 Classic SI photo by John W. McDonough |
Hog Heaven
Spurred on by coach Nolan Richardson (far right), Arkansas steamrolled through the regular season behind its vaunted 40 Minutes of Hell defense and stars Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman. In the NCAA final, Thurman's rainbow 3-pointer as the shot clocked expired broke a tie and gave the Razorbacks their first national championship.
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FACES IN THE CROWD |
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Corliss Williamson Russellville
April 20, 1992 -- Corliss, a 6 ft. 7 in. senior basketball center at Russellville High, was named Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. He averaged 28.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.0 blocked shots per game this season.
Career highlight: Forward led Hogs in scoring and rebounds during run to 1994 NCAA title.
Now photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images
Then photo by Dan Pierce
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Paul (Bear) Bryant, Fordyce
Coached Alabama to six national football titles and has the most wins (323) in Division I-A.
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Sonny Liston, St. Francis
Heavyweight champion for two years; won 50 of 54 pro bouts.
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Bill Dickey, Kensett
Caught 100 games or more in a record 13 straight seasons; played in eight World Series; was the soul of Yankees 1930s and '40s dynasty.
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FLASHBACK |
1991: Over Drive
Belting mammoth tee shots, John Daly won the PGA with an awesome display of power golf
You don't have to believe what happened at Crooked Stick last week. You can accept as fiction the news that an unknown Arkansas pro named John Daly bludgeoned a golf course into submission on his way to a three-shot victory in the 1991 PGA Championship.
FULL STORY
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THE SI POLL |
Who do Arkansans root for? SI asked the Natural State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
St. Louis Cardinals | 27% |
Atlanta Braves | 9% |
Chicago Cubs | 8% |
Favorite NFL team
Dallas Cowboys | 26% |
Green Bay Packers | 11% |
St. Louis Rams | 6% |
Favorite NBA team
Los Angeles Lakers | 19% |
Chicago Bulls | 9% |
No favorite | 35% |
Favorite NHL team
Detroit Red Wings | 6% |
St. Louis Blues | 5% |
No favorite | 62% |
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Favorite pro team
Dallas Cowboys | 17% |
St. Louis Cardinals | 13% |
Green Bay Packers | 7% |
Atlanta Braves | 7% |
Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state
Sidney Moncrief | 20% |
Scottie Pippen | 13% |
Corliss Williamson | 8% |
Brooks Robinson | 7% |
Lance Alworth | 7% |
State's biggest rival
Texas | 23% |
Tennessee | 19% |
Alabama | 16% |
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More a fan of college or pro sports?
College | 39% |
Pro | 34% |
Equal | 27% |
Favorite sport to play
Golf | 21% |
Swimming | 20% |
Fishing | 20% |
Baseball/softball | 13% |
Hunting | 11% |
Favorite sports towatch on TV**
Football | 79% |
Winter Olympics | 52% |
Basketball | 49% |
Summer Olympics | 47% |
**Multiple responses allowed. | |
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*Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 422 Arkansas residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 5%.
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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16 Gold Gloves won by Brooks Robinson, a major league record.
9th alternate Position from which John Daly got into and then won the 1991 PGA Championship.
5 Selection used by the Sonics in 1987 to draft Central Arkansas forward Scottie Pippen.
3 Number of Nutt brothers coaching in the state: Houston and Danny at Arkansas (football), Dickey at Arkansas State (basketball).
37 Number of NCAA team championships won by Arkansas indoor track, outdoor track and cross country teams.
2,066 Points scored by Sidney Moncrief, Arkansas' alltime leading scorer in basketball.
1 Where SI's Peter King ranks Don Hutson among the NFL's alltime greatest players.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
Nolan Richardson
Arkansans haven't forgotten Richardson's acrimonious departure as Hogs basketball coach in 2002 (or athletic director Broyles's perceived role in that departure). The most hated opponents: the universities of Texas (35%), Tennessee (20%) and Alabama (10%).
Nolan Richardson | 16% |
Frank Broyles | 12% |
Lou Holtz | 12% |
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: June 15, 1836 (25th state)
Area: 53,182 square miles
Bird: Mockingbird
Capital: Little Rock
Economy: Agriculture -- Poultry and eggs, soybeans, sorghum, cattle, cotton, rice, hogs, milk. Industry -- Food processing, electric equipment, fabricated metal products, machinery, paper products, bromine, vanadium.
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Flower: Apple blossom (Pyrus coronaria)
Nickname: Natural State
Population: 2,673,400 (33rd)
Pro sports teams: None
Major college programs: Arkansas Razorbacks, Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans, Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions, Arkansas State Indians
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