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20th Century Top 50: Louisiana
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Rank |
Profile |
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1
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Karl (Mailman) Malone ,
Summerfield
Averaged 20.9 points at Louisiana Tech; has won two NBA MVP awards; named All-NBA first-team a record 11 times;
26.1 career scoring average.
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| 2
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Eddie Robinson ,
Baton Rouge
Former Leland College quarterback won NCAA-record 408 games as coach at Grambling (1941 to '97).
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| 3
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Mel Ott ,
Gretna
First National Leaguer to hit 500 homers; drove in 100 runs nine times during 22-year career with Giants from mid-1920s to late '40s.
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| 4
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Terry Bradshaw ,
Shreveport
Set national high school javelin record at Woodlawn; led Steelers to four NFL titles; MVP of Super Bowls XIII and XIV.
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| 5
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Bob Pettit ,
Baton Rouge
Averaged 27.4 points at LSU; with Hawks in 1950s and '60s, played in 11 straight NBA All-Star Games.
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| 6
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Elvin Hayes ,
Rayville
Scored 36.8 points a game as senior at Houston in 1967-68; All-Star in each of his first 12 NBA seasons.
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| 7
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Lou Brock ,
Colliston
After being traded to Cards in mid-1964, hit .348 and stole 33 bases to spark St. Louis to world championship; finished career with 3,023 hits and 938 steals.
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| 8
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Billy Cannon ,
Baton Rouge
State's biggest folk hero led LSU to 1958 NCAA football crown; won Heisman Trophy in '59.
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| 9
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Robert Parish ,
Shreveport
Averaged 21.6 points at Centenary; holds NBA record for games played (1,611); nine All-Star Games and three titles with Celtics (1981, '84, '86).
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| 10
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Willis Reed ,
Bernice
Led Grambling to NAIA title in 1961 and Knicks to two NBA crowns; '70 league MVP.
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| 11
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Charlie Joiner ,
Lake Charles
Retired from Chargers in
1986 with NFL records for catches (750) and receiving yards (12,146).
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| 12
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Joe Dumars ,
Natchitoches
Averaged 22.3 points at McNeese State and 16.3 points
in NBA (1986-87 to '88-99);
six-time All-Star.
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| 13
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Jim Taylor ,
Baton Rouge
All-America fullback at LSU had five straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons for Packers
of 1950s and '60s.
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| 14
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Ted Lyons ,
Vinton
Tossed no-hitter in 1926 for White Sox; won 260
games from 1920s to '40s.
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| 15
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Ron Guidry ,
Lafayette
Louisiana Lightning went
25-3 with 1.74 ERA for
world champion Yankees
in 1978; career winning percentage of .651 (170-91).
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| 16
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Peyton Manning ,
New Orleans
National high school player of the year in 1993 at Isidore Newman High; three-time AP All-America at Tennessee; excelling with Colts in second NFL season.
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| 17
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Vida Blue ,
Mansfield
AL MVP in 1971 when he went 24-8 with 1.82 ERA for A's; only pitcher to win All-Star Game for each league.
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| 18
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Eddie Delahoussaye ,
New Iberia
Has ridden more than
6,000 winners, including back-to-back Kentucky Derby champions in 1982 and '83.
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| 19
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Steve Van Buren ,
New Orleans
Broke SEC rushing record as senior at LSU in 1944, his first year as tailback; won four NFL rushing titles with Eagles.
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| 20
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Bert Jones ,
Ruston
Colts quarterback from LSU was NFL MVP in 1976 (3,104 passing yards, 24 TDs); two-time All-Pro.
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| 21
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Rod Milburn ,
Apelousas
Southern U hurdler won Olympic gold in 110-meter hurdles in 1972; won 78 straight races in '70 and '71.
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| 22
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Lee Smith ,
Castor
Baseball's alltime save
leader with 478; averaged
more than 25 saves a year
from 1983 to '95.
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| 23
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Joe Ferguson ,
Shreveport
Threw for 29,817 yards in
18-year NFL career (1973 to '90), including a league-high
2,803 for Bills in '77.
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| 24
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Doug Williams ,
Zachary
Current Grambling coach was All-America quarterback for Tigers in 1976 and '77; MVP of Super Bowl XXII with Redskins.
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| 25
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Albert Belle ,
Shreveport
Surly slugger starred at LSU and has averaged 39 home runs and 122 RBIs in nine full major league seasons.
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| 26
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Leslie Gaudet ,
Pine Prairie
Nice guys can win: In 1970 he retired as basketball coach from Pine Prairie High with a national high school record 1,026 wins -- and no technicals.
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| 27
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Pam Kelly ,
Caldwell
Three-time basketball All-America helped Louisiana Tech to four Final Fours and 1981 and '82 national championships.
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| 28
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Dalton Hilliard ,
Patterson
LSU's alltime leading rusher (4,050 yards); second-leading rusher in Saints history (4,164 yards from 1986 to '93).
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| 29
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John David Crow ,
Springhill
Won Heisman under Bear Bryant at Texas A&M in 1957; became first 1,000-yard rusher in Cardinals history, in '60.
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| 30
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Skip Bertman ,
Baton Rouge
Coached LSU baseball team
to four College World Series titles in 1990s.
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| 31
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J.R. Richard ,
Ruston
Dominating power pitcher's career was cut short by stroke in 1980; led NL in strikeouts (313) and ERA (2.71) in '79.
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| 32
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Charles (Cotton) Nash ,
Lake Charles
First Kentucky hoopster to average 20 points in three straight seasons; played pro basketball in 1967-68 and pro baseball in '67, '69 and '70.
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| 33
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Glenn (Slats) Hardin ,
Baton Rouge
Four-time NCAA track champion at LSU won Olympic 440-meter hurdle silver in 1932, gold in '36.
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| 34
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Pat Henry ,
baton Rouge
LSU track coach has led Tigers to 19 national titles since 1988; his runners have also won
55 individual and relay titles.
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| 35
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Marshall Faulk ,
New Orleans
In 1992 became first back since '71 to win back-to-back NCAA rushing titles; 1,000 rushing yards in five of six NFL seasons.
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| 36
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Greg Procell ,
Ebarb
Nation's alltime leading high school basketball scorer (6,702 points); averaged 46.7 points as senior at Ebarb High in 1969-70.
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| 37
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Kim Mulkey ,
Hammond
Led Hammond High to four state hoops titles; guided Louisiana Tech to two NCAA crowns;
won Olympic gold in 1984.
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| 38
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Jackie Smith ,
Kentwood
Northwestern State star was one of NFL's first great pass-catching tight ends (480 catches for 7,918 yards from 1963 to '78).
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| 39
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Joe Adcock ,
Coushatta
Slugged four homers in a
game for Braves in 1954;
had 336 career homers,
.277 lifetime average.
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| 40
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Kathy Johnson Clarke ,
Shreveport
All-America gymnast at Centenary won team silver medal and bronze on balance beam in 1984 Olympics.
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| 41
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Dub Jones ,
Ruston
End during Browns' heyday of late 1940s and early '50s;
shares NFL record with six TDs in a '51 game against Bears.
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| 42
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Johnny Robinson ,
Baton Rouge
SEC tennis champion; played alongside Cannon in LSU backfield; 57 interceptions as NFL defensive back (1960 to '71).
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| 43
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Hal Sutton ,
Shreveport
Won PGA Championship in 1983 and topped Tour money list with $426,668; has
11 career tournament victories.
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| 44
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Alvin Dark ,
Lake Charles
LSU star was NL Rookie of
the Year in 1948 with Braves; as manager, won 994 games and three pennants.
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| 45
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Mickey Patterson ,
New Orleans
Became first African-American woman to win an Olympic medal when she took the 220-meter track bronze in 1948.
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| 46
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Bob (Butterbean) Love ,
Bastrop
Was NAIA All-America at Southern U in 1965; led Bulls in scoring seven straight seasons (1969-70 through '75-76).
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| 47
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Joe Brown ,
Baton Rouge
Won lightweight belt in
15-round decision over Bud Smith in 1956 despite breaking right hand in second round.
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| 48
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Kent Desormeaux ,
Maurice
Won Eclipse Award as top jockey in 1989 and '92; took first two legs of Triple Crown aboard Real Quiet in '98.
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| 49
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Rich Jackson ,
New Orleans
Southern U grad was a four-time All-Pro defensive end
for Broncos from 1966 to '72.
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| 50
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Gaynell (Gus) Tinsley ,
Homer
First football All-America at LSU, in 1935 and '36; after being two-time All-Pro end, returned to coach Tigers
from 1948 to '54.
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