Sports

Sarah Burke (September 3, 1982 – January 19, 2012) was a Canadian freestyle skier who was a pioneer of the superpipe event. She was a four-time Winter X Games gold medalist, and won the world championship in the halfpipe in 2005. She successfully lobbied the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to have the event added to the Olympic program for the 2014 Winter Olympics. She was considered a medal favourite in the event. 

Sarah Burke cause of death
Sarah Burkedied following a training accident in Utah.
Sarah Burke was 29 years old at the time of her death.

Accident
On January 10, 2012 Burke was seriously injured while training on the Park City Mountain Resort Eagle superpipe in Park City, Utah. This is the same superpipe where snowboarder Kevin Pearce was seriously injured in 2009. Onlookers reported that Burke had completed a trick fairly well yet fell onto her head, and the accident did not appear to be very severe. Moments later, however, she went into cardiac arrest while still on the ski slope, making her chance of survival extremely low. She was resuscitated and airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, where she was reported to be in a coma. The following day, she underwent neurosurgery to repair a tear in a vertebral artery. She succumbed to her injuries on January 19, 2012. Per her publicist's words, Burke's injuries had resulted in "irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest." Her organs and tissues were donated as she requested before her death.

etalk Sarah Burke at Whistler World Ski Fest

Joseph William "Joe" Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011), also known as Smokin' Joe, was a former Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a brief comeback in 1981.

Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating the likes of Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali on points in the highly-anticipated "Fight of the Century" in 1971. Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman. He fought on, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali, and beating Quarry and Ellis again.

He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Joe Frazier cause of death
Joe Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer in late September 2011 and admitted to hospice care and died November 7, 2011.  Joe Frazier was 67 years old at the time of his death.

Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon (June 22, 1978 – October 16, 2011) was an English auto racing driver. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011. Wheldon died during a racing accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, at the age of 33.

Dan Wheldon cause of death
DeathAt the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, Wheldon was involved in a 15-car accident during lap 11 of the race. The massive pile-up resulted in a red flag. Wheldon had to be extricated from his car and was airlifted to a local hospital with what were described as "serious injuries." He subsequently succumbed to his injuries. He was 33 years old.

Dan Wheldon's Last Tweet Before Race

Michael Kendall Flanagan (December 16, 1951 – August 24, 2011) was an American left-handed pitcher, front office executive, and color commentator. With the exception of four years with the Toronto Blue Jays (1987–1990), he was most associated with the Baltimore Orioles during almost all of his time in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career highlights and awards

• All-Star (1978)
• World Series champion (1983)
• 1979 AL Cy Young Award
• 1979 AL TSN Pitcher of the Year

Michael Flanagan cause of death
On August 24, 2011 police discovered a body on his property but could not immediately determine the identity because the wounds were so severe. The body was later identified as Flanagan, with the cause of death determined to be a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. Police said that Flanagan was distressed about financial issues. WBAL-TV reported that Flanagan was still despondent by perceived failures during his tenure in the Orioles' front office.

Hideki Irabu (May 5, 1969 – July 27, 2011) was a professional baseball player of Okinawan and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States.

Irabu made his highly publicized debut in The US on July 10, 1997.  He played with the Yankees from 1997 through 1999, winning two World Series rings (1998, 1999).  1998 was Irabu's best season in MLB, featuring career bests in games started (28), complete games (2), innings pitched (173), wins (13), and ERA (4.06).

After the 1999 season, he was traded to the Montreal Expos. He started only 14 games for the Expos in 2000 and 2001. In 2002, he signed as a free agent to pitch for the Texas Rangers as a closer. At the end of the year, Irabu moved back to Japan.

Hideki Irabu cause of death
Hideki Irabu was found dead in his home near Los Angeles on July 27, 2011 in an apparent suicide by hanging.

Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (December 12, 1981 – July 25, 2011) was an American World Cup aerial skier from Boise, Idaho, skiing out of Bogus Basin. A three-time Olympian, he won the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Jeret Peterson cause of death
On July 25, 2011, Peterson was found dead in Lambs Canyon, Utah. The cause of death was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Three days previously, Peterson had been arrested for driving while intoxicated. In Italy, he was still reeling from the suicide of a friend named Trevor Fernald, who had committed suicide and been found by Peterson only months before. Peterson also had problems with alcohol and depression and admitted he had his own thoughts of suicide, all stemming from a childhood in which he was sexually abused and lost his 5-year-old sister to a drunk driver.

Speedy Peterson with The Hurricane at Deer Valley

Severiano "Seve" Ballesteros Sota (April 9, 1957 – May 7, 2011) was a Spanish professional golfer, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He gained attention in the golfing world in 1976, when at the age of 19 he finished second at the British Open. A member of a gifted golfing family, Ballesteros won five major championships between 1979 and 1988, the British Open three times, and The Masters twice. He was also successful in the Ryder Cup, helping the European team to five wins both as a player and captain, and won the World Match Play Championship a record-tying five times. He is best known for his great short game, and his erratic driving of the golf ball. He is generally regarded as the greatest Spanish golfer of all time.

Seve Bellesteros Cause of Death
On 6 May 2011, his family released a press release announcing that Ballesteros's neurological condition had "suffered a severe deterioration". He died within hours of the announcement in the early hours of 7 May 2011. 

Tiger Woods said of Ballesteros that he was "one of the most talented and exciting golfers to ever play the game"

Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith (April 10, 1938 – December 5, 2010) was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He played nine full seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys.

Death of Don Meredith
Don Meredith died on December 5, 2010, at the age of 72 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

* Andy Irons is a surfing world's super star - equivalent to Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.

Andy Irons (July 24,1978 – November 2, 2010) was a professional surfer. Irons learned to surf on the dangerous and shallow reefs of the North Shore in Kauai, Hawaii, and won three world titles (2002, 2003, 2004), three Quiksilver Pro France titles (2003, 2004, 2005), two Rip Curl Pro Search titles (2006 and 2007) and 19 elite tour victories. On September 3, 2010 he won the Billabong Pro in Tahiti.

Death of Andy Irons
Irons died on November 2, 2010; according to The Association of Surfing Professionals, "he had reportedly been battling with dengue fever, a viral disease." Professor Robert Booy, an infectious disease academic, was suspicious of this, saying that dengue fever deaths are rare. According to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, in his hotel room was found the painkiller methadone and the sedative zolpidem. Investigators have ruled out foul play as a cause. He was found lying on the bed on his back by two hotel staff after he had failed to respond to knock on the door and they went in to investigate

Kenny McKinley (January 31, 1987 – September 20, 2010) was an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.

Denver Broncos
McKinley was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round, 5th pick (141st overall) during the 2009 NFL Draft. McKinley played in eight games in 2009 as a kick returner. He returned seven kicks for a total of 158 yards. He also recorded 3 special teams tackles.

He was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury on December 28, 2009.

Death of Kenny McKinley
McKinley was found dead on September 20, 2010, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death was reported as a suicide by local media, and later confirmed by members of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's office. He was found in the second floor master bedroom of his home.

George Michael Steinbrenner III (July 4, 1930 - July 13, 2010) is a businessman and owner and former principal executive of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. His outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries have made him one of the sport's most controversial figures.

Steinbrenner is known as a hands-on executive, earning the nickname "The Boss." His tendency to meddle in daily on-field decisions, and to hire and fire (and sometimes re-hire) managers led then-Yankees skipper Dallas Green to give him the derisive nickname "Manager George."

During Steinbrenner's ownership since 1973, the longest in club history, the Yankees have earned 11 pennants and 7 World Series titles.

Death of George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner died of heart attack.
George Steinbrenner was 80 years old at the time of his death

Merlin Jay Olsen
Born     September 15, 1940 Logan, Utah
Died     March 10, 2010 (aged 69) Duarte, California

Merlin Olsen was a former American football player in the National Football League and an actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl  in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. As an actor he portrayed Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie. After leaving that series, he starred in his own NBC drama, Father Murphy, playing the title role of a traveling priest.

NFL Career
Olsen played professionally (from 1962 to 1976) for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. A leading defensive star of his era, he missed only two games in his 15-season NFL career. He was named the NFL's Rookie of the Year in 1962 and was First-team All-Pro in 1964, and 1966 through 1970. He was voted Second-team All-Pro in 1965, 1973 and 1974.

Acting Career
He also enjoyed success as an actor. When Little House on the Prairie actor Victor French left to star in his own comedy Carter Country in 1977, Olsen was tapped to play Michael Landon's new sidekick Jonathan Garvey for several years. One memorable quote from Merlin during the series, "I don't know nothin' bout football!" was when Charles and Jonathan were to coach a boys football team. A couple of years later, Landon cast Olsen as the eponymous Father Murphy.

Illness and Death of Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen was diagnosed with mesothelioma  in 2009  and underwent three courses of chemotherapy. In January 2010 he filed a lawsuit against NBC Studios, NBC Universal, and 20th Century Fox for exposing him to asbestos.  Merlin's brother Orrin Olsen announced that he died on March 11, 2010, aged 69, following Merlin's brief battle with cancer.

Merlin Olsen on LIttle House on the Prairie

Chris Henry (May 17, 1983 – December 17, 2009) was an American football wide receiver who played five years in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at West Virginia and was drafted by the Bengals in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Death of Chris Henry
On December 16, 2009, Henry was involved in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he sustained life-threatening injuries. Charlotte police stated that Henry fell out the back of his fiancee's moving truck while engaging in a domestic dispute with her. On December 17, 2009, Charlotte police announced that Henry had died at 6:36 a.m. ET. No cause of death was immediately released.

Henry had been involved in a string of legal troubles during his professional career, which include several arrests for such offenses as driving under the influence, marijuana possession, assault, and criminal damage. He was suspended for the first four games of the 2008 season.

Steve LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 - July 4, 2009), nicknamed Air McNair, was an American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Houston Oilers third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alcorn State.

McNair was selected to the Pro Bowl three times and was the Co-AP NFL MVP in 2003.

Death of Steve McNair
On July 4, 2009, McNair was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head, along with a female victim, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, who was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head, in a condominium in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville police declared McNair's death a homicide on July 5, but did not reach a conclusion about the death of Kazemi

Police have not yet made a statement as to who is suspected of the killings,. Initial media reports erroneously indicated McNair's was a murder-suicide. Police were not seeking any suspects in either death.

Two days before their deaths, Kazemi was pulled over in a black 2007 Cadillac Escalade in Nashville with McNair in the passenger seat. The vehicle was registered to both McNair and Kazemi. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. McNair was not arrested and instead allowed to leave in a taxi

Career highlights and awards
3× Pro Bowl selection (2000, 2003, 2005)
All-Pro selection (2003)
2003 Co-AP NFL MVP
1994 Walter Payton Award 

Nicholas James Adenhart (August 24, 1986 - April 9, 2009, born in Silver Spring, Maryland) is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He made his major league debut as the starting pitcher on May 1, 2008, against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California.

Adenhart earned his first career victory on May 12, 2008, against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, giving up four earned runs in 5? innings en route to a 10-7 Angels victory.

He opened the 2009 season in the Angels' major league rotation.

Death of Nick Adenhart
Nick Adenhart was killed in a felony hit-and-run car accident, mere hours after he pitched in a game. Police reported that an individual driving a minivan blew through a red light, causing a 2 car crash which killed 3 people, including Adenhart. It was also reported that the the person driving the van fled the scene, but was later caught and charged with felony hit-and-run, and that one of the other men killed in the crash was also affiliated with the Angels organization. Adenhart was 22-years-old.