|
20th Century Top 50
|
|
Rank |
Profile |
|
1 |
Hank
Aaron, Mobile
In 23-year career, hit 755 home runs and drove in 2,297 runs to surpass
record totals of the
Babe. |
|
2 |
Willie
Mays, Fairfield
One of baseball's most complete players; hit 660 homers,
stole 338 bases,
won 12 Gold Gloves; two-time
MVP. |
|
3 |
Bo
Jackson, Bessemer
Heisman winner at Auburn; only man selected to play in NFL Pro Bowl to
also homer in baseball's All-Star
Game. |
|
4 |
Ozzie
Newsome, Muscle Shoals
Started 47 straight games at Alabama from 1974 to '77; set NFL record for
career catches by a tight end
(662). |
|
5 |
Willie
McCovey, Mobile
NL Rookie of the Year in 1959; MVP in '69; one of most devastating pull hitters
ever; hit 521 homers in 22-year
career. |
|
6 |
Satchel
Paige, Mobile
Reported age and Negro leagues win totals are debatable; no doubt that he was
one of best pitchers
ever. |
|
7 |
John
Hannah, Albertville
Football All-America and SEC champion in shot put and discus at Alabama; one of
NFL's finest offensive linemen in 13 seasons with the
Patriots. |
|
8 |
Bart
Starr, Montgomery
Star at Lanier High and Alabama; ultra-efficient leader of Lombardi's
Packers dynasty; MVP of first two Super
Bowls. |
|
9 |
Charles
Barkley, Leeds
SEC Player of the Year in 1983-84 at Auburn; in NBA, averaged 22.2 points and
11.7 rebounds over 16
seasons. |
|
10 |
Early
Wynn, Hartford
Started early (age 19) and finished late (43); won 300 games, and a Cy Young in
1959. |
|
11 |
Buck
Buchanan, Birmingham
Starred at Parker High and Grambling; quick defensive tackle led Chiefs to
Super Bowls I and
IV. |
|
12 |
John
Stallworth, Tuscaloosa
Steelers' leader in six of 12 receiving categories; retired in 1988 with
four Super Bowl
rings.
|
|
13 |
Ken
Stabler, Foley
All-state in football and basketball at Foley High; star quarterback for Tide;
led Raiders to win in Super Bowl
XI. |
|
14 |
Joe
Sewell, Titus
Struck out only 114 times in 7,132 at bats from 1920 through '33; the
5'61Ú2 " infielder used 40-ounce
bat. |
|
15 |
Ralph (Shug)
Jordan, Selma
Auburn's winningest coach led Tigers to only national title, in 1957;
from '56 to '58 went 24 games without a
loss.
|
|
16 |
Lee Roy
Jordan, Excel
Center and linebacker on Alabama's 1961 national title team; anchored Cowboys'
Doomsday defense for 14
years. |
|
17 |
Maxie
Baughan, Bessemer
All-America center at Georgia Tech in 1959; went to Pro Bowl as a linebacker
nine times in 12-year NFL
career. |
|
18 |
Joe
Cribbs, Sulligent
All-America running back at Sulligent High; third-leading rusher in Auburn
history; spent 11 seasons in NFL and
USFL. |
|
19 |
Bobby
Bowden, Birmingham
Built Florida State football dynasty; fourth-winningest college coach
(303-85-4); best bowl-winning percentage (.750)
ever. |
|
20 |
Davey
Allison, Hueytown
NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 1987; driver of the year in '92; winner of
19
races. |
|
21 |
Jennifer
Chandler, Lincoln
At 16 diving prodigy won gold medal in springboard at 1975 Pan Am Games; a year
later she did the same at
Olympics. |
|
22 |
Billy
Williams, Whistler
Cubs outfielder for 16 seasons was sturdy (1,117 straight games) and strong
(13 straight seasons with 20-plus
homers). |
|
23 |
Harvey
Glance, Phenix City
Member of three Olympic teams; sprinter won 4¥100\!relay gold medal in
Montreal in
1976. |
|
24 |
Sanders
Russell, Stevenson
Took up harness driving at Auburn; had 1,243 career victories and won 1962
Hambletonian at age
62. |
|
25 |
Percy
Beard, Greensboro
Auburn hurdler won silver at 1932 Olympics; helped invent the all-weather track
in
'50s.
|
|
26 |
Bobby
Marlow, Troy
All-SEC halfback at Alabama in 1951 and '52; All-America in '52; played
eight seasons in Canada for
Saskatchewan. |
|
27 |
Mel
Allen, Birmingham
Voice of the Yankees for 26 seasons got his start calling Alabama football; he
and Red Barber were first broadcasters into Hall of
Fame. |
|
28 |
Howard
Hill, Wilsonville
Played baseball at Auburn from 1920 to '23, then took up archery; from 1926 to
'42 won 196 straight
tournaments. |
|
29 |
Fred
Sington, Birmingham
All-America tackle at Alabama in 1929 and '30; only player named to Tide's
All-Century list in football and
baseball. |
|
30 |
Sam
Byrd, Birmingham
Spent six years as Babe Ruth's late-game sub; as pro golfer, finished third in
1941 Masters and won six PGA
tournaments.
|
|
31 |
Hubert
Green, Birmingham
Won 1977 U.S. Open, '85 PGA Championship and 17 other Tour events; winner of
one Senior tour event since
'96. |
|
32 |
Charley
Boswell, Birmingham
Played football and baseball at Alabama; blinded by enemy fire in World War
II; won 16 national titles as blind
golfer. |
|
33 |
Robert
Brazile, Mobile
All-America linebacker at Jackson State, Defensive Rookie of the Year in NFL in
'75. |
|
34 |
Pat
Sullivan, Birmingham
Auburn's first Heisman winner, with 2,012 passing yards in 1971; still
school leader in career touchdown passes
(53). |
|
35 |
Heinie
Manush, Tuscumbia
Lionized for snapping ump's bow tie during 1933 World Series; hit .330 over 17
seasons. |
|
36 |
Johnny Mack
Brown, Dothan
Put Alabama football on map with two TD catches in 1926 Rose Bowl, leading Tide
to a 20-19 win over
Washington.
|
|
37 |
Harry
Gilmer, Birmingham
Triple-threat quarterback at Alabama from 1944 to '47; eight-year pro career
with Redskins and
Lions. |
|
38 |
Jo Ann
Prentice, Birmingham
State amateur golf champion in 1954; six wins on LPGA tour, including the '74
Dinah
Shore. |
|
39 |
Dixie
Walker, Birmingham
Played semipro ball at 12; hit .306 lifetime and won NL batting title in
1944; delighted Dodgers fans with Giant-killing
heroics. |
|
40 |
Johnny
Musso, Birmingham
Third in career rushing yards (2,741) and second in rushing TDs (34) for Tide
(1969-71). |
|
41 |
Riggs
Stephenson, Guntersville
Shoulder injury while fullback at Alabama hobbled throwing, but outfielder hit
.336 in 14 years in majors, from 1921 to
'34. |
|
42 |
Leah Marie Rawls
Atkins, Birmingham
Three-time U.S. waterskiing champion, and world champion in 1953; first woman
inducted into Alabama Sports Hall of
Fame.
|
|
43 |
Vince
Dooley, Mobile
Led Auburn with six interceptions in 1951; as Georgia coach, won '80 national
title, took team to 20 bowls; 201 career
victories.
|
|
44 |
Piper
Davis, Piper
Negro leagues star at infielder with Birmingham Black Barons; spent four years
touring with Harlem
Globetrotters. |
|
45 |
Jeff
Beard, Greensboro
Auburn athletic director from 1951 to '72; hired Shug Jordan; led school into
modern
era.
|
|
46 |
Zeke
Smith, Uniontown
Won Outland Trophy as a junior at Auburn in 1958; All-America at guard in '58
and
'59. |
|
47 |
Andrew
Toney, Birmingham
Two-time NBA All-Star guard with 76ers; averaged 15.9 points and 4.2 assists in
eight-year
career.
|
|
48 |
Jim (Red)
Phillips, Alexander City
Captain of Auburn's 1957 national title team; one of best ends in school
history; led NFL in receiving in
'61. |
|
49 |
Rudy
York, Ragland
Hit 277 home runs in 13 years in majors; broke Ruth's marks for homers (18) and
RBIs (49) in a month in
1937. |
|
50 |
Ben
Chapman, Birmingham
Yankees speed demon in 1930s led AL in steals four times; was AL's first
batter in first All-Star Game, in
'33. |
