20 Horribly Tragic Sports Deaths

20 Horribly Tragic Sports Deaths

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 20 Horribly Tragic Sports Deaths.

For this list, we’ll be focusing on the most horrific tragedies that have occurred during sporting games, resulting in the deaths of athletes and/or spectators. As such, we won’t be including fatalities that happened outside the field, such as the 1972 Andes Flight Disaster.

What has been your most devastating loss in sports history? Let us know in the comments.

#20: Albert Ebossé Bodjongo

Soccer
Albert Ebossé Bodjongo got his professional start playing for soccer clubs in his hometown of Douala, Cameroon. In 2013, he moved to Algeria after being signed by JS Kabylie, a club based in Tizi Ouzou. On August 23rd 2014, Bodjongo met a tragic end following his team’s loss to the visiting USM Alger. As the players exited the field, the 24-year-old was reportedly struck in the head by an object thrown from the stands. He was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead a few hours later. This cause of death remains disputed, however, as an independent pathologist hired by Bodjongo’s family described his wounds as consistent with a close-range attack. This suggests that the soccer player may have been murdered.

#19: Lane Frost

Bull Riding
Right from an early age, Lane Frost had already begun riding dairy calves. Once he was done with high school, he became a professional bull rider and earned multiple titles throughout his career. In 1989, Frost competed at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Wyoming, with a Brahma bull named Takin' Care of Business. Frost was thrown off the bull after successfully completing an 85-point ride, but it turned and hit him with its horns, causing severe internal injuries. He later succumbed to these injuries at a nearby hospital. Frost’s death was a significant shock to the rodeo community and prompted the mandatory use of protective gear for riders. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame.

#18: Jack Trice

Football
Back in the early 1920s, Jack Trice became the first African-American athlete to compete for Iowa State University, then known as Iowa State College. Trice played tackle for the team, but his life was cut short during his second ever college game. Going up against the University of Minnesota, Trice suffered an injury to his collarbone during the second play. He continued the game, only to be trampled upon by three of his opponents after an unsuccessful tackle. Trice was taken to the hospital where he was cleared to travel back home with the rest of his team. However, he sustained multiple internal injuries and passed on two days later. He was only 21 at the time of his death.

#17: Becky Zerlentes

Boxing
In addition to being a college professor, Becky Zerlentes was a dedicated sportswoman who was proficient at martial arts, synchronized swimming, ice skating and boxing. Zerlentes was a lightweight boxer who had clinched a regional Golden Gloves title in 2002. Three years later, she returned for what was meant to be her retirement bout in the Colorado State Boxing Senior Female Championships. In the third round, Zerlentes was knocked unconscious by her opponent Heather Schmitz, who landed a blow to her left temple. She eventually died the following day as a result of blunt force trauma. The tragic incident made Zerlentes the first female boxer to lose her life in a US-sanctioned match.

#16: Alexei Cherepanov

Ice Hockey
At just 19, Russian ice hockey player Alexei Cherepanov was already showing great promise in the sport. By 2008, he was a right winger for the Russian professional team Avangard Omsk and had been selected in the first NHL draft the previous year by the New York Rangers. But before Cherepanov could ever play for his American team, he died during an Avangard game in October 2008. Just as the match was nearing its end, Cherepanov moved to the bench and slumped. All attempts to resuscitate him proved futile. The promising star was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. It was later revealed that Cherepanov suffered from a heart condition, which was kept secret by Avangard officials.

#15: Ray Chapman

Baseball
Today, baseball batters are required to wear helmets during a game to prevent any serious or fatal injuries as a result of being hit by a pitch. This rule was put in place, partly due to the tragic death of then Cleveland Indians player Ray Chapman. In August 1920, Chapman’s team was playing against the New York Yankees at the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan. Yankees pitcher Carl Mays threw a spitball that struck Chapman in the head, sending him to the ground. He was carried off the field and later died of brain damage at the hospital. Chapman’s death had a profound impact on the sport, resulting in Major League Baseball outlawing spitballs and eventually mandating the use of helmets.

#14: Hank Gathers

Basketball
Hank Gathers was a 23-year-old, 6-foot-7 college star, playing basketball for Loyola Marymount University’s men’s team. Gathers, who was a collegiate All-American star, was undergoing treatment for a publicly known heart problem, at the time. Although the medication initially affected his play, he gradually bounced back after his dosage was reduced. However, during the West Coast Conference tournament semifinals on March 4th 1990, Gathers collapsed on the court after scoring a slam dunk. Despite regaining consciousness briefly, he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he ultimately passed away. In his honor, the Loyola Marymount Lions went on to make an impressive run in that season’s NCAA tournament, reaching the regional finals.

#13: Anthoine Hubert

Auto Racing
In 2019, French professional racing driver Anthoine Hubert made his Formula 2 debut, clinching early wins in Monaco and France. Having already won the GP3 championship the previous year, Hubert was seen as a rising star in the world of motorsport. Sadly, on August 31st 2019, his life was cut short following a crash during the Spa-Francorchamps Formula 2 feature race in Stavelot, Belgium. On the second lap of the race, Hubert’s car was involved in a high-speed collision with that of Juan Manuel Correa. The impact was so severe that it tore both cars apart and caused significant injuries to Hubert and Correa. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, Hubert succumbed to his injuries later that day.

#12: Caleb Moore

Snowmobile Racing
Although he got his start as an ATV racer, Caleb Moore switched to snowmobiles and quickly rose to the top of the sport. He was a frequent competitor at the Winter X Games, winning three bronze and one silver medal in three years. While participating in the 2013 edition, Moore attempted a backflip while riding his snowmobile. However, he under-rotated and was thrown off, only to be hit right after by the descending vehicle. It was initially reported that he had suffered a concussion, but on getting to the hospital, it was revealed that he had also been bleeding around his heart. Moore’s condition worsened over the next few days and he eventually passed away on January 31st 2013.

#11: Marco Simoncelli

Motorcycle Racing
The untimely death of Italian professional motorcycle racer Marco Simoncelli cut short a promising career and certainly left a void in the sport. Simoncelli, who began racing professionally at the age of nine, met his end at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. During the second lap of the race, the 24-year-old lost control of his bike and slid across the tarmac, right into the path of two other riders, Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi. Both men collided with Simoncelli, knocking off his helmet and leaving him with severe injuries. He was rushed to the facility’s medical center, where he was later pronounced dead. Rossi, who was a close friend of Simoncelli, launched the VR46 racing academy in his honor.

#10: Benny "Kid" Paret

Boxing
On March 24th 1962, welterweight champion Benny "Kid" Paret had to defend his title against his fierce rival Emile Griffith. Paret and Griffith were meeting for the third time, after each winning once in their previous two bouts. In the twelfth round, Griffith delivered a series of punches to Paret’s head, knocking him unconscious before the referee intervened. Unfortunately, Paret fell into a coma and never regained consciousness. He died ten days later due to massive brain hemorrhaging. As a result of the incident, TV networks stopped broadcasting boxing matches regularly for years and many even debated over the legitimacy of the sport. It also had a lasting impact on Griffith, who reportedly struggled with guilt over Paret’s death.

#9: Sarah Burke

Freestyle Skiing
A pioneer in women’s freestyle skiing, Sarah Burke won five gold medals for the superpipe event at the Winter X Games. She was also instrumental in getting the sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee and added to the Winter Olympics. However, just two years before she could ever make it to the world stage, tragedy struck. Burke was training in Park City, Utah on January 10th 2012, when she landed on her head after attempting a trick. What seemed to be a minor accident actually ruptured a critical artery that sent her into cardiac arrest. Despite undergoing surgery to repair the damage, Burke passed away nine days later. She was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.

#8: Bill Masterton

Ice Hockey
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bill Masterton once led the U.S. ice hockey team and played center for the Minnesota North Stars. But despite making strides in the sport, Masterton tragically lost his life after a fatal head injury on January 13th 1968. During a game against the Oakland Seals, Masterton collided with two of his opponents and smashed his head against the ice in the resulting fall. As he was without a helmet, the impact caused him to lose consciousness and he ultimately passed away two days later. Although his death brought attention to the importance of safety gear, it took 11 years before helmets became mandatory for all NHL players.

#7: Phillip Hughes

Cricket
With impressive runs in domestic and international sporting events, 25-year-old Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes had a bright future ahead. That was sadly dimmed on November 25th 2014 while he was batting in a domestic match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Hughes attempted a hook shot to a bouncer, but missed and was hit in the neck by the ball. Despite wearing a helmet, the ball struck just below the protective gear, causing a vertebral artery dissection that resulted in a brain hemorrhage. Hughes was placed in a coma and passed away just three days before his 26th birthday. In the wake of his death, modifications were made to the batting helmets, although it is disputed if the new design would’ve prevented Hughes’ accident.

#6: Owen Hart

Wrestling
Born into the Hart wrestling dynasty, Owen Hart built upon his father’s reputation, becoming one of the best-known performers in the then-WWF. Hart developed a masked superhero alter ego called the Blue Blazer, which he employed often in his performances. On May 23rd 1999, Hart appeared as the Blue Blazer for the Over the Edge pay-per-view event. As part of his entrance, he was lowered into the ring from the ceiling. However, the equipment malfunctioned causing Hart to fall 78 feet. Medical personnel immediately rushed to his aid and he was taken to the Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, where he was pronounced dead. Hart’s family filed a lawsuit against the WWF, which was reportedly settled for $18 million.

#5: Ayrton Senna

Auto Racing
A widely celebrated racer, Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian driver who was a three-time Formula One world champion. Senna was leading the race at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Italy when he suddenly veered off the track at high speed and crashed into a concrete wall. The impact caused fatal head injuries and despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead later that day. Senna’s death came just one day after fellow racer Roland Ratzenberger also suffered a fatal accident on the same track during a qualifying session. Their deaths had a significant impact in the world of motorsport, leading to significant changes in safety standards and regulations in Formula One.

#4: Nodar Kumaritashvili

Luge
Often performed at incredibly high speeds, luge is considered one of the most dangerous Olympic sports. In 2010, Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili was set to make his debut at the Winter Olympic Games. Mere hours before the opening ceremony on February 12th, Kumaritashvili was participating in a training run when he lost control of his luge and was thrown into an unprotected steel pole. Medical staff at the track and a local hospital tried to resuscitate Kumaritashvili, but he later passed away from his injuries. The incident raised several questions about the safety of the luge track, resulting in changes to the walls and support beams. Kumaritashvili’s memory was honored at the opening ceremony, just hours later.

#3: Dale Earnhardt

Auto Racing
A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Dale Earnhardt was a legend in the racing circuit. As a result, his widely broadcast death devastated millions of fans around the world. During the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 race, Earnhardt was involved in a three-car accident, alongside other drivers Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. His car was slammed into the wall at an estimated speed of up to 160mph, leaving him with fatal injuries. Earnhardt was rushed to the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where he was pronounced dead due to a basilar skull fracture. His death sent shockwaves through the racing community and led NASCAR to implement several safety measures such as the use of head-and-neck restraints.

#2: Bena Tshadi Team

Soccer
In October 1998, two rival soccer teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo were tied up in an intense match. The Bena Tshadi team was hosting the visiting Basanga players, in a game with a score of 1-1 for both sides. Then, right in the middle of the match, a bolt of lightning reportedly struck the field, killing all eleven Bena Tshadi players. Roughly 30 other people suffered varying degrees of burns, but surprisingly, all members of the Basanga team came out unscathed. As a result, many believed that the Basanga team may have turned to witchcraft and dark magic to help eliminate their opponents. These claims, however, remain unfounded.

#1: 1955 Le Mans Disaster

Auto Racing
It remains the single worst disaster in the history of motorsport, as it claimed the lives of not only a racer, but also dozens of spectators. On June 11th 1955, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race in France, driver Pierre Levegh was driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, one of the fastest cars in the race. Around the fourth hour of the event, Levegh hit a much slower car driven by Mike Hawthorn, sending him through the air and into the spectator area. The impact caused the car to burst into flames, launching debris into the packed crowd, which killed 84 people, including Levegh, and injured many more. It led to significant reforms in the designs of racetracks and racing cars.