Deaths Of Notable Sports Figures (R.I.P.)

[ScriptOhio]

Dent, pioneering Black golfer, dies at age 85

Jim Dent, one of the top Black golfers on PGA Tour Champions and known for his long hitting off the tee, died at the age of 85.

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Jim Dent, pioneering Black golfer, dies at age 85​

Jim Dent grew up in the caddie yards of Augusta, Georgia, eventually working at the Masters and honing his game at the municipal course known as "The Patch." He went on to become one of the PGA Tour's longest hitters and one of the top Black golfers of his generation.

Dent died on Friday at age 85, a week before his birthday, his grandson posted on Facebook. The PGA Tour said on its website that Dent suffered a stroke the day after Augusta National announced plans for Tiger Woods to design a par-3 course at The Patch.

"What I learned about playing golf has probably kept me all through life," Dent told the USGA for a story in 2012. "You had to be honest. You had to work at it. You just couldn't pick up today and not come back 'til next week. And if you broke a rule, you had to turn yourself in."
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R.I.P.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Lemon, WS champ and 3-time All-Star, dies at 70

Chet Lemon, a three-time All Star and World Series champion with the 1984 Detroit Tigers, has died at the age of 70.

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Chet Lemon, World Series champion, 3-time All-Star, dies at 70​

Three-time All-Star center fielder Chet Lemon, who won a World Series with the 1984 Detroit Tigers, died Thursday at his home in Florida. He was 70.

"He was sleeping on his reclining sofa," his wife, Gigi Lemon, told the Detroit Free Press. "He just wasn't responsive."

Lemon had battled a rare blood disease for the past three decades and had suffered a series of strokes, leaving him unable to walk or talk.

Lemon played seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox from 1975 to '81 and nine with the Tigers from 1982 to '90. He batted .273 with 215 homers, 884 RBIs, 973 runs and 1,875 hits in 1,988 games.

Lemon set a still-standing American League record for outfielders with 512 putouts during the 1977 season.

R.I.P.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Baseball Mourns Loss of Scott Klingenbeck​

The Ohio State baseball program mourns the loss of former Buckeye Scott Klingenbeck, who unexpectedly passed away last week.

Klingenbeck, a right-handed pitcher, was a member of the Ohio State squad from 1990-92 and was on the 1991 Big Ten title team. In 1991, he earned Second Team All-American honors.

Klingenbeck posted a career ERA of 3.99 in 277.2 innings pitched. He tossed 25 complete games and had an impressive 11 wins during the 1991 season. He was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1990 and was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 1991. Klingenbeck ranks in the top five in program history in career wins (28) and wins in a season (11, 1991).

Klingenbeck was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1992 and went on to play seven seasons of professional baseball. He made his MLB debut for the Orioles in 1994, and he also made MLB appearances for the Minnesota Twins and the Cincinnati Reds.

Following his professional career, Klingenbeck continued to be a fixture in the Ohio baseball community, coaching youth baseball and sharing his love of the game.

R.I.P.