of the top marathoners of the country who  ran for Puma and Phil Army.

LIM ENG BENG (64)  died just this first week of January of liver cancer.  The PBA Hall of Famer holds an NCAA of 55 points while playing for De La Salle. He also  played for 12 seasons. Hooking up with the  Utex Wranglers.