Danny McDevitt - Former MLB Pitcher

Danny McDevitt pitched in the Major Leagues from 1957-1962. He compiled a 21-27 career record with a 4.40 ERA.

In June of 1957, he was called up to the Brooklyn Dodgers. On September 24, 1957, he pitched a 2-0 shutout over the Pittsburgh Pirates. That would be the last game ever played at Ebbetts Field.

Two weeks later, team owner Walter O'Malley announced that he was moving the team to Los Angeles where the team played in the over-sized L.A. Coliseum.

Mr. McDevitt died in Covington, Georgia on November 20, 2010, two days after his 78th birthday.

Mr. McDevitt compiled a 10-8 record on the 1959 Dodgers team that beat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series.

He spent the 1960 season with the New York Yankees before finishing his career in 1962 with the Minnesota Twins and the Kansas City A's.

After baseball, he worked as a minor league umpire and held government jobs in Mississippi and Alabama.

Eugenie Blanchard - World's Oldest Person

Eugenie Blanchard was the world's oldest person when she died at the age of 114 on November 4, 2010 on the French Caribbean Island of St Bart's. Up to her last days, she was said to be in good health, but could no longer talk.

She was born on Feb 16, 1896 and lived most of her life in a convent on the island of Curacao before returning home in the 1950's. She was the last surviving member of a family with 13 siblings.

Leona Gage - Miss USA

Leona Gage was named Miss USA in 1957, but had the title taken away from her a day later when pageant officials discovered that she was married and a mother of two children. She also lied about her age for the contest. She was actually 18, instead of the required 21.

Ms. Gage, 71, died on October 9, 2010 at a hospital in Sherman Oaks, California. Her cause of death was ruled heart failure.

He controversy lead to a number of television appearances, including a noted one on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Leonard Skinner - Name Inspired Rock Band

Leonard Skinner was a high school basketball coach and physical education teacher at a Jacksonville, FL high school in the late 1960's. One day, he sent a group of students to the principals office because of their long hair. The students had their own rock band and decided to name themselves after Mr. Skinner. The resulting group, Lynyrd Skynyrd scored some big hits in the 1970's with "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird".

Mr Skinner,77, died on September 19, 2010 at a nursing home in Jacksonville from complications related to Alzheimer's Disease.

Initially, Mr Skinner was not impressed with the band using a variation of his name. He later embraced the idea. The band even played a gig at a bar he owned.

Over the years, he became friends with many of the band's followers who were intrigued by who he was and his past relationship to the band.

Bille Mae Richards - Voice of "Rudolph"

Billie Mae Richards played the voice of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in the 1964 television animated classic.

She died on September 10, 2010 at her home in Burlington, Canada at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke.

Her ability to talk in a high pitched voice won her the title role. She obscured her gender further when she was called Billy Richards in the credits.

David Rowland - Chair Designer

David Rowland designed a widely acclaimed chair that is used all over America. His unique design allowed chairs to be stacked to save space in contrast to folding ones. His initial chair was called the 40/4 because it allowed 40 chairs to be stacked only measuring four feet tall.

Mr Rowland, 86, died at his home in Marion, Virginia on August 13, 2010. The cause of death was not released.

His original model sold for $16 in 1963. The chair is now manufacturesd in various models by OSI Furniture in the United States and Howe Furniture in Denmark.

In 1964, the chair won a prestigious design award from Milan Triennale. It is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

The chairs are used all over the world and were featured in the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

George David Weiss - Songwriter

George David Weiss was a prolific songwriter who wrote such hits as "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "What a Wonderful World," recorded by Elvis Presley and Louis Armstrong respectively.

He died of natural causes at his home in Oldwick, New Jersey on August 23, 2010. He was 89.

Among his other hits was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" recorded by The Tokens. He collaborated on several Broadway musicals including "Mr Wonderful" starring Sammy Davis Jr. and "Maggie Flynn", featuring Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy.

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. He also testified before government agencies on copyright issues on numerous occassions.

Edward Kean - Wrote for "Howdy Doody"

Edward Kean was a long time writer for the "Howdy Doody Show" which ran on NBC from 1947-1960. He wrote the iconic theme song which millions of Baby Boomers sang as they watched the show.

Mr Kean died on August 13, 2010 at a nursing home in Michigan of complications from emphysema.

He is credited with much of the show's writings and the expression "kowabunga" which has been used by Bart Simpson in "The "Simpsons" animated comedy show.

Satch Davidson - MLB Umpire

Satch Davidson, a National League baseball umpire from 1969-1984, was behind home plate during two of the game's biggest home runs.

He was calling balls and strikes on the night Henry Aaron hit his 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's home run record. He was also behind the plate when Carlton Fisk won Games 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds.

He died on August 21, 2010 at his home in Houston at the age of 75 from an undisclosed cause.

He umpired many other memorable games including no-hitters by Jim Maloney and Don Wilson on consecutive days in Cincinnati.

Jack Parnell - Jazz Drummer

Jack Parnell had a long career as a jazz drummer and appeared with Tom Jones and Barbara Streisand as well as many other stars. He was also the music director of "The Bennie Hill Show".

He is best known for being the bandleader on "The Muppet Show" during its five year run.

Mr Parnell died on August 8, 2010 at his suburban London home at the age of 87 after a year-long battle with cancer.

Bobby Hebb - Song Writer

Bobby Hebb was a songwriter who scored big with his 1966 hit "Sunny" about a smiling girl. It was also recorded by Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye and Jose Feliciano.

Mr Hebb died in Nashville, Tennessee on August 3, 2010 at the age of 72. His cause of death was not announced.

The song was written in respone the the murder of Hebb's brother outside of a Nashville nightclub and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy a few days later.

At the height of the song's popularity, he toured with the Beatles. He continued to write songs up until 2007 and had his own publishing company and record label, Hebb Cats.

Jack Tatum - Involved in Famous NFL PLays

Jack Tatum was involved in two infamous plays in the NFL. During an exhibition game between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders on August 12, 1978, Tatum was playing safety. While Patriots receiver Daryl Stingley was running a crossing pattern, Tatum delivered a crushing hit with his helmet which broke Stingley's fourth and fifth vertebrae and left the receiver paralyzed for life.

It was a very controversial play for which Tatum never apologized or was penalized by the NFL. He attempted to contact Stingley, but they never connected. Stingley died in 2007. Tatum made it worse by publishing a book in 1980 about his hard hitting playing : "They Call Me Assassin".

Tatum died at the age of 61 on July 28, 2010 after a heart attack in Oakland. He suffered from diabetes and previously had a leg amputated.

Tatum was also a central figure in "The Immaculate Reception" during the Raiders playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972. With 22 seconds left in the game, Tatum stripped the ball thrown from quarterback Terry Bradshaw to receiver Frenchy Fuqua. The ball bounced off Fuqua's foot and ricocheted into the arms of Steelers running back Franco Harris who never broke stride and ran for a 42 yard winning touchdown.

David Warren - Invented "Black Box"

David Warren invented the "black box" flight voice recorder used on airplanes to reconstruct flight information after a crash. He came up with the idea after investigating the world's first commercial airline crash in 1953.

He thought it would be useful for investigators to have voice recordings of the cockpit crew in the event of a crash. Although he built his prototype in 1956, it took several years before they were installed in commercial airliners around the world.

Mr Warren,85, died on July 18. 2010 at his home in Australia. His father was killed in a plane crash in 1934.

Mr Warren was the principal research scientist at the Defense Science and Technology Organization's Aeronautical Research Laboratory in Australia from 1952-1983.

Bob Sheppard - Yankees Announcer

Bob Sheppard served as the public address announcer at Yankee Stadium for 55 seasons. During that time from 1956-2005, he was a constant at over 4,500 regular season games. There were also 121 postseason games and 62 games in 22 World Series.

Mr Sheppard, 99, died on July 11, 2010 at his home in Baldwin, New York. He had been ill for a short time after leaving his job with the Yankees.

He will be forever known as "The Voice of God", a title given to him by Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson when he played with the team. It stuck with him the last 30 years of his career.

Mr Sheppard was a very prolific announcer. He also covered New York Giants football games from 1956-2005.

The team honored him in 2000 with a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. He was considered to be the only team employee who George Steinbrenner never yelled at.

Ilen Woods - Voice of Cinderella

Ilen Woods, 81, was the voice of Cinderella in the 1950's Disney blockbuster animated film. She died on July 1, 2010 at a nursing home in Los Angeles from complications related to Alzheimer's disease.

As an 18 year old in 1948, she recorded a demo for an upcoming Disney feature. Two days later, she auditioned and won the featured speaking and singing role of Cinderella.

She later sang on the Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey shows in the 1950's before retiring from show business in the early 1970's.

Corey Allen- Played Opposite James Dean

Corey Allen played the role of a high school gang leader who got into a fight with actor James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause". His character, Buzz Gunderson, got into a losing knife fight with Dean and later died in the movie when his car plunged off a cliff.

Mr. Allen died at the age of 75 on June 25, 2010 at his home in Hollywood.

He had a number of other movie and television roles before he becoming a director in 1969. He won an Emmy in 1984 for directing an episode of "Hill Street Blues".

He also directed a two-hour pilot for "Star Trek - The Next Generation". He followed up with numerous episodes for that show as well as its sequel, "Star Trek - Deep Space Nine".

Allyn Ferguson - Composer

Allyn Ferguson was an Emmy-winning composer who co-wrote the theme songs for the 1970's television hits "Charlie Angels" and "Barney Miller". Mr Ferguson died on June 23, 2010 at the age of 85 at his home in Los Angeles.

He wrote the music scores for dozens of television episodes during the 1970's and 1980's, but was best known for "Charlie's Angels" and "Barney Miller" which he co-wrote with Jack Elliot.

The received eight Emmy nominations and won it in 1985 for the television adaption of the classic novel "Camille".

He was also the musical co-director for the Oscars, Emmy and Grammy Award shows.

William Hollman - Helicopter Pilot

William Holloman was a member of the distinguished Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. The Tuskegee program was the only way Black pilots were allowed to fly.

He flew on numerous combat missions. After the war, he became a commercial pilot. He was called back to service in 1966 and became the first Black helicopter pilot during war in Viet Nam.

Mr Holloman, 85, died June 11, 2010 in Renton, Washington after suffering a heart attack. He had lived in the area for many years after growing up in St Louis.

Crispian St. Peters - British Singer

Crispian St. Peters was a British pop singer best known for his 1966 hit "Pied Piper" which reached the Top Ten in Brittan and America. He died on June 8, 2010 at his home in Swanley, Kent, England. He was 71 and had been recovering from a major stroke since 1995.

He began performing when he was 17, changing from his birth name of Robin Peter Smith to his stage name of Crispian St. Peters.

His stroke ended his 30 year singing career with a number of bands, but he continued to add to his 200 written sings.

He also scored a huge hit with his version of "You Were Always On My Mind".

Jerry Stephenson - Member of 1967 Red Sox

Jerry Stephenson pitch for seven season in the Major Leagues, compiling a 8-19 record with the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Pilots and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is best known for being a member of the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Boston Red Sox team that won the American League pennant.

Mr. Stephenson, 66, died of cancer at his home in Anaheim, California on June 6, 2010.He was signed out of high school by the Red Sox in 1961 and made his Major League debut two years later at the age of 19. Ironically, he was scouted by his father who was working for the Red Sox.

He spent five years with Boston. During the 1967 campaign, he had a 3-1 record with one save. He won a game in late August against Chicago which put the team into first place. He pitched in Game 4 of the World Series.

In 1969, he was released by the Sox and signed with Seattle. He spent a year with them before finishing his career with the Dodgers in 1970.

He spent 25 years as a scout for the Dodgers and another 14 with the Sox before retiring last October when he became ill.

Chris Haney - Developed "Trivial Pursuit"

Chris Haney developed the highly successful board game, "Trivial Pursuit", along with his friend Scott Abbott. Mr Haney died on May 31, 2010 in Toronto, Canada of undisclosed causes.

He came up with the game's idea in 1979 while working as a copy boy at The Canadian Press. While playing "Scrabble" with co-worker Scott Abbott, they discussed the concept of a trivia game.

Over the next two years, they would write 6,000 questions on their color-coded category cards. They were able to raise $40,000 in investment capital and found a small game maker to market the product.

Sales became brisk with $800 million worth of games being sold in 1984. The licensing rights change hands several times before they were bought by Hasbro in 2008.

By the time of his death, the game had sold over 100 million copies in 26 countries and 17 languages. The sales made Mr. Haney very wealthy with a portfolio of golf courses, vineyards and race horses.

John Shepherd-Baron - Invented ATM

John Shepherd-Baron, a Scotsman, was credited with inventing the automated cash dispensing machine now known as the ATM. He died in a hospital in Scotland on May 15, 2010 at the age of 84.

He conceived the idea of the ATM after being locked out of his bank and unable to obtain needed cash. His first machine was installed at a branch of Barclays in a suburb of London on June 27, 1967. Since the plastic bank card had not been invented, he used specially coated checks that were inserted into the machine, along with a personal identification number, to obtain the cash.

His initial PIN number was six digits, but was shortened to four at the urging of his wife. There are now than 1.7 million ATM machines around the world.

For his service to the banking industry, he was awarded the Officers of the Order of the British Empire in 2004.

Helen Wagner - Role of a Lifetime

Helen Wagner starred in the daytime television soap opera "As the World Turns" for 54 years with over 19,700 episodes. Her run began on April 2, 1956 and was scheduled to end in September as CBS was canceling the show.

She died of cancer at the age of 91 on May 1, 2010 at her home in Mount Kisco, NY. Her last appearance on the show was on April 5. She originally signed a 13 weeks contract in 1956 for "As the World Turns". She had been a singer and stage actress before she was able to parlay the contract into a lifetime role.

In 2004, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Leslie Buck - Cup Designer

Leslie Buck created an iconic design for coffee cups used all over New York City. He incorporated a blue, white and gold color scheme and an ancient Grecian design. He printed a catchy phrase on the front of the cup: "We are happy to serve you".

Mr Buck,87, died on April 26, 2010 at his home in New York City from complications related to Parkinson's Disease.

His original cup design was aimed at urban diners owned by Greek Immigrants. The cups were eventually used by New York City street vendors and restaurants all over the city.

By the the 1990's, his company was selling over 30 million of the cups. In recent years, sales have been effected by Starbucks and other gourmet shops, but the cups are still used in many delis and restaurants around the city.

Clare Sabatini - Battled Trump

Clare Sabatini owned a restaurant for over 40 years in Atlanta City. She fought a very public battle against real estate developer Donald Trump who attempted to use the eminent domain process to condemn her property in order to expand his Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.

Her battle against Trump was chronicled in the "Doonesbury" comic strip in 1997. She eventually sold the restaurant to Trump for more then $2 million after a long and protracted struggle.

She died on April 23, 2010 in Atlanta City. No age or cause of death was disclosed by her family.

Glenn Walters - Office Designer

Glenn Walters, a former executive with Herman Miller Inc, was considered to be one of the key individuals in the development of the open-office concept and office cubicles. He died on April 18, 2010 at the age of 85 in Michigan.

During his time with Herman Miller Inc, he lead a task force that developed and marketed the "Action Office" system beginning in 1968. His idea involved movable walls and was a drastic departure form the standard fixed office desks of the time. It would later evolve into the cubicle concept.

Whitney Harris - Nuremberg Prosecutor

Whitney Harris, the last of the three prosecutors of Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, died on April 21, 2010 at the age of 97 at his home in St Louis, Missouri.

He was the lead prosecutor in the first of the war crime trials. He also cross-examined several other defendants. The court tried 22 high-ranking Nazis, convicted 19 and sentenced 12 to death. He was the only prosecutor to witness the executions.

Prior to the war, he graduated from the University of California Law School at Berkley. He joined the Navy after the start of the war.

After the trials, he became a professor of law at Southern Methodist University. He also became an author and gave speeches on human rights. He was dedicated to trying to develop an international justice system to deal with was crimes against humanity and genocide.

George Nissan - Invented the Tramploine

George Nissen, 96, was a gymnast who developed and patented the trampoline died on April 13, 2010 in New York City.

He became involved in tumbling as a young boy and continued through high school and college at the University of Iowa where he was a three time collegiate gymnastics champion. He partnered with his college gymnastics coach and developed a prototype trampoline after seeing circus trapeze performers jumping and tumbling on safety nets.

Initial sales were slow, but he went on a world tour as a comedic acrobat using the name "The Diving Fool". After World War II, he returned to Cedar Rapids , Iowa where he expanded his company. He eventually sold Nissen Corp. in 1973, but continued to promote the sport for the remainder of his life.

Morris Jeppson - Memeber of Flight Crew

Morris Jeppson was one of the two surviving members of the flight crew of the Enola Gay, the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima that helped bring the end to World War II.

Mr Jeppson, 87, died on March 30, 2010 at a hospital in Las Vegas after being stricken with a severe headache. His role in the flight crew was very significant as he was the one charged with arming the bomb after the plane took off on its flight to Hiroshima on August 6,1945. The bomb was placed in a safe mode upon takeoff to avoid a disastrous accidental detonation.

The flight from the small island of Tinian in the South pacific took six hours to the final destination. After the flight's first 30 minutes, he armed the bomb's electrical system. The bomb was dropped with devastating results, killing or wounding more than 100,000 people.

The flight crew returned to a hero's welcome. Eight days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki resulting in a Japanese surrender. He received the Silver Star for his exploits.

After the war, he spent his career in the field of electronics and applied radiation. He always maintained that he had no regrets about participating in the mission.

Colleen Kay Hutchins - Miss America

Colleen Kay Hutchins was the 1952 of the annual Miss America pageant. She decided to enter the contest after winning the 1947 Brigham Young University homecoming queen contest.

Ms Hutchins, 83, died on March 24, 2010 after a short illness at her home in Newport Beach, California.

Among her survivors included her son Kike, who played in the NBA and is now general manager of the New Jersey Nets. He husband Ernie also played in the league.

Jim Marshall - Photograher of Rock Legends

Jim Marshall spent nearly 50 years capturing images of rock and roll icons from the Beatles to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Mr. Marshall, 74, was found dead in a hotel room in New York City on March 22, 2010. His death was ruled from natural causes. He was scheduled to appear at a gallery to promote his new book with celebrity photographer Timothy White.

The San Francisco resident had more than 500 rock album covers to his credit. His most iconic images are from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock in 1969 and the late Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire at Monterey.

Charles Moore - Civil Rights Photographer

Charles Moore was a photographer for LIFE magazine who chronicled much of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950's & 60's. He was the lone photographer at the scene when Rev Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama in 1958 during a protest march. The picture, along with many others, became enduring images of the time period.

Mr Moore died on March 11, 2010 at the age of 79 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

In 1991 a collection of his works and biography was published in the book: "Powerful Days: The Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore".

Robert White - Test Pilot

In 1961 Robert White was an Air Force test pilot who made aviation history when he piloted a rocket-powered X-15 airplane to speeds never attained before. He was the first to break Mach 4 (four times the speed of sound), as well as Mach 5 and Mach 6 (over 4,ooo mph).

In 1962, he became the first pilot to take a winged aircraft into space when he surpassed an altitude of 59 miles. All of his feats were critical in the development of the U.S. space program

Mr White,85, died on March 17, 2010 in Orlando, Florida after several months of declining health.

He was a career Air Force officer, retiring in 1981 as a major general.

Der Scutt - Designed Trump Tower

Der Scutt, 75 , the designer of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York City died on March 14, 2010 at his home in Manhattan.

As an architect, Scutt was considered a modernist known for using the mirrored glass wall effect on the facades of his buildings. His redesign of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan caught the attention of Donald Trump. Scutt used a similar bronzed glass design in the Trump Tower which became a major tourist destination.

In recent years, his firm specialized in recladding masonry building facades by using metal-trimmed glass curtain walls. There are numerous examples of his work across New York City.

Edgar Wayburn - Preservationist

Edgar Wayburn was a five-term president of the Sierra Club and led a movement to preserve vast tracts of wilderness in America. He died on March 5, 2010 at his home in San Francisco at the age of 103.

He spearheaded a movement which led to the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act which created millions of acres of national park-land. He was instrumental in the creation of Redwood National Park in California, as well as the Golden Gate National Recreational Area in and around San Francisco. His work helped preserve Alcatraz Island as a tourist destination.

In the early 1960's, he was involved in the creation of Point Reyes National Seashore and the preservation of the Marin Headland located north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

For his lifetime work, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995 from President Bill Clinton. His last work involved addressing the over commercialization of Yosemite National Park.

Kermit Tyler - Dismissed Pearl Harbor Attack

On December 7, 1941 Kermit Tyler was an army lieutenant on a temporary assignment at a radar facility at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. Two Army privates brought to his attention a large cluster of objects on a radar screen. He quickly dismissed their concern by indicating that it was a group of American planes flying in from San Francisco. It turned out to be the first wave of 180 Japanese bombers on their way to attack the U.S. naval fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Tyler, 96, died on January 23, 2010 at his home in San Diego, California. He had suffered from two strokes in recent years.


After the attack, he was cleared by military and congressional inquiries in his role that day. There had been a group of American B-17's scheduled to land at Hickman Field.

He later flew combat mission in the South Pacific during the war. He stayed in the military, retiring in 1961 as a lieutenant colonel. He later became a real estate investor.

Dale Hawkins - Singer Wrote "Susie Q"

Dale Hawkins, a Louisiana rockabilly singer and producer, wrote the 1957 hit song "Susie Q". It became a rock 'n' roll standard and was a hit in the 1960's for Creedance Clearwater Revival.

Mr Hawkins died of colon cancer on February 13, 2010 at the age of 73 at a hospital near his home in Little Rock, Arkansas.

His version was recorded with guitarists James Burton and Roy Buchanan. Rolling Stone magazine called it "the first rock 'n' roll song where the guitar counted more than the song itself".

Mr Hawkins grew up Louisiana plantation and was raised by his grandparents. He lied about his age to join the Navy at 16. Upon his return, he formed a band with Burton.

After one failed hit, a local disc jockey took a demo of "Susie Q" to Jerry Wexler of Atlanta Records. As apart of the agreement to promote it, Hawkins was forced to assign credit to Nashville DJ Gene Nobles. This cost him future royalties.

Mr Hawkins toured with his band over the next several years where they played in mostly Black venues where he was the only white performer.

During the 1960's he became a record producer, working on hits that included "Judy in Disguise". He later joined RCA Records, working with singer-song writers Mike Nesmith and Harry Nilsson.

After completing a drug rehab program the the 1980's , he opened up a crisis intervention program in Louisiana.

John Kibler - National League Umpire

During a career that spanned from 1963-1989, John Kibler worked as a baseball umpire in the National League. He called four World Series, four National League Championship series, one first-round playoff and four All-Star games.

No game was bigger than when he worked as the first base umpire in Game 6 of the 1986 World series when Mookie Wilson's two-out grounder rolled between Bill Buckner's legs. Although it was near the foul line, Kibler ruled the ball fair and the New York Mets rallied for a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox. He was behind the plate for Game 7 when the Mets clinched the series and title.

Mr Kibler died on February 18, 2010 in Palo Alto, CA after suffering a heart attack at the age of 81. He served in the Navy during the Korean War and later left the New York State Police to attend umpiring school. He served as a minor league umpire in the late 1950's before joining Major League Baseball and became a umpire crew chief in 1977.

Sylvia Pressler - Judge

Sylvia Pressler had a trailblazing ruling in 1973 which opened Little League baseball to girls. While serving as a hearings examiner with the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, she ruled that a 12 year old girl should have been allowed to play on a Little League team.

Her ruling was protested by the organization, but upheld on appeal. New Jersey became the first state to prohibit sex bias in Little League. The following year, Little League amended its charter to allow girls and created a softball division.

Ms Pressler,75, died of lymphoma on February 15, 2010 at her home in Sparta, NJ.

She earned her law degree from Rutgers in 1959 and was one of the first women in the state to clerk for an appellate judge.

Pernell Roberts - "Bonanza" & "Trapper John" Star

Pernell Roberts, former star in the television series "Bonanza" and "Trapper John M.D." died on January 24, 2010 at his home in Malibu, California. He was 81 and suffering from cancer.

In 1959, he was cast as Adam Cartwright in the western "Bonanza". The show was a big hit, but Roberts felt that his character was stifled by the show's writers. He played one of three adult sons in the Cartwright family who owned a ranch in Nevada in the 1880's. After his original six year contract expired, he walked away from the show.

Many told him it would be a career killer. For the next 14 years, he appeared on various television shows including' Hawaii Five-O", "Mission Impossible" "Mannix" and "Marcus Welby M.D."

In 1979, he finally got a break when he got the lead role in "Trapper John M.D." The series aired until 1986. He played the role of chief of surgery in a San Francisco Hospital. He later narrated "FBI: The Untold Stories" from 1991-1993.

Glen Bell Jr. - Founded Taco Bell

Glenn Bell Jr, the founder of the Taco Bell food chain died at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California at the age of 86 on January 17, 2010.

In 1948, Bell opened his first restaurant called Bell's Drive-In after seeing the success of MacDonald's. He felt California was the ideal place to take advantage of America's car culture by beginning to serve hot-dogs and hamburgers through a drive-in window.

He opened several other restaurants in the state before launching Taco Bell in 1962. He started selling franchises in 1964 before selling his 868 Taco Bell restaurants in 1978 to PepsiCo for $125 million in stock.

Taco Bell was later purchased by Yum!Brands and now serves over 37 million orders weekly in 5,600 locations across America.

Art Clokey - Created "Gumby"

Art Clokey, who created the animated "Gumby" figure died at the age of 88 on January, 8, 2010. He died in his sleep at his home in Los Osos, California.

He created "Gumby" as part of a student project while attending the University of Southern California in the early 1950's. As a result, he started to create short features for the "Howdy Doody Show' using "Gumby" and his sidekick "Pokey".

"Gumby's" sloping head was based on the cowlick hairdo of his father. Clokey's wife came up with the idea of "Gumby" having the body of gingerbread man.

"Gumby" had a great surge in popularity in the 1980's after comedian Eddie Murphy portrayed the character on Saturday Night Live as a cigar-smoking show business primadonna.

Clokey enjoyed Murphy's character, especially because it created a large increase in the amount of licenced merchandise sales. This was the greatest financial windfall for Clokey in his career as he did not make a large amount previously.

Tsutomu Yamaguchi - Survived Two Atomic Bombs

Tsutomu Yamaguchi was credited with being the only person to have survived the atomic bomb blasts on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. He Died on January 3, 2010 from stomach cancer.

Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on a business trip for his ship building company when the city was devastated by the first atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. He suffered serious burns to his upper body. After spending the night in the city, he returned to his home-town of Nagasaki about 190 miles away. That city was attacked three days later.

He spent his later years speaking out against nuclear weapons. He spoke at the United Nations in 2006, wrote books and appeared in a documentary about the bombings.

Jeanette Scola Trapani - 1906 Earthquake Survivior

Jeanette Scola Trapani was one of the oldest survivors of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. She died on December 28, 2009 at the age of 107 at her home in El Dorado Hills, California.

Although she was only four years old at the time of the quake and fire, she had life-long memories of the smell of smoke that permeated the city as it burned.

She was born in the Telegraph Hill part of the city and spent most of her life in the city.