'Bad News Bears' Actor Jeffrey Louis Starr Dies at 61

Jeffrey Louis Starr, who as a kid played catcher Engelberg in two "Bad News Bears" movies in the '70s, died last month at 61, his family has announced.

Born February 20, 1964, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Starr was large-and-in-charge Engelberg, a solid hitter on the ramshackle Bad News Bears team.

Replacing original Engelberg Gary Lee Cavagnaro from "The Bad News Bears" (1976), Starr appeared in both "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" (1977) and "The Bad News Bears Go to Japan" (1978).

All of the "Bears" flicks were box-office successes.

TMZ reports Starr died in July. His brother Kevin L. Starr wrote on July 26, "The world got a little darker yesterday with the passing of my Best Friend and Brother."

"Jeff lived an amazing life and shared his light with countless people, Jeff never met a stranger and helped so many people throughout the years. Jeff has been sick of several years and depression is one of the biggest killers in the world."

He went on, "Our family has suffered so many losses in the past but we must push through. Please keep my mother Janet 'Sue' Starr as well as his oh so caring and loving wife Linda and his sons his Grandchildren nieces, nephews extended family in your Prayers please. I Love you so much little Brother and I'll see you on the other side."

Starr was an uncredited extra in several other films and later a deacon in his church.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, their sons, and his grandkids.