RIP

A Florida doctor's insane card collection -- featuring ultra-rare Babe Ruth items -- is hitting the auction block following the doc's tragic COVID death ... and experts say it could all sell for around $20 MILLION!!!

Dr. Thomas Newman -- who had been collecting cards since the 1980s -- had amassed the WILD assembly of pieces before he passed away in January at 73 years old due to complications from coronavirus.

The collection is stunning ... there's famous Ruth and Mickey Mantle rookies -- and it also features cards from Honus Wagner, Ted Williams, Cy Young and more.

Newman's family says it's enlisted Memory Lane Auctions in Tustin, CA to help facilitate the sale of the pieces after the doctor's passing ... and experts there anticipate record-breaking prices for the cards.

In fact, one of the Ruth items -- a 1933 Goudey #53 -- could sell for over $5 MILLION, so says auction house president JP Cohen.

"[It] is the finest known of its kind," Cohen said, "and we expect it to break the record of $5.2 million for any sports card."

The Mantle rookie, a 1952 piece with a near-perfect PSA 8 grade, meanwhile, is expected to fetch over $1 million on its own as well.

Auction officials say bidding on the cards is set to begin on June 21 ... and close on July 10.

A former prosecutor and super lawyer who reps celebs like Jay-Z and Mick Jagger now has a new client -- the family of Carole Baskin's first husband who wants him to crack the case.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Alex Spiro has been retained by the family of Don Lewis to investigate his disappearance back in 1997.

Our sources say Spiro's goal is to get to the bottom of the Lewis mystery before "Tiger King 2" drops.

Spiro has the chops to figure out what happened to Lewis. As a prosecutor, he was involved in the case of serial killer Rodney Alcala. He's also investigated the cold case of Robert Durst's first wife. His client list is long and impressive. Aside from Jay-Z and Mick, Spiro's clients include DeMarcus Cousins, Charles Oakley, Thabo Sefolosha and Julian Edelman.

We're told he's in the gathering evidence phase and has already interviewed a key witness who turned over information our sources call "key."

The Sheriff in the area where Don was last seen is convinced he was killed and has been investigating, but so far, no results.

Our sources say Lewis' family wants Spiro to identify a possible murderer and turn the information over to prosecutors.

As you know by now, a lot of people think Carole Baskin was involved in Don's disappearance ... something she has strongly and consistently denied. Don's assistant told TMZ the day he disappeared he told her he was filing for divorce and moving out of the country.

New Jack a.k.a. Jerome Young -- former ECW pro wrestling star -- died at the age of 58 on Friday after suffering a heart attack, his family announced.

Young was multiple-time tag team champion during his days with Extreme Championship Wrestling in the mid-'90s... and was often celebrated for his reckless abandon inside the ring (and well, from the balcony).

As a result of his wild style -- getting hit with chairs, busting through tables, using weapons in the ring -- NJ dealt with a litany of injuries throughout his career.

While wrestling in ECW, "Natural Born Killaz" by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre famously played during his matches.

New Jack split from ECW when the promotion closed up shop in 2001 ... but the controversial wrestling star continued to occasionally wrestle over the years.

The pro wrestling world is weighing in on the loss ... with X-Pac sharing a photo with New Jack, and writing, "I couldn't help but love New Jack. #RIPNewJack"

New Jack is survived by his wife Jennifer ... with whom he lived in North Carolina.

Before Kobe Bryant's 33,643 points, 18 All-Star games and 5 NBA titles, he was a star high school hooper at Lower Merrion HS in Philly ... and now the jersey Mamba rocked just hit the block.

... and the auction house selling the threads believes it could sell for over $200K!!

Kobe was an absolute stud in high school in the mid-'90s ... playing varsity as a freshman, and winning just about every award for a high schooler as a senior -- including the Naismith and Gatorade player of the year awards, as well as earning a spot on the coveted McDonald's All-American team.

It's unclear which games Bryant actually wore the white and maroon, size 44 jersey.

Of course, Bryant -- who had offers from Duke and a bunch of other top schools -- followed Kevin Garnett's lead and made the jump from HS to the NBA.

Kobe was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft ... before being traded to the Lakers.

So, who's selling this piece of basketball treasure?? Leland Auctions -- the auction house behind the sale -- says the consignor is actually a former NBA player who got the jersey from Kobe's former sports agent.

We're told the player wishes to remain anonymous.

The jersey is currently on the auction block ... and the minimum bid is $50K.

The auction ends at the beginning of June.

Tawny Kitaen, the late actress who starred in "Bachelor Party," died of a broken heart ... so says her brother, who thinks losing their father was too much for Tawny to handle.

Jordan Kitaen tells TMZ ... police have spoken to the family, telling them there was nothing found at the scene suggesting drugs, pills or alcohol were a factor in her death ... and no signs she took her own life, either.

However, Jordan says Tawny was devastated by the recent death of her father, who passed away April 12 after a long battle with skin cancer. He believes the death was too much for Tawny's system to handle, especially because their dad's funeral was just days away when she died.

We're told Tawny, the oldest child, was extremely tight with their father, and Jordan describes their relationship as an "uncanny connection."

Jordan tells us he last spoke with Tawny Thursday, the night before she died, and she was in a good mood and excited about Mother's Day plans with her kids.

TMZ broke the story ... 59-year-old Tawny died Friday in Newport Beach, CA. The coroner has yet to determine the cause of death.

Tawny's substance abuse issues and arrest for drug possession and DUI were well-chronicled in the media, but her brother thinks she was in a good place before her sudden death.

Michael Jordan is still so torn up over losing Kobe Bryant ... he says he can't bring himself to erase the final text messages he received from the Lakers legend just days before his death.

The NBA's G.O.A.T. revealed this week his last talks with Bryant went down on Dec. 8, 2019 ... just 49 days before Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, were killed in a helicopter crash.

Jordan told ESPN's Jackie MacMullen the convo was simple ... Kobe complimented his new tequila, asked about his family, and commented on coaching Gianna's girl's basketball team.

"This tequila is awesome," Jordan said Kobe texted after he had sent over a bottle.

"Thank you, my brother," Jordan says he responded.

"Yes, sir. Family good?" Kobe replied.

"All good. Yours?"

"All good."

Jordan continued ... "Happy holidays, and hope to catch up soon. Coach Kobe??!"

"Ah, back at you, man," MJ says Kobe wrote back. "Hey, coach, I'm sitting on the bench right now, and we're blowing this team out. 45-8."

Jordan says the messages -- particularly the one about dominating with Gianna's team -- mean a lot to him -- explaining, "I just love that text because it shows Kobe's competitive nature."

Jordan added, "I don't know why, but I just can't delete it."

As we previously reported, Jordan was picked by Vanessa Bryant to present Kobe at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies this Saturday in Massachusetts.

Jordan says the honor is huge -- and he promised he'd be emotional remembering his good friend during the evening.

"It's like standing up for a family member," Jordan said. "He paid me the highest respect by trying to emulate certain things I did."

DMX fans going to his tribute show in Texas later this month are in for an even more special treat than expected because his family will be there ... and one of his daughters is going to take the mic.

We broke the story ... the late rapper was scheduled to perform at the Wildcatter Saloon in Katy, TX in late May, but after his death, the bar decided to throw a tribute concert.

Justin, owner of the Wildcatter, tells us he's been working hard to add acts to the event  -- and now, DMX's fiancee, Desiree, and their son, Exodus, will make an appearance.

We're told Desiree plans to take the stage at some point and deliver a short speech as part of the tribute.

Justin says X's 8-year-old daughter, Sonovah Hillman Jr., and her mother will be attending ... with Sonovah set to perform in honor of her daddy.

Sonovah wowed the crowd at DMX's memorial service in Brooklyn last month, and we're told she plans to do something similar -- a rendition of "Slippin'" -- at the Texas show.

Justin says Sonovah will likely be the second to the last act, with OG Ruff Ryder Drag-On closing the show.

The bar owner tells us it was really important to get family and close friends of X's participating in the tribute concert.

Jack Harlow's DJ has just been indicted on a murder charge for his alleged role in a nightclub shooting in Louisville.

Prosecutors in Kentucky charged Ronnie Tyshon O'Bannon -- who goes by Ronnie Luciano -- with murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the fatal shooting ... and there's reportedly a warrant out for his arrest.

TMZ broke the story ... video shows the moment shots were fired inside Vibes Restaurant and Ultra Lounge, where Jack was partying with his DJ.

The footage appears to show an altercation between a woman and at least one man, who lean into each other before falling over in a scuffle. At that moment, you hear what sounds like a gunshot, and everyone in the club makes a run for it, including Jack.

Cops say a 37-year-old woman was found dead from the shooting, and a man was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Colt Brennan -- a former NFL quarterback who was a superstar in college -- has died. He was only 37 years old.

TMZ Sports has confirmed Brennan was in Southern California at the time of his death -- though the cause has not been revealed. We're working on it. Hawaii News Now broke the story.

Brennan was a star QB in high school, backing up Matt Leinart at Mater Dei.

But, he really broke out at the University of Hawaii where he developed into one of the best college QBs in the country.

In fact, Brennan finished 3rd in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2007 -- when he completed 359 passes for more than 4,300 yards and 38 TDs.

Dude balled out that year.

Brennan was selected in the 6th round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team but never really caught on.

He had a quick stint with the Raiders before bouncing to the Canadian Football League ... followed by a short stint with the L.A. Kiss of the Arena Football League.

Just last month, Brennan wrote a detailed IG post reflecting on his life ... addressing a sexual misconduct allegation during his time at the University of Colorado (before he went to Hawaii).

Brennan was accused of exposing himself to a female student during a drunken bender.

Brennan denied the allegation -- though he was eventually convicted of felony burglary and trespassing and spent a week in jail.

Brennan was ordered to take a lie detector test about the sexual misconduct which he "passed."

He was also involved in a bad car accident (2010) and later arrested for DUI (2012 and 2019) -- all of which he addressed in his April 12 post.

"I’ve been through a lot in my life. I was a convicted felon for a crime I never committed, (passed polygraph and all). I captured every dream I had as a child."

"I was drafted into the league only to have 2 knee and 2 hip surgeries. I reached my 3rd year in the NFL, only to awake from a coma with traumatic brain injury as a passenger in a car accident."

Brennan continued, "I battled drug and alcohol abuse, and eventually developed blood clots years after the car accident."

"I spent 9 months in the hospital and for the last 2 1/2 years have been trying to learn how to walk again with a broken heart."

"I found redemption once, I will find it again. They say: 'Some people are just born to fight, and it’s not their born brave or born strong. It’s just that the Universe decided that this one, this one will have the grit and fire, and the steel in their blood. They will be tested this cosmic mettle of theirs. They will face trial after trial, be broken and damaged in countless ways, but this one was born to fight.'"

Tyrell Cohen -- the twin brother of NFL running back Tarik Cohen -- was found dead Sunday ... after officials say they believe he was electrocuted trying to climb power equipment.

Authorities say the 25-year-old, who's a fraternal twin of the Chicago Bears star, was involved in the tragedy shortly after a single-car crash Saturday morning in Raleigh, NC.

Officials say Tyrell left the scene of the accident after the wreck ... and could not be located in the ensuing hours.

Tyrell's family eventually filed a missing person report Saturday night ... with Tarik even putting out a message on social media asking anyone in the area for help locating his brother.

"Could be on foot in the [woods] around 540 and six forks," Tarik said in a since-deleted tweet. "Possibly injured!"

Officials say on Sunday morning, they resumed their search for Tyrell ... and, after an employee at a Duke Energy substation discovered a body, officials ultimately identified it as Tyrell's.

Authorities say Tyrell appeared to have entered the substation after the accident and was electrocuted shortly after. They say they do not believe foul play was involved.

The Bears released a statement Sunday evening mourning the death ... saying, "We are heartbroken."

"Our immediate thoughts and prayers go out to Tarik, his mother, Tilwanda, and the rest of their family and loved ones."

They continued, "On behalf of the entire Bears family, we extend our most heartfelt sympathies to all who mourn his loss."

Tarik was picked in the 4th round by the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft. He's started 22 games for the team in his four-year career.

One of Barack and Michelle Obama's family dogs -- Bo, the older of the two Portuguese Water Dogs they have -- has died.

Michelle shared the sad news Saturday with a heartfelt tribute to their pooch, saying they'd said goodbye to their longtime companion after a battle with cancer.

His dog mom wrote, "On the campaign trail in 2008, we promised our daughters that we would get a puppy after the election. At the time, Bo was supposed to be a companion for the girls. We had no idea how much he would mean to all of us."

Michelle went on to detail all the times Bo had been there for their family, both in an official capacity and behind the scenes as well. She said Bo was there when Malia and Sasha came home from school, there for POTUS and FLOTUS when they needed a break ... and there for huge WH events over the years, including the Easter Egg Roll and when the Pope visited.

She says he was also there when the dust settled after they'd left the White House ... helping Barack and Michelle see the girls off to college, being a steadfast furry friend. BTW, speaking of Barack and Michelle's kids ... part of the reason they ended choosing Bo and Sunny was due to them being hypoallergenic, something Malia needed for her allergies.

Anyway, Michelle adds that Bo loved the pandemic ... because all his fave humans were under one roof again, and some great quality time spent with him over the past year. She also says this ... "As a family, we will miss Bo dearly. But we are thankful that he lived such a joyful life full of snuggles, games of fetch, and evenings spent lying on the couch."

The former First Lady ended with a plea to the public ... many of whom also came to love Bo as their First Dog during their time in office.

She says, "We also know we weren’t the only ones who cared for Bo, and are grateful for all the love you showed him over the years. Please hug the furry members of your family a little closer tonight -- and give them a belly rub from us."

Bo's younger sister, Sunny, is still kicking ... but it's gotta be heartbreaking to lose their male canine friend -- who'd been with the family for such a long time. He was only 12.

RIP

Tawny Kitaen, the actress who starred in "Bachelor Party" and whose personal life was filled with radical ups and downs, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Kitaen died in Newport Beach Friday. The coroner has yet to determine cause of death.

Kitaen, whose credits include 'The Perils of Gwendoline' and "After Midnight," was a precocious child who got the showbiz bug at 14, when she saw Peter Frampton at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. She got a backstage pass and saw the All-Access VIP treatment Peter's GF, Penny, received, and that was it. She was hooked.

Tawny started out on a game show back in 1976 -- "To Tell the Truth." She migrated into movies and achieved some success with her roles, especially "Bachelor Party."

And, Tawny famously was featured in some music videos, notably Whitesnake's "Is This Love," and "Here I Go Again."

Kitaen dated Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby while she was still in high school and even followed his band to L.A. in the late '70s. She was featured on the album cover of the band's album "Out of the Cellar" and their debut EP "Ratt."

Tawny's personal life was rocky. She married Whitesnake's lead singer, David Coverdale, back in 1989, but the marriage only lasted 2 years.  She went on to marry baseball star Chuck Finley -- with whom she had 2 daughters -- and the end of that relationship proved disastrous.  Finley claimed she repeatedly kicked him in the face with her high heels and she was charged with domestic violence. Those charges were later dismissed. He filed for divorce 3 days later.

She also had substance abuse issues and was arrested for drug possession and DUI ... which was well-chronicled in the media.

Tawny was 59.

RIP

Sam Ehlinger's younger brother -- Univ. of Texas linebacker Jake Ehlinger -- was found dead near campus on Thursday ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Austin Police Department tells us cops received a call at around 12:18 PM, and a short time later, found Jake's body just blocks away from the university.

The spokesperson did not reveal a cause of death or any other details surrounding the tragedy ... but did note the department is considering it all "non-suspicious."

Jake walked onto the Longhorns' team in 2019 -- joining up with his older brother, Sam, who was a STAR quarterback for UT for the previous few seasons.

Jake did not log a snap in his first two years on the team.

Sam and Jake were very close ... in fact when Sam was picked by the Indianapolis Colts in the 6th round of the NFL Draft last week -- the two brothers shared a long embrace with other family members.

Jake was just 20 years old.

RIP

Robert Downey Jr.'s mourning the loss of his late assistant, Jimmy Rich ... and his Marvel co-stars are remembering Iron Man's right-hand man.

Downey Jr. says Jimmy was in a fatal car accident around 8 PM Wednesday night, calling it a "terrible and shocking tragedy." He says Jimmy was like a brother to him, an uncle to his kids and "beloved by all who experienced his singular character and wit."

RDJ's also thanking Jimmy for supporting him throughout his recovery from drug addiction, saying Jimmy stuck with him every step of the way.

Robert's not alone in mourning Jimmy ... his celebs pals, in and out of the MCU, are recalling what he meant to them.

Mark Ruffalo is thanking Jimmy "for always being real, always being there to lend a hand and showing the way of light forward to so many people."

Chris Pratt says Jimmy was "awesome" and Jack Black says he was a "good man" ... while Jeremy Renner called his death a "devastating loss" and Ryan Reynolds said it's "heartbreaking."

Rich was 52.

Johnny Depp's relationship with George Jung went far beyond their "Blow" connection ... and it's on display in a new docuseries about the late and infamous drug smuggler.

In this clip, obtained by TMZ, Depp calls Jung, AKA Boston George, "one of my favorite people instantly" ... describing their first meeting as the actor was preparing for his role in the film inspired by Jung's life.

Chris Chesson, Executive Producer of "Boston George: Famous Without the Fortune," says they began working on the 5-part series in December 2016, right as a parole violation sent Jung back behind bars for 8 months.

Chris says full production began in July 2017, and the crew filmed with Depp in May 2019. The rights to the completed documentary were purchased by 123 Go Films, which is shopping it to networks and streaming services.

Based on this exclusive clip, and the trailer, it seems like there should be some takers ... especially on the heels of Jung passing away.

George Jung -- the prolific cocaine smuggler portrayed by Johnny Depp in the movie "Blow" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... George died Wednesday morning at home in the Boston area. The cause of death is currently not known, though he had recently been experiencing liver and kidney failure.

We're told he had been in home hospice care since this past weekend and died with his girlfriend, Ronda, and friend, Roger, by his side. We're told he will be cremated.

George's Twitter account tweeted a quote from the film Wednesday, “May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, and the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars. 1942-2021."

"Boston George," as he was known, served 20 years in prison for running drugs. He was released in 2014, but ultimately landed back behind bars just 2 years later for violating his parole by failing to inform his parole officer he would be hitting up San Diego.

He was famous for being part of the Medellin Cartel and helping Pablo Escobar smuggle planeloads of cocaine into the U.S. That was a big deal because, at the time, Escobar's cartel was responsible for distributing 80% of the world's cocaine -- and about 15 tons of blow reportedly came into the U.S. per day ... for a weekly haul of $420 million.