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20th Century Top 50: Texas
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Rank |
Profile |
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1 |
Babe Didrikson
Zaharias , Beaumont
Won five events at 1932 AAU track and field championships, and two weeks
later took two Olympic gold medals; '47 British Amateur champ won 31 pro
golf
tournaments. |
|
2 |
Ben
Hogan , Fort Worth
Four-time PGA Player of Year; one of four men to win all four majors,
including four U.S.
Opens. |
|
3 |
Doak
Walker , Dallas
Starred at SMU from 1947 to '49 as all-purpose player; won two NFL scoring
titles in six years with
Lions. |
|
4 |
Rogers
Hornsby , Fort Worth
Second baseman won seven batting titles; .358 average from 1915 to
'37. |
|
5 |
Sammy
Baugh , Temple
All-America quarterback at TCU; with Redskins from 1937 to '52, threw for 21,886
yards and 187 TDs; intercepted 31
passes. |
|
6 |
Nolan
Ryan , Alvin
Major league strikeout king (5,714) won 324 games and had record seven
no-hitters in 27
seasons. |
|
7 |
Byron
Nelson , Fort Worth
Two-time Masters and PGA champion also won 1939 U.S. Open; won 11
straight tournaments in '45. |
|
8 |
Jack
Johnson , Galveston
First black to hold heavyweight championship, from 1908 to '15; lost title
in controversial 26-round bout to Jess Willard. |
|
9 |
Ernie
Banks , Dallas
Four-sport star at Booker T. Washington High before hitting 512 home runs in
19 seasons with
Cubs. |
|
10 |
Michael
Johnson , Dallas
Set world record in 200 meters, Olympic record in 400 at 1996 Games; four-time
world 400-meter
champ. |
|
11 |
Earl
Campbell , Tyler
1977 Heisman winner at Texas; led NFL in rushing in first three seasons,
with Oilers; two-time NFL
MVP. |
|
12 |
Lamar
Hunt , Dallas
Force behind formation of AFL in 1959; founded Dallas Texans (now the K.C.
Chiefs); coined the name Super
Bowl.
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|
13 |
George
Foreman , Marshall
Olympic gold medalist in 1968; beat Joe Frazier in '73 to win heavyweight title;
regained belt 21 years later, at age
45. |
|
14 |
"Mean" Joe
Greene , Temple
North Texas State star; All-Pro defensive tackle with Steelers (1969 to '81);
played in 10 Pro Bowls; won four Super
Bowls. |
|
15 |
Tom
Landry , Mission
Co-captain as a fullback and defensive back at Texas; coached Cowboys from 1960
to '88; won two Super
Bowls.
|
|
16 |
Tris
Speaker , Hubbard
Batted .345 over 22 seasons (1907 to '28); led AL in doubles eight times, hits
twice. |
|
17 |
Dick (Night Train)
Lane , Austin
Intercepted league-record 14 passes as rookie cornerback with L.A. Rams in
1952; had 68 pickoffs in 14 NFL
seasons. |
|
18 |
Forrest
Gregg , Sulphur Springs
Nine-time Pro Bowl tackle played in 188 straight games with Packers; won
five NFL
titles. |
|
19 |
Roger
Clemens , Katy
Was 25-7 in two years at Texas; five-time Cy Young Award winner; won AL MVP and
Cy Young with Red Sox in
1986. |
|
20 |
A.J.
Foyt , Houston
Four-time Indy 500 winner and seven-time USAC-CART champ; only driver to win
Indy, Daytona and 24 Hours of Le
Mans. |
|
21 |
Rube
Foster , Calvert
Founded the Negro National League in 1920; in '10 managed Chicago Leland
Giants to 128-6
record.
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|
22 |
Eric
Dickerson , Sealy
All-America at SMU; led NFL in rushing four times; ran for league-record 2,105
yards with L.A. Rams in
1984. |
|
23 |
Willie
Wells , Austin
Negro leagues shortstop from late 1920s through early '40s; twice led league in
batting. |
|
24 |
Bobby
Layne , Dallas
Four-time All-SWC quarterback at Texas; in 15 NFL seasons (1948 to '62)
threw for 26,768 yards and 196
touchdowns. |
|
25 |
Mike
Singletary , Houston
Three-time All-America at Baylor; Bears middle linebacker played in 10 Pro Bowls
from 1984 to
'93.
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|
26 |
Y.A.
Tittle , Marshall
All-SEC quarterback at LSU guided Tigers to 1947 Cotton Bowl; led Giants to
three NFL Eastern Conference titles; twice named league
MVP. |
|
27 |
Lee
Trevino , Dallas
Two-time winner of three golf majors: U.S. Open, British Open and
PGA.
|
|
28 |
Sheryl
Swoopes , Brownfield
1993 NCAA player of year scored 47 points in Texas Tech's 84-82 title-game win
over Ohio State; played on '96 Olympic gold medal
team. |
|
29 |
Bobby Joe
Morrow , San Benito
Won gold in 100- and 200-meter dash and 400 relay at 1956 Olympics; tied 100 and
200 world records three
times. |
|
30 |
Raymond
Berry , Paris
Starred at SMU; in 13 years with Colts caught 631 passes for 9,275 yards and 68
TDs.
|
|
31 |
Clyde
Drexler , Houston
Ten-time NBA All-Star; one of only three players to have 20,000 points,
6,000 rebounds and 6,000
assists. |
|
32 |
Joe
Williams , Seguin
Negro leagues pitcher had 20-7 mark against white competition, including
20-strikeout no-hitter against 1917 New York
Giants. |
|
33 |
Ross
Youngs , San Antonio
New York Giants outfielder had .322 lifetime batting average from 1917 to
'26. |
|
34 |
Jack
Mildren , Abilene
At Cooper High in 1967 passed for 2,076 yards and 20 TDs, ran for 787 yards
and 24 scores; led Oklahoma to two
bowls. |
|
35 |
David
Clyde , Houston
Threw nine no-hitters and two perfect games at Westchester High (1970 to
'73); pitched in majors at age
18. |
|
36 |
Mia
Hamm , Wichita Falls
Alltime leading scorer in international soccer play; helped U.S. win two World
Cups and 1996 Olympic
gold.
|
|
37 |
Gene
Upshaw , Robstown
NAIA All-America offensive lineman at Texas A&I; Raiders stalwart from 1967
to '82; NFL Players Association
president. |
|
38 |
Ken
Hall , Sugar Land
At Sugar Land High from 1950 to '53, ran for national-record 11,232 yards;
played at Texas A&M and for three NFL
teams. |
|
39 |
Tim
Brown , Dallas
Raiders receiver was All-America running back at Woodrow Wilson High; won 1987
Heisman Trophy at Notre
Dame. |
|
40 |
Shaquille
O'Neal , San Antonio
Led Cole High to 68-1 record; two-time All-America at LSU; averaged 27.1 points
a game in first seven NBA
seasons.
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|
41 |
Norm
Cash , Post
Four-time All-Star had 377 home runs and 1,103 RBIs during 17-year career
(1958 to '74) with White Sox and
Tigers. |
|
42 |
Harley
Redin , Silverton
Coached Wayland Baptist women's basketball from 1955 to '73, winning first
76 games and six AAU national
titles.
|
|
43 |
Charley
Taylor , Grand Prairie
All-State in football, basketball and track at Dalworth High; in 13 seasons with
Redskins had 649 catches, 79 for
TDs.
|
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44 |
Yale
Lary , Fort Worth
All-SWC first baseman at Texas A&M; starred as punter-defensive back for
Lions from 1952 to '64; had 50 career
interceptions. |
|
45 |
Johnny
Rutherford , Fort Worth
Three-time Indianapolis 500 champ won five of 12 races in 1980 for CART
title.
|
|
46 |
Jerry
Levias , Beaumont
In 1966 SMU flanker became first black to get an athletic scholarship in
Southwest Conference; set then school records for receptions in a season (80)
and career
(155). |
|
47 |
Randy
Matson , Pampa
Set NCAA discus and shot put records as senior at Texas A&M in 1967;
won gold medal in shot at '68
Olympics.
|
|
48 |
Ben
Crenshaw , Austin
Two-time Masters champ; 19 PGA Tour victories; captained 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup
team to memorable comeback. |
|
49 |
Billy
Sims , Hooks
Won 1978 Heisman at Oklahoma after running for 1,762 yards and 20 touchdowns;
rushed for 5,106 yards in five years with
Lions. |
|
50 |
Lance
Armstrong , Plano
Overcame testicular cancer to win 1999 Tour de
France. |
