Goodbye to Steve Lawrence at the age of 88.
I'm not sure you could have been a child of the seventies who watched network variety shows and not known Steve Lawrence and his wife Eydie Gorme.
The husband and wife duo appeared on what seemed to be every variety show at one time or the other but I always wondered why.
They weren't stars that had hits on the charts or even had songs that I knew from the past, they were just there- as constant guest stars.
Turns out Lawrence had five top-ten hits in the early sixties including a number one with "Go Away Little Girl" (which was covered by Donny Osmond in the seventies) but preferred working night clubs, acting on Broadway and film (including his cameo as producer Maury Sline in the original Blues Brothers), and working with Gorme.
A very interesting life.
Goodbye to Eric Carmen at the age of 74.
Also known as a prolific songwriter, Carmen was the lead singer with the Raspberries in the early seventies, whose hits included "Go All The Way", which reached number five on the United States charts in 1972.
After the breakup of the Raspberries, Carmen moved to romantic ballads as a solo artist with "All by Myself" reaching the second spot on the U.S. charts and would reinvent himself again in the mid-eighties with "Hungry Eyes" from the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack, also reaching the second position on the U.S. charts.
Goodbye to Dave Ritchie at the age of 85.
The long-time Canadian Football League coach for the B.C. Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Montreal Alouettes, Ritchie won two Grey Cups with the Lions in two stints, twelve years apart, winning the Cup in 1994 and 2006.
The 1994 Grey Cup is arguably the most heated CFL title game of all time as it would match the Lions against an American opponent for the first time in league history in the Baltimore CFL Colts.
Lui Passaglia kicked a field goal on the final play to give the Lions the win and the championship.
Ritchie finished his CFL career with a record 108-76-3.
Goodbye to Ed Ott at the age of 72.
Part of the Pirates catching platoon for their 1979 championship team, Ott is more remembered for things that had nothing to do with his on-field play.
Ott slid into second on a double play attempt against the Mets in 1977 into Felix Millan.
After the two exchanged words, Millan hit Ott with the baseball in his hand, Ott grabbed Millan and slammed him across his knee, injuring Millan and ending his career.
Ott, when serving as a coach with Houston, grabbed Reds pitcher Rob Dibble in a chokehold that left the much larger Dibble turning blue while in the choke.
Ott's other note? His five letters/two names are the shortest in major league history.
Goodbye to U.L.Washington at the age of 70.
Washington spent most of his career with the Royals and was known for the ever-present toothpick in his mouth, even as he played in games!
Washington was one of three players to make the majors from the Royals baseball academy along with Frank White and Ron Washington (no relation), and Washington was on first base just before George Brett's homer in the famous "Pine Tar Game".
Goodbye to Wayne Wilson at age 66.
Wilson was the twelfth-round selection of the Houston Oilers from Shepherd College in 1979 but was released in the final cut and claimed by New Orleans, where he would play for eight of his nine seasons in the NFL.
Wilson was used as a pass receiving back and as a special teams ac in this career but Wilson was the Saints leading rusher in 1983 when he rushed for 789 yards and nine touchdowns for New Orleans.
Wilson was the first player in Saints history to notch 1,000 yards in rushing, receiving, and kick returns for a career.
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