Sparky Anderson announced as new manager of the Angels

Sparky Anderson, Hall of Fame manager and all around nice guy, has passed away. You know when a person dies, and everybody says, "He was a nice guy". Normally, folks are just being polite because they outlived the poor bastard and won, but with Anderson, it was simply the truth. Sparky Anderson had no enemies. He was able to bring together the clubhouse of the mid 1970's Reds, loaded with polar personalities like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Pete Rose, winning two championships. He followed that up with a championship with the Tigers. And after he walked away from baseball, he never really went that far. He always showed up at events, shaking every hand and answering every question. He was never too busy to stop and give you a moment. Sparky Anderson, a good man, dead today at the age of 76. Read more HERE.

Father Dowling gets big promotion

In less than a week's time, we've lost our TV mom and dad. Tom Bosley has died at the age of 83. A genuinely kind man of humble beginnings, Bosley joined the navy at the age of 17, later joking, "I'm the only guy I know who went in as a seaman and came out a seaman". After service, Bosley enrolled at DePaul University, where he eventually found acting. He got his start in Chicago doing radio dramas. After a move to NY, he scratched out a place on broadway while working odd jobs such as a Tavern on the Green doorman, and a Lindy's Deli hat checker. His big break came in 1959 in Fiorello!, where he won a Tony award. After broadway, Bosley moved to Hollywood, eventually ending up on Happy Days as Howard Cunningham, a role he oringinally turned down but eventually became famous for. Afterwards he joined Angela Landsbury on Murder, She Wrote, sold Glad bags, and kicked ass as a crime solving priest on Father Dowling. I can only assume Jesus needed help figuring out who keeps shortsheeting the beds in heaven, and called on Bosley. Read more HERE.

Everybody's mom just died

Barbara Billingsley has died at the age of 94. Best known as June Cleaver, wife of Ward, mother of Wally and Beaver, Billingsley was never quite able to escape the pearled and high heeled legend she created. Which is how it should be; who didn't want to live in that house and have a gosh darn good time? The concern, of course, is that we've now lost our second Airplane! actor/actress this year. If we lose another, we may have a Betty White type serial killer on our hands. Check here for updates. In the mean time, Jus hang loose, blood. She gonna catch ya up on da rebound on da med side. Read more HERE.

Play beach music, God will kill you

General Norman Johnson, part time lead singer of the group Chairmen of the Board, has died at the age of 67. A quirky soul singer turned beach music singer, Johnson deserved death. I mean, really, at some point he woke up one day and thought that "Carolina Girls" was a good idea. If for some reason you want to, Read more HERE

Don't you feel like a die, die die die die die, a die, die die die die die, dying!

Solomon Burke, the self appointed King of Rock and Soul, has died. Burke was a preacher, a food vendor, a mortician, and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While most famous for his hit Cry to Me, he actualy had over 30 charted hits. Unfortunately, his career was overshadowed by the success of other artists covering his songs. Everybody Needs Somebody to Love alone was a hit Wilson Pickett, the Rolling Stones, and even the Blues Brothers. In the strange juxtaposition that I love, his songs delighted lovers of Dirty Dancing, as well as Pope John Paul II, whom he performed for in 2000. Why, sure as you're reading this, I bet he's up in heaven holding court with all the angels and saints and folks he embalmed, laughing about his inability to remember all the names of his 21 children and 90 or so grandchildren. Solomon Burken, a big old interesting man, dead at the age of 70. Read more HERE

Devil Makes Pitch to Tony Curtis... Some Like It Hot

Tony Curtis, famed actor and part time painter, has died at the age of 85. Look, basically, take Eddie Fisher's write up from below and switch names. Famous entertainer, tremendous ego, troubled life of multiple marriages, terrible dad to a terrific daughter (in this case, Jamie Lee Curtis). He'll be missed, blah blah blah. Read more HERE

God to Eddie Fisher, Wish You Were Here

Eddie Fisher, 1950s pop singer, died Thursday from hip surgery complications. A tremendous success with over 30 charted hits, Fisher's fame never recovered after his very scandalous divorce from Debbie Reynolds. But he did give us actress Carrie Fisher, though, so all's forgiven. And while his death provided no points, I appreciate his consideration in dying because this has been the slowest summer of death EVER! Eddie Fisher, dead at the age of 82. Read more HERE