Sports: Obituaries for April 26, 2005

Tuesday, April 26, 2005 | 9:21 a.m.

Jack Welsh

Jack Welsh, an award-winning fight writer who has been at ringside at major Las Vegas boxing events since the early 1980s, has died.

Welsh, believed to be in his early 80s, was found in his apartment late Monday afternoon.

Welsh covered boxing for many publications, including the Philadelphia Journal daily newspaper where he was the chief fight writer from 1978 to 1979. He then moved to Las Vegas where he was a correspondent for The Ring magazine and also wrote a weekly boxing column for Gaming Today for more than 10 years.

Welsh was at ringside at the biggest Las Vegas fights of the past couple of decades, including Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard, Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns, Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield and Erik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera.

He was also at ringside for many club shows in the city.

Welsh was a longtime member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

He was at ringside for the Antonio Margarito vs. Kermit Cintron main event this past Saturday night outdoors at Caesars Palace. Welsh was in the press room that evening, speaking to his friends before he walked to ringside to cover the event.

Earl Wilson

Former major league pitcher Earl Wilson has died at the age of 70.

Wilson died of a heart attack Saturday in suburban Detroit, said Jim Martin, executive director of the Baseball Assistance Team charity, for which Wilson was a volunteer board member since 1988.

Wilson pitched for three teams in an 11-season career, finishing 121-109 in 338 games. The right-hander broke in with Boston in 1959 and saw limited action that season and in 1960. He reached the majors for good in 1962, when he threw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels, and won at least 10 games for the next eight seasons.

Wilson, who finished his career with the San Diego Padres in 1970, was one of the best power-hitting pitchers in baseball history. He finished with 35 homers in 740 career at-bats, two short of Wes Ferrell's major-league record.

Martin said Wilson is survived by his wife, Roslin, and son, Greg, as well as his wife's other two sons. Funeral arrangements were being finalized Monday night.

A moment of silence was held in Wilson's memory before Monday's game between the Tigers and Minnesota Twins.

-- Sun wire services