OT: Kobe and other Shocking Deaths

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

Rutgers related - i was very sad when Keith Hughes died way too young.

 

[MadRU]

Another one that shocked me, not Athlete or Musician, but Chris Kyle, The American Sniper. I had just read his book and then he was killed trying to help a fellow veteran.

 

[hoquat63]

Earliest I remember is the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens.
Was in 10th grade when JFK was shot.
Remember most of the others mentioned
Not mentioned yet Ken Hubbs and the Challenger crew

 

[Lawboy]

Ricky Nelson, Rock and Roll Star and son of RUs Ozzie Nelson
Jim Gandolfini aka Tony Soprano
Keith Hughes

 

[RUkhoury]

Selena. Was a total babe.

 

[rutgersguy1_rivals]

Anthony Bourdain

 

[gmay8]

Chris Farley for me... I loved him

 

[RUnTeX]

Also of SNL fame, Phil Hartman

 

[MadRU]

Chris Farley for me... I loved him

True, Farley, Hartman, Belushi.

 

[RUBubba]

Payne Stewart was a wild one because of the timing of it. It hit the news that the plane was unresponsive, assumptions of what was going on inside (nothing!), and who was on board. Then the finality of it. Wild since it was just a few months after winning the US Open where he beat Phil Mickelson, and in a memorable photo, embraced Phil who was expecting his first child at any moment.

As for Thurman Munson, I was 8 when it happened, but was already a big Yankee fan. I remember hearing the news from a friend and crying myself to sleep. Last year, I had the pleasure of playing a round of golf with Graig Nettles. He talked a little big about it and even said that he and his son were supposed to fly with Thurman right before the accident, but couldn't make it. Friends tried to get Thurman to slow down with his flight training, but he pressed forward as he wanted as much time with his family as possible. BTW, the conversation started with me pulling a drive hard left, and I sheepishly asked him about it being called a "Thurman ball"... aka a Dead Yank. He chuckled a little and said that Thurman would have loved it.

 

[RUBOB72]

Of course there are personal deaths that each of us have had, but I was thinking about which public deaths have been the biggest shocking ones that had the biggest outpouring of emotion in the USA that I could think of in my lifetime.

I was only 5 when JFK was shot and killed, so I am not including him.

Of course we have learned many things and have developed medicines to keep people alive since Magic's announcement, but who in 1993 would have thought that Kobe Bryant would have died before Magic Johnson? To not have John F Kennedy in your list is absurd . The man was the President of the United States. It does not matter whether you personally remember it or not . Lists such as this are more for the individual rather than the reader themselves. There have many been countless numbers of famous people who died too young way before their time . Add Kobe a great person and athlete but remember the actual importance of their existence. By the way groz you forgot one other famous name who died too young who also was killed tragically . His name may ring a bell with you? ... Jesus Christ

Thinking quickly off the top of my head and not in any order:

1. Martin Luther King
2. Robert Kennedy
3. Michael Jackson
4. Whitney Houston
5. Kobe Bryant (I am thinking that his funeral will be broadcast on national tv unless his wife wants it to be kept private).
6. Not his death, but OJ Simpson for his double murder and the chase and that amazing Friday of the Rangers parade and the Knicks finals all in the same day.

Best of Luck,
Groz

 

[bac2therac]

Natalie Wood

 

[RUwishbone]

Buddy Holly

 

[Blitz8RU]

Gandhi

 

[Arizona Knight]

Kurt Cobain for me.

 

[RUBubba]

Another was Pat Tillman.

Not really shocking because of where he was, but the whole story of him, made it so.

Wonder if someone will make movie about him. A real movie, not a cheezy, low budget mess.

 

[rutger80]

Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.
You're not going to find many, if any, athletes who were so dominant at the time of their death.

 

[soundcrib]

Biggie

 

[RUtom]

The tops for me were John Lennon, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson and Prince. I guess Elvis too because of his fame but everyone knew he was a fat drug addict.

 

[NightKnight]

My friend Bill. 19 years old when he ODed. Of the 10 or so guys that was our gang before high school, 3 died very young - 1 murdered. 3 others spent some significant time in prison. Sports were the main reason I stopped hanging out with those guys.

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

Of course there are personal deaths that each of us have had, but I was thinking about which public deaths have been the biggest shocking ones that had the biggest outpouring of emotion in the USA that I could think of in my lifetime.

I was only 5 when JFK was shot and killed, so I am not including him.

Of course we have learned many things and have developed medicines to keep people alive since Magic's announcement, but who in 1993 would have thought that Kobe Bryant would have died before Magic Johnson?

Thinking quickly off the top of my head and not in any order:

1. Martin Luther King
2. Robert Kennedy
3. Michael Jackson
4. Whitney Houston
5. Kobe Bryant (I am thinking that his funeral will be broadcast on national tv unless his wife wants it to be kept private).
6. Not his death, but OJ Simpson for his double murder and the chase and that amazing Friday of the Rangers parade and the Knicks finals all in the same day.

Best of Luck,
Groz

When Magic Johnson contracted HIV.

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

John Lennon

I was attending Montclair State when that occurred. Next day, some idiot spray painted 'Lenin Lives' on a prominent building.

 

[scarletpumpernickl]

Marilyn Monroe, Whitney Houston

 

[BillyC80]

Jim Morrison, Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix