pitching appearances for the seventh most among left-handers; two-time World Series champion. January 5 – Rod Dedeaux, 91, baseball coach at the University of Southern California from 1942 to 1986 who won a record 11 College World Series titles, twice as many as any other coach, and 1,332 games, a record until 1994; played major role in baseball's acceptance in the Olympics, and coached the U.S. team in 1964 and 1984. January 8 – Merv Connors, 91, corner infielder for the Chicago White Sox in 1937 and 1938; hit 3 home runs in one game September 19, 1938; hit more than 400 home runs while playing in more than 2,100 minor league games from 1934 to 1953. January 14 – Wycliffe "Bubba" Morton, 74, right fielder, mainly with the Tigers, Angels and Japanese Toei Flyers, who in 1972 became the first black head coach in any sport at the University of Washington. January 16 – Willie Smith, 66, converted left-handed pitcher who played primarily as a left fielder for the California Angels, Chicago Cubs and three other MLB clubs (1963 to 1971), then Japan's Nankai Hawks (1972–1973). January 16 – Bob Repass, 88, reserve infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals (1939) and Washington Senators (1942). January 17 – Seth Morehead, 71, relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Braves between 1957 and 1961. January 24 – Carlos (Café) Martínez, 41, infielder for three AL teams who batted .300 for the 1989 White Sox. January 28 – Frank Campos, 81, Cuban-born outfielder for the Washington Senators from 1951 to 1953. February February 1 – "Whistling" Jake Wade, 93, pitcher for six AL teams who had been the oldest living Chicago White Sox player; brother of Ben Wade. February 4 – Joe McGuff, 79, sportswriter and editor for The Kansas City Star from 1948 to 1992 who covered the Athletics and later the Royals, playing an instrumental role in the latter franchise being awarded in 1969 and retained in the 1990s. February 9 – Motoshi Fujita, 74, Hall of Fame NPB pitcher played for the Yomiuri Giants from 1957 to 1964, managed the Giants and Taiyo Whales from 1963 to 1976. February 11 – Robert W. Peterson, 80, author of the 1970 book Only the Ball Was White, which focused attention on the Negro leagues; member of the 2006 Hall of Fame committee responsible for electing Negro leaguers. February