Obituaries Notable people that have passed

John Surtees

Sad, but not unexpected.


Former Formula 1 and motorcycling world champion John Surtees has died at the age of 83.

Surtees is the only man to have won the grand prix world championship on both two wheels and four.

He won four 500cc motorcycling titles - in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 - and the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964.

Surtees died at St George's Hospital, London, on Friday afternoon after being treated for an existing respiratory condition, a family statement said.

"We deeply mourn the loss of such an incredible, kind and loving man as well as celebrate his amazing life," the statement added.

Legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker told Radio 5 live: "It's an absolute hammer blow for me and for British motorsport in general.

"I have been privileged to commentate on him and to know him as a friend and he's undoubtedly one of the greatest people who's ever lived in the history of motorsport."

Surtees was awarded an MBE in 1959, the same year he won the Sports Personality of the Year award, the OBE in 2009 and the CBE in 2016.

He won six F1 races in 111 starts between 1960 and 1972, and also drove for Honda, Lotus, Cooper, Lola and BRM.

Surtees was world champion in the 350cc motorcycling category as well as 500cc from 1958-60.

He later set up his own F1 team and was behind the wheel when it made its debut at the 1970 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch.

Team Surtees managed two podium finishes but never won a race before folding in 1978.

Surtees went on to become chairman of the British team in the now-defunct A1 Grand Prix series, while his son Henry began competing in Formula Two but was killed in an accident at Brands Hatch in 2009, aged 18.

The family set up the Henry Surtees Foundation in aid of people recovering from brain and physical injuries and to support motorsport-related educational programmes.

Surtees remained involved in motor racing into his eighties, competing in classic car and bike events up until last year.

I suspect that nobody will ever be able to duplicate his world championship records in both two and four wheeled classes.
 
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I'm not sure how well known his comic strip was in the rest of the world, but New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball has died at the age of 78. He was the author and illustrator of Footrot Flats, a newspaper cartoon about a border collie sheep dog.

FootrotFlats.jpg
 
Bill Murray is all things.

Also, my eyes first just quickly glanced at the text before I started "reading" it, and my brain saw "Bill Murray."
 
Bill Murray cannot die, Bill Murray is immortal, Bill Murray is life, the universe and everything, Bill Murray replenishes himself on the life essence of all living things. (but mostly blondes)
 
Bill Murray cannot die, Bill Murray is immortal, Bill Murray is life, the universe and everything, Bill Murray replenishes himself on the life essence of all living things. (but mostly blondes)

You just jinxed him, you sonovabitch. :p
 
Alice and even touring. A life fully lived.
 
"Hey ham, look! I'm Picasso!"
 
John Clarke, Australia's leading political satirist, died yesterday after collapsing while out on a bushwalk with his wife. Clarke, along with his comedic partner Brian Dawe began appearing on current affairs programmes in the late 80's, conducting mock interviews related to an event from the news that week. Brian Dawe was always the interviewer and John Clarke the interviewee. Clarke would often portray real-life figures, but would never try to impersonate them in any way.

A few examples-





[video=youtube;w-MMUMPJUQI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-MMUMPJUQI[/video]
 
Did his front fall off?

Front fell off ship, was a pretty big news story at the time
http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/frontfell.asp

John Clarke
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/10/john-clarke-satirist-comedian-dies-aged-68

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/10/john-clarke-10-best-clips-career-satire

http://mrjohnclarke.com/

http://mrjohnclarke.com/projects/clarke-dawe

The Games was an Australian mockumentary television series about the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Games_(Australian_TV_series)


He was great!


Clarke and Dawe - European Debt Crisis

Just a week ago. Clarke and Dawe - Cyclone Malcolm
[video=youtube;4_GfFq1N-04]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_GfFq1N-04[/video]
 
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A real shame. His stories on Chappelle's Show were legendary. Way too young.
 
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