Eusebio, Phil Hughes, Ultimate Warrior Among Notable Deaths In Sports In 2014

The year 2014 saw us bid farewell to a number of famous personalities. Here, we round up some of the most notable deaths in sports in 2014.

DOUG MOHNS

Mohns died at the age of 80. He played 22 seasons with the Boston Bruicks in the NHL. He was a seven-time NHL All-star. He died of myelodysplastic syndrome on Feb. 7.

ELENA BALTACHA

Baltacha, a former British tennis player, died at a young age of 30. In January, Baltacha was diagnosed with liver cancer. She died four months later on May 4.

ULTIMATE WARRIOR

Ultimate Warrior, whose name in real life is James Brian Hellwig, died at the age of 54, only a few days after he was inducted in World Wresting Entertainment, or WWE, Hall of Fame. Warrior was an iconic presence during his prime at Wrestlemania. Based on the autopsy results, Warrior died of myocardial infarction as a result of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He passed away on April 8.

TONY GWYNN

Gwynn passed away at the age of 54. He was a Hall of Fame outfielder who used to play for the San Diego Padres of the MLB. He lost his fight with cancer of the salivary gland on June 16.

CHUCK NOLL

Legendary Pittsburg Steelers coach Chuck Noll died at the age of 82. Noll reportedly died of natural causes after having previously suffered from Alzheimer's disease and heart and back ailments on June 17. Three months after his death, Pittsburgh has honoured Noll by naming a street after him, the Chuck Noll Way.

LOUIS ZAMPERINI

Zamperini died at the age of 97. He was a prisoner during the World War II and a 1936 Olympian. Zamperini passed away due to complications of pneumonia in his Los Angeles home on July 2.

ALFREDO DI STEFANO

Real Madrid legend Argentine-Spanish footballer Alfredo Di Stefano died at the age of 88. He suffered from cardiac arrest on July 5 and eventually passed away two days later, on July 7.

OSCAR TAVERAS

Taveras died at a young age of 22. Taveras played for the St. Louis Cardinals of MLB. He and his girlfriend Edilia Arvelos died in a car accident in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on Oct. 26.

BRAD HALSEY

Halsey died at the age of 33. He used to play as a pitcher for the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics of the Major League Baseball, or MLB. He died on Oct. 31 after falling off a 100-ft cliff.

ORLANDO THOMAS

Thomas died at the age of 42. He was a former defensive back for the National Football League, or NFL. During his entire NFL career, Thomas has played for the Minnesota Vikings. He died of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, on Nov. 2.

PAT QUINN

Quinn, who is also known as "The Big Irishman," died at the age of 71. Quinn was a former defenseman and longtime NHL coach. He died on Nov. 23 after battling a long illness.

PHIL HUGHES

Hughes died at the age of 25. He was an Aussie cricketer who played for the New South Wales, Middlesex, Hampshire, Sydney Thunder, Worcestershire, South Australia, Adelaide Strikers, and Mumbai Indians. His death came as a shock after he was accidentally hit in the neck by a short delivery during a Sheffield Shield match. Hughes instantly fell on the ground and became unconscious. He was rushed to hospital and has not woken up until his death on Nov. 27.

JEAN BELIVEAU

Beliveau died at the age of 82. He was a former Canadian professional hockey player who played as the captain of Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. Beliveau has suffered from numerous health problems including cardiac health issues, neck tumor and stroke before his death on Dec. 2.

ERNIE TERRELL

Terrell was a former World Boxing Association, or WBA, heavyweight boxing champion who died at the age of 75. During his boxing career, he has fought the likes of Muhammad Ali, Thad Spencer and Chuck Wepner. Terrell had been suffering from dementia before he died on Dec. 16.

Other sport personalities who bid farewell in 2014 include 1990 AL Cy Young Award winner Bob Welch, Brooklyn Dodgers' Don Zimmer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer, Muhammad Ali's sparring partner Jimmy Ellis, National Basketball Association, or NBA, head coach Dr. Jack Ramsay, NHL's Ross Lonsberry, former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, Washington Senators' pitcher Conrado Marrero and boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Six-time NBA All Star Lou Hudson, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, MLB's Ralph Kiner and Ballon d'Or winner Eusebio also passed away in 2014.

To reach the author of this article, email r.corpuz@ibtimes.com.au.