Athletes who died at the top

Fabio Casartelli, cycling, crashed on a descent during the Tour de France

Marc-Vivien Foé, football, collapsed during Inter-Continental Cup match

benny 'kid' paret

adfdd wrote:

Roberto Clemente.

can't believe OP mentioned Wolfgang Gullrich. He was my first thought after Pre.

In 1972, Clemente played in just 102 games, was 38 years old and his career was already in decline. Had he died 5-8 years earlier, then, yes, it would have been at the height of his career.

Fausto Coppi, cyclist, 2x Tour de France winner, 5x Giro d'Italia winner, died of malaria.

Antonio Puerta, Sevilla Football Club, Spain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i-IzbsmXTM

nokaman wrote:

[quote]adfdd wrote:

Roberto Clemente.

In 1972, Clemente played in just 102 games, was 38 years old and his career was already in decline. Had he died 5-8 years earlier, then, yes, it would have been at the height of his career.

He finished with exactly 3,000 hits and still batted .312.

Bobby Phils (NBA) killed in car crash at 30

Steve Olin and Tim Crews of the Cleveland Indians were killed in a boating accident in 1993.

Marc Vivien Foe,

Cameroonian footballer.

He died at 28 while on international duty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztg64Wuey8o&feature=related

Irvine wrote:

Actually he died below the top. His body was found at around 27,000 feet.

There's a reason why I chose this handle. Geez, a lot of people here are really dense.

Daniel Jargue, Espanyol football club captain (La Liga).

Dead at 26.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/spain-mourns-after-death-of--espanyols-jarque-at-26-1769982.html

Mojo Jerkin wrote:

Ernie Davis

Won the Heisman Trophy and then passed away without ever playing a pro game.

Almost happened: Ernie Davis and Jim Brown in the same backfield.

And Nile C. Kinnick. Iowa All American. Heisman Trophy Winner. Died during WWII without ever playing pro

Look at Derek Jeter, he's also at the verge of getting 3,000 hits. If he, God forbid were to die now, nobody would be saying that Jeter died at the top of his game. Clemente was way PAST HIS PRIME when he died. Clemente is a poor example for this thread.

nokaman wrote:

Look at Derek Jeter, he's also at the verge of getting 3,000 hits. If he, God forbid were to die now, nobody would be saying that Jeter died at the top of his game. Clemente was way PAST HIS PRIME when he died. Clemente is a poor example for this thread.

Clemente DID die at the VERY top in a humanitarian sort of way.

Limpy McGimpy wrote:

I'm trying to perspectivate Sammy with this:

- Lilian Board, 400 silver medalist in '68; cancer at 22

-Prefontaine; car crash

-Ivo Van Damme, double silver medalist 800/1500 in '76 age 22; car crash

-Lou Gehrig MLB great; ALS

-Wolfgang Gullich, rock climber with hardest routes in the world; car crash

-'80's College hoop star whose name escapes me atm; heart failure on court

Others???

Perspectivate? Please tell me you're not serious

i was waiting for someone to bring up maybe the best athlete ever to die on top, cant believe no one has mentioned.

SALVADOR SANCHEZ

Actually, Edwin Valero was 27-0 not 28-0. Unless of course you're counting his wife whom he murdered the day before, in which case it would be 28-0 although that was an unsanctioned fight out of his weight class (and gender).

the dots wrote:

luv2run wrote:

Not sure how that was going to happen. Brown finished at SU in 1956 (1955 was his last football season); Davis started at SU in 1959.

Davis is a good call.

Pro not college. Browns acquired his rights after he was drafted by Washington. Never played for Browns but his assigned jersey 45 is retired by them.

My bad.

Drazen Petrovich jumps immediately to mind. Also Bobby Phills.

douglas burke wrote:

i was waiting for someone to bring up maybe the best athlete ever to die on top, cant believe no one has mentioned.

SALVADOR SANCHEZ

I agree. Was about to mention him. Along with SW and this man, he died at the VERY top.

Andrei Kivilev, Tom Simpson, marco pantani (ok, not really)