Merlin Olsen dies of cancer at 69

Football: Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who helped form one of the NFL’s greatest defensive lines before embarking on a successful career in television, died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 69.

Olsen was a member of the Los Angeles Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome” along with Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier in the 1960s. He later starred on NFL broadcasts, commercials, and as Jonathan Garvey on the TV series “Little House on the Prairie” and as the star in his own series, “Father Murphy.”

“He was ferocious and fearless on the football field and then the other probably more important aspect of his personality was he was a true gentleman,” said fellow Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood, his teammate with the Rams in Los Angeles. “We all know what a wonderful, tremendous football player he was, but he was so much more than that.”

Utah State, Olsen’s alma mater, said he died outside of Los Angeles. He was diagnosed last year with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining often linked to asbestos.

Olsen filed a lawsuit last year, claiming he contracted the disease as a result of being exposed to asbestos on construction sites where he worked as a child and young adult.

Associated Press

Loper Gatorade award winner

Prep basketball: Katelyn Loper of Post Falls HS has been chosen as the Gatorade Player of the Year for Idaho.

The 5-foot-11 senior guard lead the Trojans to a 14-10 record this past season, averaging 22 points, 5.6 rebounds and four assists per game.

She finished her career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,337 points.

She has signed a letter of intent to play at Hofstra.

The award recognizes athletic excellence, academic achivement and exemplary character on and of the court, according to a press release.

Arop’s surgery said successful

College basketball: Gonzaga University freshman forward Manny Arop underwent successful surgery in Spokane on Wednesday to repair his broken left foot, according to men’s basketball team trainer Jennifer Nyland.

Arop broke the fifth metatarsal in Sunday’s West Coast Conference tournament semifinal game.