The sports world is mourning the deaths of athletes and sports figures who’ve passed away in 2026, such as former Atlanta Braves and World Championship Wrestling owner Ted Turner, 2002 World Series hero Garret Anderson, Alex Zanardi, who, following a catastrophic accident, transitioned from a racing career to a Paralympic champion, and Oscar Schmidt, one of the greatest basketball players to have never played in the NBA. We now Remember the Athletes Who Died in 2026 . June 30, 1972 — April 16, 2026 (53 years old) Anderson is the Angels’ franchise leader in games played, hits, runs scored, RBI, and total bases. A three-tine All-Star, Anderson was a vital piece of the Angels’ World Series championship team. He died of acute necrotizing pancreatitis. February 18, 1983 — February 21, 2026 (43 years old) The Detroit Shock drafted Braxton, a 6’6” forward from the University of Georgia, with the seventh overall pick in the 2005 WNBA Draft.…