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20th Century Top 50: Connecticut
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|
Rank |
Profile |
|
1 |
Bruce
Jenner , Newtown
Made 1972 Olympic team as decathlete a year after taking up sport; set world
record in '75 and shattered it to win gold in
'76. |
|
2 |
Steve
Young , Greenwich
Top-rated passer in NFL history; Super Bowl MVP in 1995; only quarterback with
30,000 yards passing and 4,000
rushing.
|
|
3 |
Calvin
Murphy , Norwalk
Fourth-highest scoring average (33.1) in NCAA; NBA season free-throw-shooting
record (95.8%); in NBA Hall of
Fame.
|
|
4 |
Kristine
Lilly , Wilton
One of world's best midfielders and part of 1999 U.S. World Cup team; has most
international caps (191) in women's
soccer. |
|
5 |
Chris
Drury , Trumbull
Winning pitcher in 1989 Little League World Series; won NCAA hockey title at
Boston University, was top NHL rookie in
'98-99. |
|
6 |
Bill
Rodgers , Newington
Won Boston Marathon four times and New York's from 1976 to '79; won at New York,
Fukuoka and Boston within six months in
'77-78. |
|
7 |
Willie
Pep , Hartford
Featherweight champ from 1942 to '48, regained title in '49; one of the best
ever pound for pound, with career record of 229-11-1; 65
knockouts. |
|
8 |
Floyd
Little , New Haven
The third great back to wear Syracuse's 44 left as school leader in all-purpose
yards; was in five Pro Bowls with
Broncos. |
|
9 |
Bobby
Valentine , Stamford
Only three-time all-state football player; fifth pick by Dodgers in 1968, hit
.260 in nine injury-marred
seasons. |
|
10 |
Dorothy
Hamill , Greenwich
Figure skater was surprise gold medalist at 1976
Olympics.
|
|
11 |
Brian
Leetch , Wheat Ridge
One of most skilled offensive defensemen in NHL history; two-time Norris Trophy
winner and seven-time
All-Star. |
|
12 |
Jeff
Bagwell , Killingworth
NL MVP in 1994, MVP runner-up in '99; has averaged .304, 29 homers and 107
RBIs in nine-year
career.
|
|
13 |
Vin
Baker , Old Saybrook
Career scoring leader at Hartford and a four-time NBA
All-Star.
|
|
14 |
Joan
Joyce , Waterbury
Softball star in 1950s and '60s; with a fastball clocked at 118 mph, she went
507-33 with an 0.19 ERA and 123
no-hitters. |
|
15 |
Jim
Murray , Hartford
Century's top sportswriter started at New Haven Register; original SI
staffer; more than 6,000 columns for L.A. Times from 1961 until death
last
year.
|
|
16 |
Jen
Rizzotti , New Fairfield
Point guard for UConn women's NCAA champs and AP Player of the Year in 1995;
UConn's career assist
leader. |
|
17 |
Mo
Vaughn , Norwalk
AL MVP in 1995; five straight 30-homer seasons and .301 career batting
average. |
|
18 |
Walter
Camp , New Haven
Modernized rules of football in 1880s, introducing line of scrimmage and down
system; helped build college game's popularity with All-America
picks. |
|
19 |
Marlon
Starling , Hartford
Won WBA welterweight title in 1987, WBC title in '89; lost both in '90; won
first 25 professional
fights. |
|
20 |
Lindy
Remigino , Hartford
Only Connecticut athlete with two Olympic gold medals -- won the 100 meters
and ran on U.S. 4x100 relay in Helsinki in
1952.
|
|
21 |
Marcus
Camby , Hartford
Led UMass to only Final Four, won Wooden Award in 1996; was the second pick in
NBA draft that
year.
|
|
22 |
Nykesha
Sales , Bloomfield
Two-time All-America; UConn's alltime leading scorer -- men and
women -- with 2,178 points. |
|
23 |
Julius
Boros , Fairfield
Won 18 PGA tournaments in 25 years on Tour, including U.S. Open in 1952 and
'63; was the oldest player (43) to win Open and oldest (48) to win
PGA. |
|
24 |
Bill
Toomey , New Canaan
Won record five AAU decathlon titles in 1960s and Olympic gold in '68; set world
records in decathlon and pentathlon in '69. |
|
25 |
Mike
Gminski , Monroe
Duke's alltime leading rebounder, third-leading scorer and two-time All-America;
14-year NBA
career.
|
|
26 |
Walt
Dropo , Moosup
Rookie of the Year and tied for AL lead in RBIs for Red Sox in 1950 after
spurning an offer to play football for the Bears.
|
|
27 |
Andy
Robustelli , Stamford
Defensive end for Rams and Giants was an NFL MVP in 1962 with Giants; seven-time
Pro Bowl player missed only one game in 14
seasons.
|
|
28 |
Steve
Blass , Canaan
World Series MVP in 1971 was one of MLB's most consistent pitchers from '68 to
'72 until control suddenly
vanished.
|
|
29 |
Michael
Adams , Hartford
Left Boston College in 1985 as school's fifth-leading scorer; became one of
NBA's maddest bombers in 13-year career, averaging 14.1
points. |
|
30 |
Moe
Drabowsky , Windsor
Righthander struck out World Series-record six straight hitters in 1966 and had
an 0.90 ERA in three Series
appearances.
|
|
31 |
Henry
Williams , Hartford
Minnesota's first full-time football coach; won eight Big Ten titles from 1900
to '21. |
|
32 |
Charles
Nagy , Bridgeport
Three-time All-Star; one of two pitchers in majors with at least 15 wins each of
last five
seasons.
|
|
33 |
Jimmy
Piersall , Waterbury
Famous for antics, but also won two Gold Gloves in centerfield in 17-year
career; led AL in doubles in
1956. |
|
34 |
Nick
Tronsky , New Britain
National Duckpin Bowling Congress named him male bowler of year five
times. |
|
35 |
Rico
Brogna , Watertown
High school baseball and football star was drafted in both sports; his 104 RBIs
in 1998 were most by a Phillies first baseman since
'32. |
|
36 |
Sidney
Wood , Black Rock
Ranked in U.S. top 10 for 10 years; invented synthetic court surface used for
most indoor
events.
|
|
37 |
Charles
Smith , Bridgeport
Top scorer in Pitt history and Big East Player of the Year in 1988; third pick
in '88 NBA
draft.
|
|
38 |
A.J.
Mleczko , New Canaan
Member of 1998 U.S Olympic gold medal women's hockey team; NCAA player of the
year at Harvard in '99.
|
|
39 |
Rick
Mahorn , Hartford
Led NCAA Division II in rebounding in 1979-80; averaged 6.2 rebounds in just 23
minutes per game over 19-year NBA
career.
|
|
40 |
J. Walter
Kennedy , Stamford
NBA's first commissioner, from 1963 to '75; oversaw expansion from nine to
18 teams and signing of league's first national TV
contract. |
|
41 |
George
Weiss , New Haven
Yankees' farm-system director and G.M. was architect of team's mid-century
dynasty. |
|
42 |
Chris
Smith , Bridgeport
UConn's career scoring leader, with 2,145 points; kick-started school's hoops
ascension as Jim Calhoun's first major
recruit.
|
|
43 |
Scott
Burrell , Hamden
UConn baseball and basketball star was the only first-round draft pick in two
sports; won NBA title with Bulls in
1998.
|
|
44 |
Rob
Dibble , Southington
Overpowering reliever with Reds; saved 89 games and had 2.98 ERA during
eight-year major league
career. |
|
45 |
Eugene
Robinson , Hartford
Active NFL leader in career interceptions; played in three Pro Bowls and won
Super Bowl with Packers in
1997.
|
|
46 |
John
Bagley , Bridgeport
Cavalier's first-round pick in 1982 draft; averaged 6.0 assists for four teams
in 11-year
career. |
|
47 |
Albie
Booth , New Haven
Three-sport captain and football star at Yale from 1929 to '31; scored all three
TDs in 21-13 upset of Army in
'30.
|
|
48 |
Ken
Strong , West Haven
Retired in 1947 as NFL's alltime leading scorer (479 points) after 14 seasons as
running back and kicker for Stapletons and Giants; played two seasons in
Yankees' farm
system. |
|
49 |
John
Williamson , New Haven
Won two ABA championships with Nets (1974 and '76); averaged 20.1 points in
five NBA
seasons. |
|
50 |
Bill
Romanowski , Vernon
Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker has four Super Bowl rings, with 49ers and
Broncos. |
