Browsing: dies

Oct 19, 2025, 05:41 PM ET

CARACAS — Former catcher Jesús Montero, who played for the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, has died following a traffic accident in Venezuela, officials said Sunday. He was 35.

Montero’s motorcycle reportedly crashed into a truck on Oct. 4 and he had been hospitalized ever since in critical condition. He was unable to recover from multiple injuries, authorities said.

“Venezuelan baseball sadly bids farewell to Jesús Montero … leaving behind a legacy of effort and passion for the game,” the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League said in a statement posted Sunday on X. “Today, baseball mourns his passing. But it also remembers him with gratitude: for every home run that thrilled the fans, for every day in which he proudly defended his country’s colors, and for every young person who saw in him an example that dreams can be achieved.”

The accident had shocked the South American country, with numerous outpourings of grief posted on social media.

Montero played 18 games for the Yankees in the 2011 season. He played 208 games with the Mariners, ending in 2015.

In his brief major league career, he batted .253, hit 28 home runs and had 104 RBIs.

In 2016, while still in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system, he was suspended 50 games after testing positive for dimethyl butylamine, a stimulant that helps combat fatigue. It was Montero’s second suspension for violating anti-doping regulations after a 50-game ban in 2013.

In the Venezuelan Winter League, he played six seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara and Ãguilas del Zulia. He retired at age 31 after the 2020-21 season.

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The New York Yankees announced Sunday that former top prospect Jesús Montero has died at the age of 35 years old.

“The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero,†read a post on the teamâ€s official X account. “We send our sincerest condolences to his family & loved ones.â€

The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero. We send our sincerest condolences to his family & loved ones. pic.twitter.com/jlfUpPmgMt

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 19, 2025

The former catcher’s motorcycle reportedly crashed into a truck on Oct. 4 and he had been hospitalized ever since in critical condition. He was unable to recover from multiple injuries, authorities said.

“We join the baseball community in mourning the passing of former Major League player Jesús Montero,” Major League Baseball posted on social media Sunday.

We join the baseball community in mourning the passing of former Major League player Jesús Montero.

As a Minor League prospect, Montero appeared in the All-Star Futures game twice before debuting for the New York Yankees in September 2011. He posted a .996 OPS with 4 home runs… pic.twitter.com/AO6Yrxb5mo

— MLB (@MLB) October 19, 2025

The Venezuela native, a power-hitting catcher in the minors, was ranked one of the sportâ€s top-10 prospects by Baseball America for three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012.

Montero was the No. 1 prospect in the Yankees†organization when he made his major-league debut in 2011 at 21-years-old. He played in 18 games for the Yankees that season, hitting .328 with four homers and 12 RBIs.

The following January, Montero was traded to the Seattle Mariners in a package for starting pitcher Michael Pineda. In his first season with the Mariners, he hit .260 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs in 135 games. Over the next three seasons, he played in a combined 73 games, making his final MLB appearance in 2015.

He was waived by the Mariners the following offseason and spent stints in the minor league systems of the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles.

In the Venezuelan Winter League, he played six seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara, and Ãguilas del Zulia. He retired at age 31 after the 2020-2021 season.

“Venezuelan baseball sadly bids farewell to Jesús Montero … leaving behind a legacy of effort and passion for the game,†the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League said in a statement posted Sunday on X. “Today, baseball mourns his passing. But it also remembers him with gratitude: for every home run that thrilled the fans, for every day in which he proudly defended his countryâ€s colors, and for every young person who saw in him an example that dreams can be achieved.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

CNBCâ€s Michael Ozanian breaks down the 2025 MLB team valuations from the most valuable New York Yankees to the bottom of the barrel Miami Marlins.

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Oct 13, 2025, 04:48 PM ET

Sandy Alomar Sr., an All-Star infielder during his playing days in the 1960s and 70s who went on to coach in the majors and manage in his native Puerto Rico, has died. He was 81.

A spokesperson for the Cleveland Guardians said Monday that the team was informed by Alomar’s family about his death. Sandy Alomar Jr., who along with Hall of Fame brother Roberto played for their father in winter ball and in the minors, is on the Guardians’ staff.

“Our thoughts are with the Alomar family today as the baseball community mourns his passing,” the Guardians said on social media.

Sandy Alomar Sr. played for six major league teams across 15 seasons, including three for the Yankees. Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire

Alomar broke into the big leagues in 1964 with the Milwaukee Braves, one of six teams he played for. He also spent time with the New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers before calling it a career in 1978.

Known more for his speed and fielding than his hitting, Alomar batted .245 with 13 home runs and 282 RBI in 1,481 regular-season games.

He was named an All-Star in 1970. He stole 227 bases, including a career-high 39 in 1971, when he led the American League with 689 at-bats and 739 plate appearances, and took part in one playoff series with the Yankees in ’76.

Alomar went into coaching in San Diego’s system in the ’80s and was the Padres’ third-base coach from 1986 to 90. He coached for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies and the Mets in the 2000s.

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BOSTON — Mike Greenwell, an outfielder who played 12 seasons with the Boston Red Sox and finished second in the 1988 American League MVP voting, died Thursday, his wife said. He was 62.

The Boston Globe reported in mid-August that Greenwell had medullary thyroid cancer. Tracy Greenwell told WINK, a radio station in Lee County, Florida, that her husband died in Boston.

“With a heavy heart, I lost my best friend today,” Tracy Greenwell wrote on social media. “It was Mike’s time to be an angel. At 10:30 a.m. in Boston’s General Hospital. We are forever grateful for the life he has given us.”

Lee County Manager Bruce Harner also announced Greenwell’s death on the county government’s social media account. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Greenwell to the county commission in 2022, and he was reelected to the post in 2024.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,” the post read. “He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be remembered for seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges his community faced. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who were touched by his leadership.”

Mike Greenwell played his entire 12-year MLB career in Boston, earning two All-Star selections and placing second in the 1988 AL MVP voting. Ron Vesely/Getty Images

“The Gator” was better known for his baseball exploits than his political career.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Greenwell spent most of his childhood in Florida and played baseball and football at North Fort Myers High School.

Greenwell played his entire major league career for Boston, making two All-Star appearances, winning the 1988 Silver Slugger Award and finishing second in that year’s MVP voting to Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco. Greenwell was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

He made his big league debut in 1985 and appeared in 31 games on the 1986 American League champions, who lost 4-3 to the New York Mets in a World Series filled with heartbreak for the Red Sox.

In 1987, Greenwell emerged as Boston’s full-time left fielder, taking over the position previously occupied by three MVPs — Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice — who would later become Hall of Famers.

Although he fell short of those luminaries, the left-handed-hitting Greenwell had a solid career, finishing with a lifetime batting average of .303, 130 home runs, 726 RBIs and 80 stolen bases.

“He was a great teammate and an even better person,” right-handed pitcher Bob Stanley said. “He had big shoes to fill in left field, and he did a damn good job. He played hard and never forgot where he came from — Fort Myers. Just a great guy. We’ll all miss him.”

His best season came in 1988, when he batted .325 with 22 homers, 119 RBIs and 16 stolen bases and hit for the cycle in a September game. Greenwell also delivered a then-AL record 23 game-winning RBIs, a statistic that is no longer recognized by Major League Baseball, and he drove in all of Boston’s runs in a late-season 9-6 victory over Seattle.

That put him in the MVP mix. When Canseco later acknowledged he was using steroids that season, Greenwell asked, “Where’s my MVP?”

Greenwell earned his nickname for a spring training incident in which he captured an alligator, taped its mouth shut and put it in a teammate’s locker in Florida.

He played an abbreviated final season in Japan, retiring suddenly after just seven games because of a fractured right foot he suffered on a foul ball.

After his playing career, Greenwell moved into auto racing. He began competing in late-model stock cars in 2000 and made two starts in NASCAR’s Truck Series in 2006. He retired in 2010.

“You always wanted to be around him — I truly enjoyed my time with him,” former Boston outfielder Dwight Evans said. “He was a gamer in every sense of the word, and he will be deeply missed.”

Greenwell is survived by his wife and two sons, Bo and Garrett.

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Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who became a college basketball fan favorite during Loyola Chicago’s March Madness run to the Final Four in 2018, has passed away at 106 years old. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the news on Thursday.

“Loyola University Chicago is greatly saddened to confirm the death of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM,” Loyola Chicago wrote in a statement. “This is a tremendous loss of someone who touched the lives of so many people. We appreciate everyone’s thoughts & prayers during this difficult time.”

Sister Jean was a Catholic nun, campus minister and official chaplain of Loyola Chicago’s basketball team. She became synonymous in the college basketball world when she was seen on the sidelines cheering on the Ramblers as they made a Cinderella run to the Final Four, marking their first since their national championship in 1963.

Sister Jean took a job at Mundelein College in 1961 and later joined Loyola Chicago when the two schools became affiliated in 1991. She stepped into the academic advisor role with the men’s basketball team in 1994 before becoming the team’s chaplain.

“In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” Loyola President Mark C. Reed said. “While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us.”Â

Just last month, Sister Jean retired from her role with the team and stepped away from her duties at the university.

Sister Jean also joined the Ramblers for their two NCAA tournament appearances that followed the Final Four run. In 2020-21, ahead of Loyola’s upset win over No. 1 Illinois, she offered wisdom not only in the players’ lives, but also on the court.

“As we play the Fighting Illini, we ask for special help to overcome this team and get a great win,” she said. “We hope to score early and make our opponents nervous. We have a great opportunity to convert rebounds as this team makes about 50% of layups and 30% of its 3 points. Our defense can take care of that.”

But Sister Jean’s legacy extends far beyond her work with the basketball team.

Sister Jean paired Loyola students with residents of a local assisted living community through a program called SMILE (Students Moving Into the Lives of the Elderly) and held weekly prayer groups for students.

She “received recognition from church and world leaders thanking her for her joy and service,” and received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis for her 100th birthday. She received a proclamation from President Joe Biden on her 105th birthday.

The Ramblers will no longer have Sister Jean on their sideline, but they’ll surely be thinking of her the next time they take to the court.

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Mandaric took control of his father’s engineering business in the Serbian city of Novi Sad at the age of 21.

Five years later it was one of the largest firms in Yugoslavia and on a collision course with Marshal Tito, country’s communist dictator.

Tito denounced Mandaric as a “capitalist traitor” when the entrepreneur took his family to Switzerland.

Mandaric spent a year there, desperately trying to get his cash out of the Balkans, then moved to United States where he founded a computer-components firm and an electronics business.

He acquired US citizenship and signed George Best to play for the first professional sports team in Silicon Valley, the San Jose Earthquakes.

Frustrated by the slow progress of the game in the US, Mandaric bought Belgian club Charleroi and then moved on to Nice.

Portsmouth were on the brink of bankruptcy when he bought them in 1999 before being revived under his stewardship in a pattern which would earn him a reputation as football’s ‘Mr Fixit’.

There would be the wobbly start as owner and club got acquainted, a few spins of the managerial merry-go-round, investment in the squad, improvement, promotion, consolidation, sale.

With Harry Redknapp appointed as manager, Mandaric’s Portsmouth won the Championship in 2003 before he sold the club to French-Israeli businessman Alexandre Gaydamak for £32m in 2006.

Mandaric bought Leicester City for £6m in 2007. The Foxes were relegated to League One in 2007-08 but returned as champions in 08-09 and lost in the Championship play-off semi-finals in 09-10.

He sold Leicester to Thailand’s Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha for £40m later that year and bought a heavily indebted Sheffield Wednesday for £1.

The Owls won promotion from League One in 2012 before Mandaric sold them to another Thai, Dejphon Chansiri, for £37.5m.

Manadaric was also memorably involved with Redknapp in a corruption saga that started with a BBC Panorama investigation in 2006, and ended with them being acquitted of tax evasion in 2012.

Earlier this year, Mandaric considered buying back Wednesday to save the club from being “destroyed” under current chairman Chansiri.

However, he decided against pursuing the idea because he could not devote sufficient time to “return the club to the healthy condition I left it in”.

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Dick Groch, who is best known as the scout who helped convince the New York Yankees to select Derek Jeter with the No. 6 pick of the 1992 MLB draft, died Wednesday at the age of 84.

The Yankees held a moment of silence ahead of Thursday’s American League Wild Card Series Game 3 against the Boston Red Sox:

Jeter also honored the scout who famously said of the Yankees legend, “He’s not going to the University of Michigan; the only place Derek Jeter is going is Cooperstown.”

Bryan Hoch and Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported on Groch’s life and noted he was a four-time First-Team NAIA basketball selection at Olivet College before he began a coaching and teaching career at St. Clair Community College. His baseball teams made three appearances in the Junior College World Series and produced more than 40 professional players.

Groch then became a scout for the Montreal Expos before taking the same role on the Yankees.Â

His most famous accomplishment came when he traveled around Michigan to track Jeter at Kalamazoo Central High and convinced the Yankees to select him.

“It’s the difference between going to the Kentucky Derby and the state fair,” Groch once said of Jeter. “When you see Secretariat, it takes your breath away.”

His instincts were right, as Jeter ended up becoming a generational player who was elected to the Hall of Fame after a career that included five World Series titles, five Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers, a Rookie of the Year, a World Series MVP and 14 All-Star Game selections.

Groch then joined the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002 and was listed in the team’s staff director as late as 2021.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy, as well as his three children and nine grandchildren.

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Sep 30, 2025, 07:36 PM ET

Lawrence Moten, a basketball star at Syracuse in the early 1990s who still holds the program scoring record, has died. He was 53.

An athletic department spokesperson said Tuesday that multiple staff members learned of Moten’s death from various contacts and that Moten was at home in Washington, D.C., when he died. A cause of death was not immediately clear.

A 6-foot-5 guard known as “Poetry in Moten,” he scored 2,334 points over four seasons with the Orange, from 1991 to 1995. His 1,405 points in Big East play was a conference record that stood until 2020.

Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim, who recruited and coached Moten, called it a tragic day for the Syracuse basketball family.

Lawrence Moten, who starred at Syracuse in the early 1990s and still holds the program scoring record, had his No. 21 jersey retired in a pregame ceremony March 3, 2018, at the Carrier Dome. Nick Lisi/AP

“Lawrence’s passing is such a sudden thing; it’s very hard to take,” Boeheim said. “He was one of the most underrated college basketball players of all time. I believe some people took his ability for granted because he made it look so easy. Lawrence was one of our greatest players and one of the best in the history of the Big East Conference.”

Syracuse qualified for the NCAA tournament three times with Moten, who had his No. 21 jersey retired in a pregame ceremony March 3, 2018, at the Carrier Dome.

“I can’t think of anybody that was more positive or who loved Syracuse more than he did,” said Adrian Autry, who was a teammate with Moten for three seasons at Syracuse and succeeded Boeheim as coach in 2023. “He was one of the greatest to put on the uniform. It’s a big loss. I was able to play alongside him for three years and watch him do some amazing things. I was fortunate to spend time with him on and off the court.”

Orange athletic director John Wildhack called Moten a Syracuse icon.

“His accolades as Syracuse’s all-time leading scorer and holding the Big East scoring record for 25 years speak for themselves, but his style of play is what energized the Dome,” Wildhack said. “He was a fixture around the program long after his playing career, always with a smile on his face.”

Moten was a second-round pick of the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1995 NBA draft. He played two seasons with them and an additional eight games with the Washington Wizards in 1998.

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Makena White, the girlfriend of PGA Tour player Jake Knapp, has died.

A friend of the 28-year-old from Ottawa, Ontario, posted the tragic news on White’s Instagram account, writing that White’s death occurred earlier this week.

Here was the full message:

“Hi everyone – this is Makena’s friend, writing with the heaviest heart to share that Makena passed away earlier this week. She is already so deeply missed by her Dad, her family, her friends, and of course by Nelly and Fergie.

“Makena was one of a kind. She had this rare way of making you feel special, and her huge heart was always overflowing with love. To be loved by Makena was a gift; one that came with endless laughter, so much joy, and a healthy sprinkling of chaos as we tried to keep up with her travel schedule.

“If you would like to honour Makena’s memory, donations to the Bruyère Brain Health & Memory Clinic or the Griffin Bell Endowment Fund would mean a lot.

“We love you Mak. We’ll miss you always, and we’ll be looking for you in the sunset.â€

No other details have been released.

Knapp, through his manager, released a statement to the Associated Press on Saturday: “It’s an understatement to say how hard all of this is to process for everyone who knew Mak, especially her family and friends, who deserve privacy and respect during this difficult time. Makena was such a thoughtful person whose selflessness toward others is something I will always appreciate. We shared so many unforgettable memories together, and now that she’s no longer with us, it’s a tough reality to comprehend. She had an incredible family, great friends, and her fun, outgoing energy will be missed by all of us.â€

White and Knapp began dating in August 2023, their relationship going public when White congratulated Knapp on the 18th green after he won his first PGA Tour title at the 2024 Mexico Open.

Catherine LystBBC Scotland

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Sire Menzies Campbell led the Liberal Democrats from 2006 to 2007

Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has died at the age of 84.

Sir Menzies, or Ming as he was widely known, led the Liberal Democrats from 2006 to 2007 and was the MP for North East Fife at Westminster for 28 years.

In his first career as a sprinter, he held the UK 100m record from 1967 to 1974 and ran in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics – being dubbed The Flying Scotsman.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey described Sir Menzies as “a dedicated public servant and a true Liberal giant”.

He said: “His principled leadership opposing the Iraq War was a mark of his morality, courage and wisdom.

“But more than that, he was an incredibly warm and caring friend and colleague. We will miss him terribly.”

Sir Menzies died peacefully in London following a period of respite care. His grandson was with him.

His family said one of his final days was spent watching the Liberal Democrats Party Conference, and enjoying watching video messages from political friends.

Sir Menzies first stood as a candidate for the Liberal Democrats in 1976, but did not win his constituency for 11 years.

He made his name as the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, a position he held for 14 years and was a renowned critic of the Iraq war.

He became a member of the House of Lords in 2015. His official title was Baron Campbell of Pittenweem.

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First Minister John Swinney said: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lord Campbell – one of the most distinguished and well-liked political figures of his generation.

“I first got to know him well as a newly-elected MP where he welcomed me and helped me adapt to life in House of Commons. Over the years since, we often worked together on the many issues on which we agreed.”

He said Sir Menzies was “a passionate believer in a better Scotland” but also a strong internationalist – keen to build consensus and find common ground.

“Those entering public service today could learn much from his style – always forthright in speaking up for what he believed in, but never anything other than respectful, courteous and polite to his political opponents,” Swinney said.

“On behalf of the Scottish government I offer my condolences to Lord Campbell’s family. My thoughts today are with them, his Liberal Democrat colleagues and his many friends across the political spectrum and beyond.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said Sir Menzies was one of the “most respected politicians of his generation”.

He said: “The first political thing I ever did was to deliver leaflets for Ming on the morning of his first election to Parliament in 1987.

“He was my MP, he was my mentor and he was my friend. From the Olympic track to the benches of Westminster, his contribution to public life will long be remembered.”

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Sir Menzies wife of more than 50 years, Elspeth, died in 2023

Wendy Chamberlain, current MP for North East Fife, said Sir Menzies “remained a significant figure” in the area.

She added: “His contributions to our communities, to the University of St Andrews, as well as to Scotland and the UK were immeasurable.

“Although he found the passing of his beloved Elspeth difficult, rather than retreat, until the last weeks of his life, he was still travelling to London to contribute in the House of Lords.”

Born Walter Menzies Campbell on 22 May 1941, Sir Menzies was brought up in a Glasgow tenement.

He was educated at Hillhead High School and went on to the University of Glasgow, where he was a contemporary of both John Smith and Donald Dewar studying Law and debating in the union.

He also attended Stanford University in California during the Vietnam War and later became an advocate.

Sir Menzies was called to the Scottish bar in 1968 and made a QC (latterly KC) in 1982. The law gave him a lucrative career and he continued to practise throughout his time in politics.

His wife of more than 50 years, Elspeth, died in June 2023 – he described her as his “constant political companion, always my encouragement and forever my first line of defence”.

Menzies Campbell’s contribution to our politics was far greater than his short spell as party leader suggests.

His was an extremely well informed voice on defence and foreign affairs which was central to the public debate during and after the Iraq war.

He and his late wife Elspeth were the best of political company with a great deal of insight into the Westminster issues and characters of the day.

In many ways Elspeth was more ambitious for her husband than he was for himself. His period as party leader was not a happy one.

He was on the receiving end of a persistent ageism – caricatured as a grandfatherly figure with his best days behind him when compared with rival leaders like Tony Blair and David Cameron.

When appearing on TV for interview he always insisted on wearing a tie because he felt it was what his constituents would expect.

But I knew he’d given in to modernising advisers who wrongly thought they could reinvent his image when one Sunday morning he appeared in our studio in an open-necked shirt. It was not long before he resigned.

It was his wisdom, experience and courtesy that were his greatest strengths and these were undervalued qualities during his time at the top.

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