# Last NFL/NBA/NHL Head coach or MLB Manager to die while still head coach **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 23, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649 "2016-07-23T03:14:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/1 "2016-07-23T03:14:48Z")
Former NFL coach Dennis Green died at 67 today. While not young, there’s many head coaches in their 60s and I’m racking my brain to think of the last Head Coach or Manager of a major league team to die WHILE being the coach. Closest example I can think of is the head coach of Scotland dying after a World Cup qualifier. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/2 "2016-07-23T04:00:56Z")
Does it have to be professional sports? Skip Prosser died in 2007 while head coach of Wake Forest University’s men’s basketball team. He had a heart attack at 56. > **[Skip Prosser](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_Prosser)** > > George Edward "Skip" Prosser (November 3, 1950 – July 26, 2007) was an American college basketball coach who was head men's basketball coach at Wake Forest University at the time of his death. He was the only coach in NCAA history to take three separate schools to the NCAA tournament in his first year coaching the teams. In 21 years as a collegiate coach, he made 18 postseason appearances. > Previously, he coached Xavier University for seven seasons, where he achieved great success. He spent his f... ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/3 "2016-07-23T04:04:40Z")
Flip Saunders was head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA team) when he died in 2015 from Hodgkins’ lymphoma ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/4 "2016-07-23T04:11:01Z")
I can only think of Skip Prosser. There’s been several that had life threatening illnesses that took significant time off during the season. For example… Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg had open-heart surgery Denver Broncos John Fox had heart surgery Duke Mike Krzyzewski has had several surgeries hips, knee, hernia UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun had spinal surgery I Got Ninja’d I should have typed faster. ☹ This is the only actual death I can think of. > **[Wake Forest basketball coach dies of apparent heart attack](https://www.wistv.com/story/6845930/wake-forest-basketball-coach-dies-of-apparent-heart-attack/)** > > Skip Prosser, the Wake Forest basketball coach who led the Demon Deacons to their first-ever Number One ranking three seasons ago, has died at the age of 56. > [@](#): > > Skip Prosser, the Wake Forest basketball coach who led the Demon Deacons to their first-ever Number One ranking three seasons ago, has died at the age of 56. > > Prosser died of an apparent heart attack, according to the school. Athletic director Ron Wellman says Prosser was found slumped on his office couch and unresponsive by director of basketball operations Mike Muse shortly after returning from a noon jog. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/5 "2016-07-23T07:49:58Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Flip Saunders was head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA team) when he died in 2015 from Hodgkins’ lymphoma Thats a good one, but now Im going to add a caveat due to this passage from Wikipedia: _As a result, during his recovery, he would delegate his coaching position over to assistant coach and former NBA Coach of the Year winner Sam Mitchell._ Now I want to know which coach who was in COMPLETE CONTROL of the team dropped toes up dead as coach, with full coaching powers. (Just when you think you have the answers, I CHANGE THE QUESTIONS!!!) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/6 "2016-07-23T07:51:57Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Thats a good one, but now Im going to add a caveat due to this passage from Wikipedia: > > _As a result, during his recovery, he would delegate his coaching position over to assistant coach and former NBA Coach of the Year winner Sam Mitchell._ > > Now I want to know which coach who was in COMPLETE CONTROL of the team dropped toes up dead as coach, with full coaching powers. (Just when you think you have the answers, I CHANGE THE QUESTIONS!!!) Then Skip Prosser in 2007, as noted above. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/7 "2016-07-23T08:03:28Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Then Skip Prosser in 2007, as noted above. Not NFL/NBA/MLB/NHL ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/8 "2016-07-23T13:32:55Z")
[Vince Lombardi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Lombardi#Illness_and_death), perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/9 "2016-07-23T18:20:16Z")
Right after the Penguins won the Cup in 1991, Bob Johnson developed brain cancer and died three months later. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/10 "2016-07-23T18:59:16Z")
Head Coach Rick Tolley of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team died suddenly during the 1970 season, [along with his team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Airways_Flight_932). ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/11 "2016-07-24T14:18:42Z")
Red Sox manager Chick Stahl committed suicide by drinking carbolic acid during spring training in 1907. Why he did is still a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/12 "2016-07-28T19:51:19Z")
Dick Howser, manager of the 1985 World Champion Kansas City Royals, developed a brain tumor that was detected the following year. I know that the man who replaced him for the second half of 1986 was only considered an “interim manager”, which implies that Howser was still considered the real manager during that time; I’m not sure about Howser’s status during the 1987 season until he died in July of that year, but he might fit the OP. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/13 "2016-07-28T21:54:11Z")
This topic will probably be a fine subject for zombie resurrection in the future as head coaches and managers shuffle off the mortal coil with their cleats on. (Especially with the qualifier “latest”. That just begs for updates in the future.) ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/14 "2016-07-29T00:38:34Z")
Adelaide coach [Phil Walsh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Walsh_(Australian_footballer)) was murdered last year, two days before his team’s next game (which was cancelled). ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/15 "2016-07-29T11:51:38Z")
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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/16 "2016-07-29T14:50:31Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Head Coach Rick Tolley of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team died suddenly during the 1970 season, [along with his team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Airways_Flight_932). Well, if we’re putting in college athletics, Northwestern has had two in my lifetime. Ricky Byrdsong, basketball coach, was murdered in the mid-90s by a white supremacist and Randy Walker, football, died in 2006. Both died in the off-season. ETA: Whoops. Ricki was in '99 and he had stopped coaching NU by then. Memory is weird. I thought it was earlier than that and he still was coach. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/17 "2016-07-29T17:39:01Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Dick Howser, manager of the 1985 World Champion Kansas City Royals, developed a brain tumor that was detected the following year. I know that the man who replaced him for the second half of 1986 was only considered an “interim manager”, which implies that Howser was still considered the real manager during that time; I’m not sure about Howser’s status during the 1987 season until he died in July of that year, but he might fit the OP. I know this is college not pros, but I’m thinking the situation with Rick Majerus at St. Louis U. was similar. I know he was not actively coaching, but if I remember right he was still “head coach” when he died and his replacement was an acting or interim coach. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/18 "2016-07-31T18:44:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Head Coach Rick Tolley of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team died suddenly during the 1970 season, [along with his team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Airways_Flight_932). Filling in a couple more: Brad McCrimmon, head coach of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, [also died along with his team](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Lokomotiv_Yaroslavl_air_disaster#Team_staff). Strictly speaking, it was before the first game of the 2011-12 KHL season. Manchester United manager Matt Busby survived the [Munich Air Disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disaster#Survivors) in 1958, along with future England manager Bobby Charlton. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/19 "2016-08-01T03:41:08Z")
Don McCafferty, who won the Super Bowl his first year while coaching the Baltimore Colts in 1970. In 1972, he was fired five games into the season (the team got old, collapsed, and he refused to bench quarterback Johnny Unitas) so in 1973 he was hired to coached the Detroit Lions and went 6-7-1. On July 28, 1974 he died from a heart attack while cutting the grass at his home at age 53 > **[Don McCafferty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_McCafferty)** > > Donald William McCafferty (March 12, 1921 – July 28, 1974) was an American football player and coach who, in his first year as head coach of the Baltimore Colts, led the team to a victory in Super Bowl V, and became the first rookie head coach to win the Super Bowl. > McCafferty played college football for Ohio State University under coach Paul Brown, where he was a key member of the offensive line. Due to World War II, he was one of a select group of players to play twice in the annual College A... ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649/20 "2016-08-01T03:45:12Z")
Maggie Dixon was coach of the West Point women’s basketball team when she died at age 28 > **[Maggie Dixon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Dixon)** > > Margaret Mary Dixon (May 9, 1977 – April 6, 2006) was an American collegiate women's basketball coach. > Dixon was born in North Hollywood, California, and played basketball at Notre Dame High School. Dixon graduated in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in history from the University of San Diego, where she played for the women's basketball team. She served as team captain her senior year, and was voted as the "Most Improved Player". After an unsuccessful tryout for the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks, she to... [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-nfl-nba-nhl-head-coach-or-mlb-manager-to-die-while-still-head-coach/760649.md?page=2)