Passings ...

Some notable sports deaths in 2007:

AUTO RACING

Bill France Jr., 74; Bobby Hamilton, 49; Benny Parsons, 65.

BASEBALL

Steve Barber, 67; Hank Bauer, 84; Rod Beck, 38; Clete Boyer, 70; Lew Burdette, 80; Mike Coolbaugh, 35; Shag Crawford, 90; Bing Devine, 90; Art Fowler, 84; Josh Hancock, 29; Joe Kennedy, 28; Bowie Kuhn, 80; Clem Labine, 80; Joe Nuxhall, 79; Phil Rizzuto, 89; Bill Robinson, 64; Vern Ruhle, 55; John Vukovich, 59.

BASKETBALL

Ralph Beard, 79; Stu Inman, 80; Eddie Griffin; 25; Dennis Johnson, 52; Alec Kessler, 40; Ray Mears, 80; Howard Porter, 58; Skip Prosser, 56; Dave Smalley, 72; Ted Stepien, 82; Butch van Breda Kolff, 84; Jimmy Walker, 63.

FOOTBALL

Alex Agase, 85; Charlie Ane, 76; Burr Baldwin, 85; Mario Danelo, 21; Jim David, 79; Bill Forester, 74; Gerald Ford, 93; Ralph Heywood, 85; Marquise Hill, 24; Terry Hoeppner, 59; Ken Kavanaugh, 90; Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, 86; Ernie Ladd, 68; Lamar Lundy, 71; Max McGee, 75; Damien Nash, 24; Dick Nolan, 75; Jim Norton, 68; Jim Ringo, 75; Eddie Robinson, 88; Tommy Spinks, 58; Darryl Stingley, 55; Sean Taylor, 24; George Webster, 61; Bill Walsh, 75; Darrent Williams, 24; Bill Willis, 86; Ernie Wright, 67.

HOCKEY

John Ferguson Sr., 68; Tom Johnson, 79; Max McNab, 83; Sam Pollock, 81; William Wirtz, 77; Gump Worsley, 77.

HORSE RACING

Dale Baird, 72; Bill Hartack, 74; Warren Stute, 85. Horses -- Barbaro, 4; Gato Del Sol, 28; John Henry, 32; Slew o’Gold, 27.

MEDIA

Dave Fay, 67; Bill Flemming, 80; Shav Glick, 87; George Kiseda, 80; David Halberstam, 73; Stu Nahan, 81; Robert E. Petersen, 80; Roy Terrell, 83; Larry Whiteside, 69.

OLYMPICS

Charlie Grimes, 71; Parry O’Brien, 75; Al Oerter, 71; Yelena Romanova, 43; Robert Taylor, 59; Willye White, 67; John Woodruff, 92; C.K. Yang, 74.

SOCCER

Alan Ball, 61; Jose Carlos Bauer, 81; Gino Pariani, 79; Dennis Storer, 75; David Vanole, 43.

OTHERS

Chris Benoit, pro wrestler, 40; Gay Brewer, golfer, 75; J. Robert Cade, Gatorade inventor, 80; Gloria Connors, tennis, 82; Diego Corrales, boxer, 29; Eddie Feigner, softball, 81; William “Wild Bill” Hagy, fan, 68; Evel Knievel, daredevil, 69; Ryan Shay, marathoner, 28; Jim Shoulders, rodeo cowboy, 79; Bob Woolmer, cricket, 58.