Max Wilk, American playwright, screenwriter and author died he was , 90.

Max Wilk was an American playwright, screenwriter and author of fiction and nonfiction book. Formerly a resident of Ridgefield, Connecticut, he moved to Westport, Connecticut, where lived until his death February 19, 2011, at age 90. Max Wilk was the best story writer of his time and was known as "the living legend".
In the 1960s, he wrote the novelization of The Beatles' cartoon Yellow Submarine. His fiction includes Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River; the movie version starred Jerry Lewis and shifted the locale from "Green Haven" (based on Ridgefield) to London, England.

(July 3, 1920 – February 19, 2011)

 Books

(in reverse chronological order)

• The Sound of Music: The Making of Rodger and Hammerstein's Classic Musical, Routledge (2006), ISBN 0-415-97934-X
• OK! The Story Of Oklahoma!: A Celebration of America's Most Beloved Musical, 292 pages, Applause Books; (2002) ISBN 1-55783-555-1
• Schmucks with Underwoods: Conversations with America's Classic Screenwriters,, 338 pages, Applause Books (2004), ISBN 1-55783-508-X
• The Golden Age of Television: Notes from the Survivors, 274 pages, Delacorte Press (1976) ISBN 0-440-02950-3(Paperback: Truck Press; 3rd edition, 1999, ISBN 0-916562-49-2)
• Overture and Finale: Rodgers & Hammerstein and the Creation of Their Two Greatest Hits (Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music) Paperback: 192 pages, Watson-Guptill Publications (April 1999) ISBN 0-8230-8820-0
• American Treasure Hunt: The Legacy of Israel Sack co-author, Harold Sack, 270 pages, Little Brown & Co (November 1986), ISBN 0-316-76593-7
• Mr. Williams and Miss Wood: A two-character play, 42 pages, Dramatists Playservice (1990), ASIN: B0006EYAJW (Note: NOT an ISBN)
• A Tough ACT to Follow, co-author, Jim Connor, 346 pages, Norton (January 1986) ISBN 0-393-02219-6(paperback, PaperJacks (1988) ISBN 0-7701-0736-2)
• And Did You Once See Sydney Plain?: A Random Memoir of S.J. Perelman, 83 pages, Norton (1986), ISBN 0-393-02343-5
• Get Out and Get Under,317 pages, Norton (1981), ISBN 0-393-01425-8
• The Moving Picture Boys, 287 pages, Norton (1978), ISBN 0-393-08814-6
• Every day's a matinee: Memoirs scribbled on a dressing room door, 288 pages,

Norton (1975) ISBN 0-393-07491-9

• They're Playing Our Song: The Truth Behind the Words and Music of Three Generations 295 pages, Atheneum (1973), ISBN 0-689-10554-1
• Memory lane, 1890 to 1925;: Ragtime, jazz, foxtrot and other popular music and music covers, 88 pages, Studioart (1973), ISBN 0-902063-13-8
• The Wit and Wisdom of Hollywood: From the Squaw Man to the Hatchet Man, (compiler) Scribner (1971) ISBN 0-689-10370-0
• The Beard, a novel, Simon and Schuster, (1965) LCCN 65-23246
• Cloud Seven,: A comedy, 84 pages, Dramatists Play Service, (1958) ASIN: B0007E1WQK (Note: NOT an ISBN)
• Yellow Submarine novelization (1960s)
• Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River

Broadway plays

According to the "Internet Broadway DataBase":^[3]

• A Musical Jubilee (Musical, Revue) ran November 13, 1975-February 1, 1976
• Cloud 7 (Comedy) ran February 14, 1958-February 22, 1958
• Small Wonder (Musical, Revue) book by Wilk, ran September 15, 1948-January 8, 1949

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Yuan Xuefen, Chinese Yueju opera actress died she was , 88

Yuan Xuefen  was a noted performer in the Yueju opera genre of Chinese opera. She has been called "arguably the most important actress in the recent history of Yueju [Shaoxing] opera"died she was , 88.

(26 March 1922 – 19 February 2011)

 Biography

Yuan is most known for playing the title role in the 1946 production of Sister Xianglin, an adaptation of a work by Lu Xun.^[2] Before beginning work on the adaptation of the work, she personally visited the home of Xu Guangping and Zhou Haiying, Lu Xun's wife and son, and asked their permission. According to Zhou, his mother quickly granted the request.^[3] Yuan is credited with leading the reform of Yueju opera staging during the 1940s. Changes included the extensive use of lighting and scenery, and a new, soft style of costuming.^[4] In 1964, the film Stage Sisters, based on Yuan's life, was released. During the Cultural Revolution, Yuan was severely criticized as a way of attacking Premier Zhou Enlai, who supported the film.[
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Spook Jacobs, American baseball player (Philadelphia/Kansas City Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates) died he was , 85.

Forrest Vandergrift "Spook" Jacobs  was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1954 through 1956 for the Philadelphia Athletics (1954), Kansas City Athletics (1955-'56), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1956). Listed at 5'9", 155 lb., he batted and threw right handed.

(November 4, 1925 – February 18, 2011)

Baseball career

Born Forrest Vandergrift Jacobs in Cheswold, Delaware, he graduated from Salem High School, Salem, New Jersey in 1943. Immediately after graduation, Jacobs enlisted in the United States Army where he served as a Sergeant during World War II. Following his military discharge, he played professional baseball for 17 seasons, three of them in the majors, while playing for several minor league clubs and in Cuba and Panama winter leagues.^[1]
Jacobs posted a .247 average and a .971 fielding percentage in his major league career, stealing 22 bases, 17 of them in 1954.^[2] His build reminded some of Nellie Fox.^[3]
On April 13, 1954, Jacobs became one of only three players in major league history to go 4-for-4 in his major league debut, the others being Delino DeShields and Willie McCovey.^[2] Jacobs was a pesky hitter who reached base by slapping balls through the infield, and gained his ghostly nickname from his tendency to dump hits just over the heads of opposing infielders.^[4] A baseball writer gave Jacobs the nickname in 1947 when he was playing with Johnstown, Pennsylvania, club, the Johnnies, of the Middle Atlantic League.^[5] Casey Stengel once said of him, "He's always been in our hair."^[3]
Jacobs was a farmhand of the Brooklyn Dodgers for eight years before becoming the property of the Philadelphia Athletics. The Dodgers had vast minor league holdings in 1954, and loaded a number of their prospects on the roster of a single club. Under the rules of the time, only one selected player could be lost to a team per draft period. Jacobs was never called up to the Dodgers' top farm club, the Montreal Royals, because of their surplus of players. On one occasion, he was passed over when Brooklyn picked Junior Gilliam. Clyde Sukeforth hinted that the Pittsburgh Pirates might have an interest in drafting Jacobs, but the team chose Danny Lynch instead. Philadelphia manager Eddie Joost was particularly impressed by Jacobs' fielding and his hit and run capability.^[6]
On April 20, 1954, Jacobs' fourth inning triple, followed by an error on a fly ball hit by Vic Power, gave Philadelphia a 5-0 lead over the Washington Senators.^[7] On May 3, 1954, Chicago White Sox right-hander, Sandy Consuegra, retired the first 19 Athletics' hitters before Jacobs doubled in the seventh inning with one man out. Consuegra retired the next five hitters prior to encountering trouble in the ninth. Then Jacobs bunted successfully, and Consuegra threw wildly into right field, allowing two runs to score. Chicago beat Philadelphia 14-3 at Connie Mack Stadium, with Jacobs collecting the only two hits for the losers.^[8]
Jacobs was involved in a fracas while playing for the Columbus Jets in July 1955. Lou Limmer of the Toronto Maple Leafs slid into him at second base, knocking Jacobs head over heels. Jacobs was thrown out of the International League game in the fourth inning for throwing a punch in retaliation.^[9] A sore arm led to his demotion to Columbus. His arm recovered and Jacobs was selected as the outstanding International League second baseman in 1955, batting .316.^[3]
During 1956 spring training, Jacobs competed with Jim Finigan for the starting second baseman job for the Kansas City Athletics. Finigan was considered a more powerful hitter, but Jacobs was a faster player.^[3] He was optioned to the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League by the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 4, 1956.^[10] Jacobs was among 14 players recalled by the Pirates in September 1956.^[11]
Jacobs was injured when he collided with Hollywood shortstop, Dick Smith, during a game in the Pacific Coast League. Both players were chasing a fly ball in a game against the San Diego Padres (April 11, 1957), and Jacobs was thought to have suffered a hairline skull fracture after being carried from the field on a stretcher.^[12][13] He recovered and returned to the Stars' lineup on May 7.^[14]
Tommy Lasorda and Jacobs were teammates on the 1956 Athletics. While pitching for the Los Angeles Angels (PCL), Lasorda deliberately hit Jacobs in the fifth inning of an August 1957 game. The knockdown came after relief pitcher, Fred Waters, hit a 400-foot home run which broke a 4-4 tie. Jacobs charged Lasorda and then went after his rival second baseman, Sparky Anderson. Hollywood went on to score seven runs in the fifth inning to gain an 11-4 win at Gilmore Field.

Later life

After his baseball career ended, Jacobs and his wife Bobbie settled in Milford, Delaware, where they owned and operated the Milford Bus Center, then Mr. Donut/Donut Connection, over a span of 42 years before retiring.^[1][15]
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame inducted Jacobs in 1991. He also became a member of six Sports Hall of Fames - Delaware Baseball, Columbus Ohio, Cuban Baseball, Eastern Shore, Delaware, South Jersey and Salem County, New Jersey.^[1]
One of his proudest achievements was when his personal stamp collection was featured in 2008 at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.^[1]
Jacobs died at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, Delaware, on February 18, 2011, at the age of 85.^[1]

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Buddy Lewis, American baseball player (Washington Senators), died from cancer he was , 94

John Kelly Lewis , better known as Buddy Lewis, was a third baseman/right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Washington Senators (1935–41, 1945–47, 1949)  died from cancer he was , 94. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Only Ty Cobb had more career hits at the age of 24 than Lewis. Lewis was born in Gastonia, North Carolina.

(August 10, 1916 – February 18, 2011)

In an 11-season career, Lewis posted a .297 batting average (1,563-for-5,261) with 73 home runs, 607 RBI, 830 runs, 249 doubles, 93 triples, and 83 stolen bases in 1,349 games played.
Lewis' nephew is former major league player Hal Morris. Morris' youngest son, John Kelly, is named in Lewis' honor.
During World War II, Lewis served in the United States Army Air Force. Between 1942-44, he flew more than 350 missions and was cited for his service.
Lewis died on February 18, 2011, at the age of 94, after a long battle with cancer

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Walter Seltzer, American film producer (Soylent Green, The Omega Man) died he was , 96.

Walter Seltzer  was an American film producer. He sat on the Motion Picture & Television Fund Board of Trustees, and was honored with the Silver Medallion for Humanitarian Achievement by the group in 1986. Seltzer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended the University of Pennsylvania from 1932 to 1934.^[1]

(November 7, 1914 – February 18, 2011)

Credits

Seltzer's film production credits include:

• Marty
• Mutiny on the Bounty
• Soylent Green
• The Omega Man
• One-Eyed Jacks
• Will Penny
• Skyjacked
• The Naked Edge

Death

He died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund home in Woodland Hills, California on February 18, 2011, aged 96, from pneumonia.

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Ricky Bell, American football player (Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Winnipeg Blue Bombers) died he was , 36.

 Ricky Bell  was a cornerback who went to North Carolina State University and played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chicago Bears,^[1] the Barcelona Dragons, the Orlando Rage, the Calgary Stampeders, the Ottawa Renegades, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Montreal Alouettes. He won a Grey Cup championship in 2001 with Calgary.

(October 2, 1974 – February 17, 2011)

He was signed by the Georgia Force of the AFL on March 20, 2008.
Bell died on February 17, 2011 in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.^[2]

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Dave Duerson, American football player (Bears, Cardinals, Giants), committed suicide from a gunshot. he was , 50

David Russell Duerson  was an American football safety in the National Football League who played for the Chicago Bears (1983–1989), the New York Giants (1990), and the Phoenix Cardinals (1991–1993)committed suicide from a gunshot. he was , 50.

(November 28, 1960 – February 17, 2011)

 Early life

Duerson played football, basketball, and baseball at Muncie (Indiana) Northside High School. He was given an opportunity to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a pitcher and outfielder in 1979, but declined. Duerson received many honors during his high school years, including the 1979 Indiana Mr. Football,^[2] and was part of the National Honor Society and The Musical Ambassadors All-American Band.

College career

Duerson played college football at the University of Notre Dame from 1979 to 1982.^[3] He graduated with honors, with a BA in Economics. He started all four years, and earned recognition as an All-American in 1981 and 1982. He was named as his team's MVP in 1982, and a Captain. He was the winner of the Edward "Moose" Krause Distinguished Service Award in 1990 by the Notre Dame Monogram Club, of which he was a past president. He was also a member of the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees from 2001-2005.^[3]

Professional career

Duerson was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1986 to 1989 in his career, and won two championship rings, with the Bears (Super Bowl XX), and with the Giants (Super Bowl XXV). During the 1986 season, Duerson set an NFL record (later broken in 2005 by Adrian Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals) for most sacks in a season by a defensive back, with seven. He also intercepted six passes for 139 yards with a long return of 38 yards. At season's end, Duerson was named first team All-Pro by Pro Football Weekly, the Pro Football Writers Association and The Sporting News and second team All-Pro by AP. In 1987, Duerson was the recipient of the NFL Man of the Year Award. In his 11 seasons, Duerson recorded 20 interceptions, which he returned for 226 yards, and 16 quarterback sacks. He also recovered five fumbles, returning them for 47 yards and a touchdown.

After football

Duerson owned three McDonald's restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky for six months, from late 1994 to April 1995. He purchased the majority interest in Fair Oaks Farms (formerly Brooks Sausage Company) in 1995.^[4] Duerson grew the company from $24M revenue to over $63.5M in six years. He sold his stake in the company in 2002 and started Duerson Foods, but that company was forced into receivership in 2006 and most of its assets were auctioned off.^[5]

Death

Duerson was found dead at his Sunny Isles Beach, Florida^[1] home on February 17, 2011. The Miami-Dade County medical examiner reported that Duerson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.^[6] He sent a text message to his family saying he wanted his brain to be used for research at the Boston University School of Medicine, which is conducting research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by playing pro football.^[7] He left behind three sons and a daughter from his marriage to ex-wife Alicia Duerson.^[6]

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