Sports world pays tribute to James Earl Jones after his death at age 93

Jun 11, 2017; New York, NY, USA; James Earl Jones accepts the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre during the pre-telecast ceremony at the 71st TONY Awards at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The sports world is joining the rest of the world in mourning the death of James Earl Jones.

The legendary actor Jones died on Monday at the age of 93. Jones’ representative Barry McPherson confirmed the news in a statement.

“He passed this morning surrounded by his loved ones,” McPherson said of Jones, per USA Today . “He was a great man.”

With a career spanning over six decades, Jones was beloved for his many iconic roles in film, including as the unforgettable voice of Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” franchise as well as the voice of Mufasa in “The Lion King.”

Many also paid tribute to Jones’ illustrious work in sports films. He will always be revered for his parts in the baseball movies “Field of Dreams” (as author and activist Terence Mann) and “The Sandlot” (as Mr. Mertle, the blind owner of the fearsome dog The Beast). Jones also had several other parts in sports movies over the years, including the lead role in the boxing drama “The Great White Hope” and a featured role in the basketball film “Rebound: The Legend of Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault.”

Here were some of the tributes that focused on Jones’ memorable sports-themed work.

With unforgettable roles in “Conan the Barbarian,” “Coming to America,” “The Hunt For Red October,” and so many other movies as well, Jones was as big of a legend as they come. His death comes several months after we lost another acting great also beloved for his many sports-themed parts .

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