Every new year brings a long list of athletes who passed away and 2023 is no exception. The first such death occurred on January 1 of the new year, when Hall of Fame NFL referee Art McNally passed away at age 97 of natural causes. McNally is the only referee to ever be inducted into the Hall, and he is known as the “Father of Instant Replay.” Other incredible athletes who died in 2023 include Scottish footballer Frank McGarvey and DC Shoes founder turned rallycross driver Ken Block.
As the year goes on, recent athlete deaths will be added to this list, ranging from legends of their sports who lived long, eventful lives to youthful, up-and-comers who were taken far too soon. So if you see someone pop up in your Twitter feed or in the news and you’re wondering what famous athlete died today, check out the names below.
10. Ken Block
Ken Block was best known as a professional rally driver and co-founder of DC Shoes. He passed away on January 2, 2023, in Utah at the age of 55 after sustaining injuries in a snowmobile accident.
After selling his ownership of DC Shoes, Block shifted his business focus to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts. He was the co-owner and “Head Hoonigan In Charge” (HHIC) at the company before his death in a snowmobile accident in January 2023.
9. Rosi Mittermaier
Rosi Mittermaier was a German alpine skier who was the overall World Cup champion in 1976 and a double gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics. She passed away on January 4, 2023, at the age of 72 following a “serious illness.” At this time, details on the illness have not been provided.
8. Nate Colbert
Nate Colbert was a professional baseball player arguably best known for his time with the San Diego Padres. He passed away on January 5, 2023, at the age of 76 from an unknown cause. Nathan Colbert Jr. (April 9, 1946 – January 5, 2023) was an American professional baseball player.
He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1966 to 1976, most prominently as a member of the newly formed San Diego Padres, who joined the league as an expansion team in 1969. He was among the inaugural inductees into the Padres Hall of Fame.
7. Gianluca Vialli
Gianluca Vialli was an iconic soccer player and manager who played as a striker. He passed away on January 6, 2023, at the age of 58 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. This “unwanted traveling companion,” as he described his illness on RAI, had been with him for five years.
On December 14, 2022, it forced him to withdraw from the Italian national team, for which the man known as “Re Leone” (the “Lion King”) had been head of the delegation since 2019.
6. Jorge Ballesteros
Jorge Ballesteros was a professional sport shooter from Spain best known for winning the gold medal overall in the Open division at the 2017 IPSC Handgun World Shoot. He passed away on January 10, 2023, at the age of 39 after suffering a gunshot wound to the head, according to TMZ.
World shooting champion Jorge Ballesteros has tragically passed away after reportedly suffering a gunshot wound to the head. He was only 39. According to the Spanish news outlet ABC Deportes, Ballesteros was found inside his car at the La Vaguada shopping center in Madrid on Monday.
5. Charles White
Charles White was a professional football player who played in the NFL for nine seasons. The Heisman Trophy winner died on January 11, 2023, at the age of 64 after a battle with cancer.
Charles White, a dynamic tailback for the University of Southern California who set the school’s career record for rushing yardage and won the 1979 Heisman Trophy, died on Wednesday in Newport Beach, Calif. He was 64.
4. Hunter Brown
Hunter Brown was best known as an offensive lineman at the Air Force Academy. He passed away on January 11, 2023, at the age of 21 after suffering a “medical emergency” on the way to class, according to ABC News.
Brown passed away in early January while on his way to class. U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (KKTV) – An autopsy report for an Air Force cadet states 21-year-old Hunter Brown likely passed away from pulmonary thromboembolism due to deep vein thrombosis.
3. Robbie Knievel
Robbie Knievel was an iconic stunt performer who followed in the footsteps of his father, Evel Knievel. He passed away on January 13, 2023, at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer
2. Gino Odjick
Gino Odjick was a professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL from 1990 to 2002 on various teams, including the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers. He passed away on January 15, 2023, at the age of 52 from a heart attack.
1. Chris Ford
Chris Ford was a professional basketball player and coach known for his career with the Boston Celtics. He passed away on January 17, 2023, at the age of 74 after suffering a heart attack.
He helped the Celtics win a title and coached them in the ’90s, but he may be remembered more for sinking what was hailed as the league’s first 3-point shot.
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