|
20th Century Top 50: Tennessee
|
|
Rank |
Profile |
|
1 |
Wilma
Rudolph , Clarksville
Gold medalist at 1960 Olympics in the 100 and 200 meters, and the
4x100-meter
relay. |
|
2 |
Pat
Summitt , Henrietta
Has coached Tennessee women's basketball team to six NCAA championships and
ranks second in alltime wins among women's college basketball
coaches. |
|
3 |
Reggie
White , Chattanooga
NFL career sacks leader was a 13-time All-NFL defensive end with Eagles
and Packers from 1985 to
'98. |
|
4 |
Tracy
Caulkins , Nashville
Won three swimming gold medals at the 1984 Olympics; set five world records and
won 48 national titles from '78 to
'84. |
|
5 |
Steve
Spurrier , Johnson City
Heisman Trophy-winning QB at Florida in 1966 coached Gators to national
title in
'96. |
|
6 |
Doug
Atkins , Humboldt
Three-time NFL All-Pro defensive end with Bears; won 1954 NFL title with
Browns. |
|
7 |
Nera
White , Macon County
AAU basketball All-America a record 15 times; nine-time AAU tournament MVP
for Nashville Business College in 1950s and
'60s. |
|
8 |
Ed (Too Tall)
Jones , Jackson
All-America at Tennessee State; played 15 seasons with Cowboys, leading them in
sacks in 1981, '85 and
'87. |
|
9 |
Robert
Neyland , Knoxville
In 21 seasons coached Tennessee football team to 173-31-12 record and
five SEC
championships. |
|
10 |
Cary
Middlecoff , Memphis
Won 39 PGA tournaments, including two U.S. Opens and the 1955 Masters;
played in three Ryder
Cups. |
|
11 |
Carl
Hinkle , Nashville
Three-time All-America center at Vanderbilt from 1935 to '37 is considered one
of the greatest collegiate linemen of the
'30s. |
|
12 |
Bailey
Howell , Middleton
Mississippi State All-America spent 12 seasons in NBA and played in six
All-Star
Games.
|
|
13 |
Claude
Osteen , Lewisburg
Had 1,612 strikeouts and won 196 games in majors from 1957 to '75 ; three-time
All-Star pitched in '65 and '66 World Series with
Dodgers. |
|
14 |
Johnny
Majors , Huntland
Tennessee tailback was runner-up for 1956 Heisman Trophy after rushing for 549
yards and passing for 552; coached Vols to 116-62-8 record over 16 years. |
|
15 |
Anfernee
Hardaway , Memphis
Averaged 20.0 points at Memphis State; four-time All-Star with Magic; now with
Suns.
|
|
16 |
Nikki
McCray , Collierville
Coached Nashville Business College women's basketball team to 11 AAU titles and
689-94 record from 1948 to
'69. |
|
17 |
Tommy
Bridges , Gordonsville
Tigers righty debuted in majors in 1930 by retiring Babe Ruth on a
grounder and striking out Lou Gehrig; went 194-138 over 16
seasons. |
|
18 |
Tommy
Bridges , Gordonsville
Tigers righty debuted in majors in 1930 by retiring Babe Ruth on a
grounder and striking out Lou Gehrig; went 194-138 over 16
seasons. |
|
19 |
Tim
McCarver , Memphis
Catcher spent 21 years in major leagues (1959 to '80), batting .271; appeared in
'66 and '67 All-Star
Games. |
|
20 |
Alline
Sprouse , Manchester
Dominant women's basketball player of the 1940s; played in nine AAU title
games. |
|
21 |
Bill
Wade , Nashville
Vanderbilt All-America quarterback picked No. 1 in 1952 NFL draft by Rams;
guided Bears to '63 NFL
title. |
|
22 |
Joe
Gilliam , Nashville
Best quarterback in Tennessee State history, with 5,839 yards passing and 65
touchdowns from 1968 to '71; threw for 2,130 yards in 20 games with
Steelers. |
|
23 |
Jim (Junior)
Gilliam , Nashville
Two-time All-Star infielder for Dodgers from 1953 to '66 led NL with 96
walks in
'59. |
|
24 |
Herman
Hickman , Johnson City
All-America guard at Tennessee from 1929 to '32 earned All-League honors
with the NFL
Dodgers. |
|
25 |
Mason
Rudolph , Clarksville
Was the 1950 USGA junior champion; won six PGA Tour events; played on '57 Walker
Cup and '71 Ryder Cup
teams.
|
|
26 |
Clyde
Milan , Linden
Fleet-footed Senators centerfielder outdueled Ty Cobb to lead American League
in stolen bases in 1912 and
'13. |
|
27 |
Claude
Humphrey , Memphis
1967 All-America defensive tackle at Tennessee State spent 11 years with
Falcons; played in six Pro
Bowls. |
|
28 |
Norm
Stearns , Nashville
Negro leagues slugger hit a career-high 50 home runs in 1924 for the Detroit
Stars. |
|
29 |
Josh
Cody , Franklin
Starred at Vanderbilt as tackle and kicker from 1914 to '16 and in '19;
earned 13 varsity letters playing football, baseball, basketball and track and
field. |
|
30 |
Clyde
Lee , Nashville
All-America center for Vanderbilt in 1966 played 10 NBA seasons; averaged 14.5
rebounds with '71-72
Warriors.
|
|
31 |
Bowden
Wyatt , Kingston
All-America end for national champion 1938 Tennessee football team; coached Vols
to 49-29-4 mark from '55 to
'62. |
|
32 |
Steve
Sloan , Cleveland
All-state in three sports at Bradley Central High; Alabama quarterback from 1963
to '65; coached Vanderbilt to '74 Peach
Bowl. |
|
33 |
Elliot
Perry , Memphis
Memphis State guard from 1987 to '91 is only player in Metro Conference history
with 2,000 points and 500
assists. |
|
34 |
Charles
McTorry , Nashville
Three-sport star at Overton High won 171-pound national high school
wrestling title in 1996; one of seven U.S. high school wrestlers with
200 career
wins. |
|
35 |
Phillip
Fulmer , Winchester
Coached Tennessee football team to 1999 national title; his .852 winning
percentage is tops among active
coaches. |
|
36 |
Ron
Mercer , Nashville
All-America forward helped Kentucky win 1996 NCAA
title.
|
|
37 |
Bobby
Dodd , Kingsport
Coached Georgia Tech football team to 165-64-8 record and 13 bowls from 1941
to '66. |
|
38 |
Joe
Steffy , Chattanooga
Army offensive lineman helped Cadets to 23-2-3 record from 1945 to '47; won
Outland Trophy as a
senior. |
|
39 |
Jess
Neely , Smyrna
Halfback and defensive end captained 1922 Vanderbilt football team; coached
Rice to six bowl games from '40 to
'66. |
|
40 |
Lou
Graham , Nashville
1975 U.S. Open champion won six PGA titles, including three in eight weeks
in '79; still active on Senior
tour. |
|
41 |
Teddy
Rhodes , Nashville
In 1948 became the first African-American -- along with Bill Spiller -- to
compete in a PGA
tournament. |
|
42 |
William
Wade , Trenton
Played for Brown in 1916 Rose Bowl; coached Alabama to 61-13 record and two
national championships from '23 to
'30.
|
|
43 |
Bob
Suffridge , Fountain City
All-America guard at Tennessee from 1938 to '40; won Knute Rockne Trophy as
nation's best lineman in
'40.
|
|
44 |
Dana
Bible , Jefferson City
Coached five college football teams from 1913 to '46, winning 14 conference
titles and retiring with 205-73-20
record. |
|
45 |
Rick
Honeycutt , Chattanooga
Rubber-armed lefty was major league starter and reliever from 1977 to '97,
winning 109 games and saving 38; had a 3.72
ERA.
|
|
46 |
Tiffany
Woosley , Shelbyville
At Shelbyville High, 1991 national girls' basketball player of the year;
averaged 28.0 points, 5.0 steals, 6.0 assists per
game. |
|
47 |
Ed
Bailey , Knoxville
Five-time National League All-Star caught for 14 seasons, hit 155 home
runs.
|
|
48 |
Sterling
Marlin , Columbia
Columbia High quarterback has six NASCAR Winston Cup victories, including
back-to-back Daytona 500s. |
|
49 |
Roscoe
Tanner , Lookout Mountain
Australian Open singles champ in 1977; lost grueling five-set match to
Bjorn Borg in Wimbledon finals in
'79. |
|
50 |
John
Tate , Knoxville
Won WBA heavyweight crown with 15-round decision over Gerrie Coetzee in 1979;
bronze medalist in '76
Olympics. |
