He was 80.The team confirmed Sunday that

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Former Packers guard Fuzzy Thurston, a member of the great Green Bay teams of the 1960s, has died. He was 80.The team confirmed Sunday that Thurston died after several years of health issues.Born Fred Thurston, he was best known for his blocking on the Packers famed power sweep. He helped Green Bay win five NFL championships. He also won a title with Baltimore in 1958.Despite weighing less than 250 pounds, Thurston was a powerful force for the Packers, playing in 112 games. He retired in 1967 and was inducted into the teams Hall of Fame in 1975.The Packers family was saddened today to learn of the passing of Fuzzy Thurston, said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. Fuzzy was an endearing figure for Packers fans for more than 50 years, going back to his all-pro playing days and continuing through his rousing welcomes at Lambeau Field as a favourite alum. Our sincere condolences go out to Fuzzys family.A Wisconsin native who played basketball in high school because his school didnt have a football team, Thurston then went to Valparaiso. He didnt join the football team until his junior year, yet was drafted in the fifth round by Philadelphia in 1956.After a stint in the armed forces, he tried to make the Eagles and Bears, but failed before joining the Colts for the final four regular-season games of 1958.Green Bay acquired Thurston the next year in a trade for linebacker Marv Matuszak.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Roger Craig Jersey . Louis Blues just continue to roll -- especially against the Nashville Predators. Deebo Samuel Jersey .Y. -- Dwane Casey admitted hed been concerned about his young Raptors team who had zero experience playing in close-out games -- what awaited them with the vastly-experienced Brooklyn Nets, and how theyd react. http://www.cheap49ersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-jerry-rice-jersey . -- Chris Tillman paid no attention to the Baltimore bullpen as it started to stir in the ninth inning. 49ers Jerseys Authentic China .Y. - Islanders forward Anders Lee has been fined $2,286 by the NHL for elbowing St. Patrick Willis Jersey . -- During a players meeting following the All-Star break, Jermaine ONeal promised his teammates to play the rest of the regular season like he would never play again -- because he very well might not.Just a week or so ago was the 10th anniversary of the final game the Expos played in Montreal. There are many reasons the team wound up leaving town for Washington, starting with the strike/lockout of 1994 when the Expos had the best record in the Majors only to see the season shut down in mid-August and the World Series cancelled. You can throw in lack of post-season appearances (one) and a relatively fan unfriendly stadium in the wrong part of town and an ownership at the end that wasnt committed or couldnt afford to keep a very good team together. But I discovered something over the weekend that might have profoundly changed the history, and ultimately the future, of the Expos franchise: the 1971 draft. In 1971, the Chicago White Sox lead off the draft by selecting catcher Danny Goodwin, who never really panned out at the Big League level. The Expos, picking fourth overall, chose a short stop out of Tennessee by the name of Condredge Holloway. Condredge was not only an outstanding baseball player, a sport he actually preferred, but also an excellent quarterback. His parents were committed to seeing him get an education and his mother refused to sign his contract with the Expos. Condredge went on to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee, where he excelled at both sports. He was actually the first African American to play quarterback in the Southeast Conference. Holloway ultimately chose football for his pro career and after being drafted by New England as a defencive back, opted for the CFL and landed in Ottawa. Later on, he was named Most Outstanding Player in the CFL with the Argos in 1982 and along with Joe Barnes, helped the Argos to a drought-ending Grey Cup victory in that 82 season. In 1999, he was named to the CFL Hall of Fame. On more than one occasion, Holloway spoke of what might have happened if he had chosen baseball and favourably compared himself to Brewers Hall of Fame shortstop, Robin Yount. The Expos would never know, but to compound their problems with that first round in 1971, fire-balling lefty Frank Tanana went 13th overall to the Angels and left field slugger and future Hall of Famer Jim Rice went 15th to the Boston Red Sox. So, Montreal effectively struck out in the first round. But that wasnt the end of it. In the second round of the 1971 draft, the Expos chose left handd starting pitcher Dan Warthen.ddddddddddddHis career flamed out pretty quickly. Warthen went 12-21 with a 4.31 ERA and his days in the Majors were over at 25, though he has gone on to be a successful pitching coach and his currently with the New York Mets, who may have the best flock of young arms in the business. But back to the matter at hand. Kansas City had the number five pick in that second round in 71 and chose a young shortstop who would later become a Hall of Fame 3B in George Brett, one of the greatest pure hitters the game has ever seen. Right after that selection, the Phillies chose another shortstop, who like Brett would become a Hall of Fame third baseman and Expos Killer Mike Schmidt, who had tremendous power and played gold glove defence at the hot corner. So lets recap. The Expos ended up with little or nothing in Holloway and Warthen, and could have had two of the following four; Frank Tanana, Jim Rice, George Brett or Mike Schmidt. Three of those four turned into Hall of Famers. Schmidt won a World Series over Brett and the Royals in 1980 and Brett and company beat St. Louis in the 1985 Fall Classic. You cant tell me with Rice and Brett or Rice and Schmidt, the Expos wouldnt have won at least one World Series and that could have changed the course of history for Canadas first Major League team. When you look at the current Kansas City Royals who are just two victories away from going to their second World Series, you can pinpoint a three year span of drafting as being instrumental to their success. In 2005, they took 3B Alex Gordon, now their left fielder number two overall. In 2007, 3B Mike Moustakas went number two and in 2008 1B Eric Hosmer went number three overall. Rising prospect Christian Colon went number four in Round 1 in 2010 and lefty reliever Brandon Finnegan, whos in their pen right now, was taken at number 14 this year. The Philadelphia Inquirer made an interesting point the other day. A Major League all-star game hasnt been played in a multipurpose stadium since it was held at the old Veterans Stadium in 1996. So you can basically count out Rogers Centre at least until the Argos are gone and natural grass is finally installed. This season, former Blue Jays utility outfielder Rajai Davis stole 35 bases for the Tigers. Thats more than they stole as an entire team in 2013. 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