RIP

Whitey Ford -- widely regarded as the greatest Yankees starting pitcher of all time -- has died at 91, the team confirms.

We're told Ford passed away Thursday at his home in NY.

The Yankees issued a statement saying the team is "incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Whitey Ford."

"Whitey spent his entire 16-year career as a Yankee. A 6x WS Champion and 10x All-Star, The Chairman of the Board was one of the best lefties to ever toe the rubber. He will be deeply missed."

Ford made his MLB debut back in 1950 -- but took time away from the game to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1951 to 1952.

He returned to the Yankees in 1953 and played until 1967 -- racking up a 236-106 career record with an E.R.A. of 2.75 and 1,956 strikeouts. Unreal.

Ford -- who was born and raised in New York City -- was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, along with his teammate Mickey Mantle.

The Yankees retired Ford's #16 jersey that same year.

Ford is survived by his wife Joan (they married back in 1951) and their two children Eddie and Sally Ann. They had a 3rd child, Tommy, who passed away in 1999.

Just last week, fellow MLB pitching legend Bob Gibson passed away at the age of 84. Gibson is also a Hall of Famer and considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

George Floyd's being honored and remembered in his hometown ... with a new mural set to be unveiled just in time for his birthday.

The mural is being painted in the Houston neighborhood where George grew up, and it's going to be unveiled Monday during a special ceremony featuring his family and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner is also invited.

Local artist Ange painted the mural. He tells us George's family asked him to create one back in August, after previously presenting the family with some Floyd artwork at his funeral.

The mural is prominently displayed on a wall outside a neighborhood corner store George frequented. The business is a staple of the community, so lots of folks will see George's face on the building.

George would have turned 47 Wednesday, and we're told celebrating his upcoming birthday is part of the inspiration behind the mural ... plus a message to the community to "be the change" and go out and vote.

George's brothers, Rodney and Philonise, recently checked on the mural's progress and Philonise says they want the art to send this message ... "People in my family all feel that George can't vote, so everybody needs to get out for George, for Breonna, for Ahmaud."

The family adds ... "He said he wanted to change the world, so here's how we do it. By being the change."

Breonna Taylor's body was motionless in her hallway for several minutes as a SWAT team cleared her apartment, then checked for a pulse ... before cooly, and repeatedly, stating, "She's done."

Louisville PD just released body cam video from several SWAT officers who showed up on the scene after the raid and gunfight that killed Breonna and injured one Louisville cop, Jonathan Mattingly. The footage provides the first good look inside Breonna's apartment immediately after the deadly incident.

As SWAT prepared to enter one cop says, "The female is supposedly the one that's shot" -- speaking of Breonna. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, had already walked out and surrendered.

Upon entering the apartment, cops immediately called out that Breonna was at the end of the hallway, but SWAT spends several more minutes clearing various parts of the apartment before addressing Breonna, saying ... "Ma'am, can you hear us?"

One officer told another to check her pulse. Of course, she did not have one ... and the cop declared, "She’s done." Most of the SWAT members then left the apartment to make room for a medic and crime scene investigators.

An officer's heard telling others not to turn their cameras off, and while examining all the casings on the floor says ... "Is that theirs? No that’s ours, the only casings look like 9mils."

At one point, it appears now-fired Officer Brett Hankison -- the only officer indicted by a grand jury -- popped his head back in to discuss the scene, before being told to back out.

Other footage, from a different officer, shows the horrific aftermath inside the apartment -- bullet holes and bloodstains on walls ... and Breonna's body on the floor. Her body is blurred in the video.

Now, body cam video outside the apartment shows police interacting with Walker after his surrender. It's interesting because almost immediately Walker, through tears, declared to police that Breonna was dead inside, and that they had no idea who was entering the apartment.

He repeatedly said, "We didn't know who it was" ... and one cop responded that they had announced themselves 3 times. That is, of course, the central dispute in the case. Walker says he fired his legally-owned handgun thinking someone was breaking into the place.

Police, and Attorney General Daniel Cameron, insist the cops ID'd themselves as law enforcement and were, therefore, justified in returning fire on Kenneth and Breonna.

LeBron James and the Lakers will honor Kobe Bryant while hoping to bring home the Larry O'Brien trophy on Friday ... with the team pulling out their "Black Mamba" jerseys for Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The Kobe-inspired threads have been a good luck charm during the Lakers' quest for their 17th championship -- they're currently 4-0 this postseason while donning the black and gold.

While L.A. was initially planning to wear the BM jerseys for Games 2 and 7, Kobe's wife, Vanessa, revealed the Lakers will rep the legend while trying to close out the series.

"Mamba and Mambacita jerseys approved for game 5," Vanessa said on IG. "Let's go @lakers."

The Lakers -- who dedicated the season to Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, after their tragic deaths in January -- are currently up 3-1 on the Miami Heat ... and many believe they can close it out with a gentleman's sweep on Friday.

If L.A. is able to pull it off, it'll be an incredibly emotional moment for the franchise.

The Travis County medical examiner has wrapped up its investigation into the death of pro gaming star Byron Bernstein -- aka "Reckful" -- and determined he died by suicide.

Bernstein's ex-girlfriend broke the news of his death on July 2 on social media. No details were released at the time. Officials in Travis County, Texas subsequently launched a probe to find out exactly what happened to the 31-year-old.

Now, the M.E. has released the findings of its investigation -- which say emergency responders raced to the scene of the incident and tried to resuscitate Bernstein, but to no avail. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials say Bernstein had been under significant stress ... including dealing with money problems and a breakup with a former girlfriend.

The investigators also noted Bernstein had a history of depression, and had previously attempted suicide several years ago.

Bernstein was a legend in gaming, especially at "World of Warcraft" -- where he was the #1 ranked player in the world for 6 straight seasons.

He famously won the Major League Gaming "WOW" tourney back in 2010.

He later became a streaming sensation on Twitch -- where he amassed a following of more than 900,000. He also developed a big following on YouTube and Twitter.

Bernstein had talked publicly about his battle with depression in the past, saying it started when he was 14.

Just last year, Byron appeared on the HealthyGamerGG show to talk about his issues and revealed he was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 2 as a child. He also said his brother took his own life after a battle with depression years ago.

RIP.

Derek Chauvin -- the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd -- is a free man for now ... he just got released from behind bars as he awaits trial.

Chauvin was cut loose Wednesday from the Oak Park Heights prison in Minnesota after court records show he posted a non-cash $1 million bond backed by a place called A-Affordable Bail Bonds. His trial is currently scheduled for March.

Chauvin was the last of the 4 accused cops still in custody. As we reported, the other 3 -- Alexander Keung, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- were released some time ago, and are all seeking a change of venue ahead of their trials.

Chauvin faces the most severe charges out of the group -- he's been rung up for 2nd-degree murder, 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter after leaving his knee on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

Eddie Van Halen's wife is heartbroken over the death of her life partner ... as is the rest of the rock world, who are sharing personal tributes to the late, great guitar legend.

Janie Liszewski posted a remembrance Wednesday, writing ... "My husband, my love, my Peep." She adds, "My heart and soul have been shattered into a million pieces. I never knew it was possible to cry so many tears or feel such incredible sadness. Our journey together has not always been an easy one but in the end and always we have a connection."

She went on to say their love will stay alive. She said instead of saying goodbye ... she'll simply say "so long," as she hopes they'll meet again in heaven one day. Janie also asks Eddie to watch over her and their shared Pomeranian pooch, Kody.

Janie's been with Eddie 11 years now -- they got hitched in 2009. Prior to that, he was married to Valerie Bertinelli for over 20 years ... who also posted in his honor.

Other salutes have been pouring in from rock icons from the same era and beyond -- including messages from Gene Simmons, who called Eddie a "Superhero," adding he's "heartbroken." Ozzy Osbourne said Eddie "Made it look so easy," and his former bandmate Sammy Hagar, said he was "heartbroken and speechless."

Other tributes came in from Nikki Sixx, Flea, Paul Stanley, Geezer Butler, Billy Idol, Keith Urban, Tony Iommi, Pantera, Pearl Jam and so many other acts. They all had kind words to share, most touched on the fact that Eddie was a trailblazer and an inspiration for their own careers.

Moreover, it wasn't just musicians who weighed in on Eddie's passing -- comedian Dane Cook said Eddie's music made him feel alive. Mark Hamill called Eddie, "One of Rock's most extraordinary guitar virtuosos and Jimmy Kimmel said a chat he once had with Van Halen was, "two of the best hours of my life."

As we reported, Eddie died Tuesday after a battle with throat cancer. He was 65.

The former home of Bobbi Kristina -- where she tragically overdosed in a bathtub, causing her death -- is for sale in Georgia ... and the history may explain why the price has already dropped.

The spacious townhouse in Alpharetta was previously owned by Bobbi's mom, Whitney Houston, and despite its macabre past ... it's actually quite beautiful.

The 2,600-sq.-ft. pad comes with 3 beds and 4 baths, a gorgeous great room, a gourmet kitchen, a huge master suite with a fireplace, and 2 guest suites with private baths.

Of course, the home also comes with the underlying tale of the tragic January 31, 2015 incident ... when Bobbi was found face down in a bathtub by her boyfriend, Nick Gordon.

She was put on life support afterward and moved to hospice, where she died nearly 6 months later on July 26.

Gordon was found civilly liable for her death in November 2016, and though cops investigated him in connection with her death for years ... he was never charged. Gordon died of a heroin overdose in early 2020.

All of this could explain why the home has failed to attract any buyers so far. Kayce Davidson, the real estate agent with the listing, tells us the townhome went on the market 3 weeks ago ... but they recently dropped the price $10k to $599,000.

Eddie Van Halen -- the legendary guitarist and co-founder of Van Halen -- has died after a long battle with cancer ... TMZ has learned.

Sources directly connected to the rock star tell us ... he died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica Tuesday. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, his ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli, and Alex, Eddie's brother and drummer.

We're told in the last 72 hours, Eddie's ongoing health battle went massively downhill -- doctors discovered his lung cancer had moved to his brain as well as other organs.

As you know, Eddie has been battling cancer for well over a decade. Our sources say he's been in and out of the hospital over the past year -- including last November for intestinal issues -- and recently underwent a round of chemo.

Last year we reported ... Eddie was flying between the US and Germany for 5 years to get radiation treatment. Though he was a heavy smoker for years, he believes he developed throat cancer from a metal guitar pick he used to frequently hold in his mouth more than 20 years ago.

Nevertheless, he continued to attend concerts and rehearse music with his son, who -- if ya don't know -- became Van Halen's bassist in 2006.

Wolfgang mourned his father online, writing ... "He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss." He added, "I love you so much, Pop."

Of course, Eddie himself was considered one of the best and most influential guitarists of all time ... who first made a name for himself with his solo on Van Halen's "Eruption."

Eddie formed the classic rock group in Pasadena in 1972 with his brother, Alex, on drums, Michael Anthony on bass and David Lee Roth singing. Eddie served as the main songwriter on their self-titled debut album in 1978 ... which launched the group into rock superstardom in the '80s.

They went on to pump out hit after hit, including "Runnin' with the Devil," "Unchained," "Hot for Teacher," "Panama" and "Jump" ... and continued their success with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals after the departure of Roth in 1985.

While the band had already achieved hard rock superstardom, Eddie became a pop culture icon with the 1983 release of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" ... which featured Eddie's iconic guitar solo.

Though some members of Van Halen have changed, Eddie and Alex were the constants in the band ... with Eddie's acclaimed guitar work being the focal point of their legacy.

Van Halen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, and Eddie is widely considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time.

He is survived by his wife, Janie, and his son.

Eddie was 65.

RIP

Johnny Nash, the guy who sang the incredibly happy and infectious 1970s #1 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now," has died.

The singer's son tells TMZ ... Johnny was at home Tuesday when he passed away of natural causes. No word on cause of death yet.

Johnny was born in Houston and made his debut as a major label artist in 1957 with the single, "A Teenager Sings the Blues." However, it was his reggae-tinged hit that topped the charts in November of 1972, and stayed there for 4 weeks.

Nash sold more than 1 million copies of the single, and it made him an international star, especially in Jamaica ... where he became one of the first non-Jamaican singers to record reggae on the island.

While he might go down in music history as a one-hit wonder, what a smash. "I Can See Clearly Now" has been covered numerous times after Johnny. A couple of those covers even reached the top 20 -- the most recent one being Jimmy Cliff's 1993 version for the "Cool Runnings" soundtrack.

His son, John Nash III, tells us, "He was a wonderful father and family man. He loved people and the world. He will be missed within his community. Family was his everything."

Johnny was 80.

LeBron James is paying tribute to Kobe Bryant before Game 4 of the NBA Finals ... entering the arena with a shirt honoring Mamba's life.

Rockin' his Beats By Dre headphones and a BBZ mask (the letters represent the names of his kids Bronny, Bryce, Zhuri) ... Bron made his way to the court in the NBA bubble at Disney World in Orlando with an image of his friend across his chest.

Below Kobe's picture, read the words, "More Than Ever" and "With Love 1978 - 2020."

LeBron has often talked about Kobe's influence on his life and his career -- and it seems pretty obvious he's trying to channel KB's "Mamba Mentality" for an important Game 4 against the Miami Heat.

Following Kobe's tragic death back in January, LeBron and his Lakers teammate Anthony Davis got Kobe-inspired tattoos on their legs to pay tribute to the NBA legend.

The Lakers are currently leading the playoff series 2 to 1 ... but the Heat looked pretty solid during their Game 3 victory over L.A.

WWE legend Joseph Laurinaitis -- AKA Road Warrior Animal -- died during a romantic getaway with his wife to celebrate their wedding anniversary, this according to police documents.

Laurinaitis -- one half of the famous Legion of Doom tag team -- was with his wife, Kimberly, at the Margaritaville Lake Resorts in Osage Beach, Missouri on Sept. 22 for a quick getaway.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, Laurinaitis had set up a whole romantic evening for Kim -- starting with a fancy dinner and returning to their room, which was covered in rose petals and a gift basket.

But, after they arrived back to the room, Laurinaitis suffered a medical emergency -- and collapsed on the bed.

Kim tried to perform CPR, but unfortunately, Joseph could not be saved, according to officials.

The medical examiner launched an investigation into his death -- and notes medication for Laurinaitis was collected at the scene.

Laurinaitis is considered one of the best in-ring performers of all time -- he wrestled for most of his WWE career with Road Warrior Hawk and won multiple tag team championships as The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom.

He was only 60 years old.

RIP

Thomas Jefferson Byrd -- who appeared in several Spike Lee joints -- has been murdered in Atlanta ... according to Spike himself.

Lee says ... "I’m So Sad To Announce The Tragic Murder Of Our Beloved Brother Thomas Jefferson Byrd Last Night In Atlanta, Georgia." Spike shared a photo of Thomas as the character Errol Barnes in his 1995 film, "Clockers."

Along with "Clockers," Byrd also appeared in "Get on the Bus," "Bamboozled," "He Got Game," "Red Hook Summer," "Chi-Raq" and more.

He was also a successful theater actor, nominated for Broadway's 2003 Tony Award as Best Actor for a revival of August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

He has starred in numerous regional stage productions including the San Diego Repertory Theater's award-winning performance of "Spunk".

Story developing ...

Japanese fashion designer Kenzo Takada has died from coronavirus.

Kenzo, the first Japanese designer to have ensconced himself in the fashion capital of the world -- Paris, France -- died Sunday in the hospital. His spokesperson confirms Kenzo's death was the result of COVID.

Kenzo's designs featured colorful graphic and floral prints. He was hugely popular, both for his high fashion and luxury day-to-day streetwear.

The designer sold his brand to LVMH back in 1993 and stepped away from the brand 6 years later.

Kenzo was born in 1939 and developed a passion for drawing and sewing. He went to France in 1965 ... it was supposed to be a stopover but he ended up staying permanently.

He created a line for men back in '83, and in '88 he created his first perfume -- Kenzo Kenzo.

Kenzo was 81.

Calling all (rich) Kobe Bryant fans, an incredibly unique collectible from the Mamba's historic 60-point farewell game is up for grabs ... but it'll cost a fortune!!

A large section of the Staples Center hardwood court -- where Kobe played his final NBA game -- is set to hit the auction block ... and the piece is truly 1-of-a-kind.

The floorboard features KB's original jersey number, 8 -- painted in white, outlined in Lakers purple -- signed by the L.A. legend before he walked off the court he dominated on for nearly 2 decades.

Remember, Kobe -- who was 38 years old at the time -- had one of the greatest final games in sports history ... dropping 60 points on the Utah Jazz during the April 13, 2016 contest.

Bryant started off slow, but was UNSTOPPABLE in the 2nd half ... leading his Lakers squad to a come-from-behind victory.

It was truly a jaw-dropping performance by the Hall of Famer ... and that's why the court section is expected to sell for a whopping $500,000!!

We're told the seller will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- a foundation named after Kobe and Gigi Bryant -- which promotes youth sports.

Online bidding starts September 4 at Heritage Auctions ... and a live auction will be held September 26.

Mamba would have turned 42-years-old on Sunday, and Monday (8/24) was dubbed Kobe Bryant day ... with everyone from James Harden, Anthony Davis and LeBron James celebrating the basketball legend's life.

Bob Gibson -- one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history -- has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

The St. Louis Cardinals legend passed away while in hospice care in Omaha, Nebraska ... according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Gibson had been in the cancer fight for more than a year.

During his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, Gibson was THE MAN!!!

A 2-time World Series champ. 2-time World Series MVP. 2 Cy Young awards. NL MVP in 1968.

He made the All-Star team 9 times! He was a 9-time Gold Glove winner.

He logged 3,117 strikeouts! 251 wins!!

RIDICULOUS, RIGHT?!!

Of course, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981 -- first ballot.

The Cardinals retired his #45 back in 1975 and put him in the franchise Hall of Fame in 2014. There's also a statue of Gibson in front of Busch Stadium.

He was also a MONSTER on the basketball court!! In fact, he had a brief stint with the Harlem Globetrotters back in the day!