After returning from the 1920 Olympics, some supporters felt that his performances were no longer measuring up to his 'star' status, and this criticism caused him to abruptly quit playing altogether in order to become a referee. He died 2 March 1922 at age 29 from a sudden attack of typhus, with the grief among the fans at the shock news heightened with regret for the acrimonious manner in which their hero had departed the club. He scored a total of 83 goals in 89 games for his only team.