Jheri Curl Mogul Comer Cotrell Dead At 82 -- Changed Sports Hair Forever

The soul of the sports world just lost a little of its glow ... 'cause Comer Cottrell, the man who popularized the Jheri cdeurl, has died at 82.

Cottrell founded the Pro-Line Corp in the '80s which manufactured the Curly Kit that allowed guys like Deion Sanders, Walter Payton, Pedro Martinez and Sugar Ray Leonard to ruin couches all over the country.

Apparently, there was a lot of money in dripping, because Cottrell was also part owner of the Texas Rangers from 1989-98 ... during which time Sammy Sosa was a proud curl wearer.