This week we take a look back at the sports figures who died in 2021. Several big names passed away in the first month of the year.

Floyd Little was a three-time All-American running back and one of the first stars of the Denver Broncos. He was a 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee. Little died on New Year’s Day at the age of 78, following a bout with cancer.

Paul Westphal was a five-time NBA All-Star before going onto a successful coaching career. He led three different NBA teams including the 1992-1993 Phoenix Suns team that reached the NBA Finals. Being a fan of the Suns, I was a big Westphal fan. He died of brain cancer on January 2. He was 70.

Los Angeles Dodgers legend, Tommy Lasorda, began his career with the team in Brooklyn in 1954 and it spanned over six decades. Lasorda won two World Series in Los Angeles and was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. I had the opportunity to chat with him a couple times when he visited the Tulsa Drillers. Lasorda was full of stories, and always willing to share a few. He died January 7 at the age of 93.

Former Major League pitcher and broadcaster, Don Sutton, died January 19 at the age of 75.

Sutton won 324 games over 23 seasons with the Dodgers, Astros, Brewers, A’s and Angels. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Henry “Hank” Aaron, one of my all-time favorite baseball players died on Jan. 22, at the age of 89. At that time, I wrote about how I had one opportunity, at Spring Training in 1985, to meet Hank Aaron. However, I was a bit intimidated, and didn’t want to bother him. Only to find out later that he was a great guy and would not have minded if I spoke with him and asked for an autograph.

Coach John Chaney led the Temple men’s basketball team to 17 NCAA tournament appearances during the 1980s and 1990s and was known for his outspoken style. He died January 28, at 89.

Leon Spinks won a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics and became heavyweight champion of the world in 1978 after defeating Muhammad Ali. He died February 5 at age 67 after battling advanced prostate cancer.

One of the most beloved coaches in the NFL, Marty Schottenheimer, died February 8 at the age of 77 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He won 200 games with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Football Club and San Diego Chargers.

Joe Altobelli was a manager for both the Giants and the Orioles, winning the 1983 World Series with Baltimore. He died March 3 at the age of 88.

Mark Pavelich, a member of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal, died March 4 at a residential treatment center in Minnesota where he was receiving help for his mental health. His family believes he may have been suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). Pavelich played 355 games in the NHL for the Rangers, North Stars and Sharks.

Rheal Cormier pitched 16 seasons in MLB, making stops with the Cardinals, Red Sox, Expos, Phillies, and Reds. He died March 7 at the age of 53 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler was an undisputed middleweight champion, with his most-dominant performances coming in the 1980s when he defended his title 12 times. In 67 total fights, he was 62-3-2. Hagler passed away on March 13 at the age of 66.

Elgin Baylor played for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers for 14 seasons and reached the NBA Finals eight times. He later became a coach and executive and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. He died March 22 at age 86.

Former OU Sooners football coach Howard Schnellenberger died on March 27 at the age of 87. Schnellenberger was a long-time coach who led the Baltimore Colts in 1973 and ’74 before moving onto a long and successful career in the college ranks with Miami, Louisville, Oklahoma and Florida Atlantic. He won the 1983 national championship at Miami.

J.R. Richard was a dominating force on the mound for the Houston Astros. An opposing figure, at 6’8”, who racked up nearly 1500 strikeouts with a top-tier breaking ball and a fastball that touched triple digits. His career was cut short after he suffered a stroke in July 1980. Richard passed away on Aug, 5 at the age of 71.

Bobby Bowden’s name was, and will forever be, synonymous with Florida State football. The second-winningest coach in NCAA football history brought the program to national prominence from the late 1970s to the ’90s, earning national title nods in ’93 and ’99. Bowden d died August 8, at 91.

Jerry Remy was a staple in the Boston Red Sox organization for 40 years, as a player, coach and broadcaster. Remy passed away Oct. 30, after battling cancer. He was 68.

John Madden first made his mark in the NFL as head coach of the then Oakland Raiders, where he would lead the team for 10 seasons and earn a Super Bowl ring in 1977. Following his coaching career, Madden moved to the broadcast booth where he became hugely popular. His exuberant style of broadcasting earned him pop-culture status that will forever be part of the game, including the “Madden NFL” video games. He passed away on Dec. 28 at the age of 85.