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20th Century Top 50
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Rank |
Profile |
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1 |
Walter Payton,
Columbia
No one was sweeter: holds
NFL record for career rushing yards (16,726); also one of
the game's best blocking backs.
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| 2 |
Jerry Rice,
Crawford
In 1984 set NCAA single-season record for TD catches (28);
only NFL player with 1,000 receptions, 15,000 receiving yards, 150 TD catches.
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| 3 |
Lance Alworth,
Brookhaven
Had more than 1,000 yards receiving every year
from 1963 to '69; led AFL in
TD receptions three times.
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| 4 |
Frank (Bruiser) Kinard,
Jackson
Tackle was first football
All-America at Ole Miss, in 1936; first player to earn all-league honors in both AAFC and NFL.
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| 5 |
Archie Manning,
Drew
Finished in top four in Heisman voting in 1969, '70 at Ole Miss; passed for 23,911 yards in NFL.
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| 6 |
Margaret Wade,
Cleveland
Coached Delta State women's hoops team to 51-game winning streak and AIAW titles in 1975, '76, '77; NCAA women's player of the year trophy bears her name.
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| 7 |
Brett Favre,
Kiln
Leader of Packers' resurgence is only player to win three consecutive NFL MVP awards.
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| 8 |
Jake Gibbs,
Grenada
Led Ole Miss to 1960 national crown by running for both TDs in 14-6 Sugar Bowl win over Rice; played parts of 10 seasons in majors with Yankees.
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| 9 |
Lusia Harris-Stewart,
Greenwood
Three-time All-America at Delta State; top player on 1975, '76, '77 AIAW basketball champs.
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| 10 |
Charlie Conerly,
Clarksdale
Finished fourth in 1947 Heisman voting with Ole Miss; threw for 19,488 yards, 173 TDs in 14 seasons with Giants.
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| 11 |
Calvin Smith,
Bolton
Two-time world track champion in 200 meters also held world mark in 100; won Olympic gold in 4³100 relay in 1984.
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| 12 |
Ruthie Bolton-Holifield,
McClain
USA Basketball Women's Player of the Year in 1991;
All-WNBA in '97 with Monarchs.
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| 13 |
Willie Brown,
Yazoo City
Had 54 career interceptions for Raiders; locked up
Super Bowl XI win with
75-yard interception
return for TD.
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| 14 |
Willye White,
Greenwood
Five-time Olympian got
silver medal in long jump at 1956 Games and another in
4x100-meter relay in '64.
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| 15 |
Lem Barney,
Gulfport
Intercepted 27 passes in career at Jackson State; had 10 as Lions rookie in
1967; seven-time All-Pro.
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| 16 |
Jennifer Gillom,
Oxford
Second-leading scorer in
Ole Miss women's basketball history; averaged 20.8 points for WNBA's Mercury in 1998.
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| 17 |
L.C. Greenwood,
Canton
Had three sacks for Steelers
in Super Bowl X; appeared
in six Pro Bowls.
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| 18 |
Johnny Vaught,
Oxford
Took over 2-7 Ole Miss football team in 1947 and went 9-2 in first year; won six SEC crowns, national titles in '60 and '62.
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| 19 |
Ralph Boston,
Laurel
Broke Jesse Owens's
25-year-old long jump record
in August 1960; won Olympic
gold two weeks later; took silver
at '64 Games, bronze in '68.
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| 20 |
Ron Polk,
Starkville
Winningest baseball coach in SEC history took Mississippi State to five College World Series from 1976 to '97.
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| 21 |
Wilbert Montgomery,
Greenville
Scored 37 TDs as freshman at Abilene Christian in 1973; rushed for more than 1,200 yards
three times with Eagles.
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| 22 |
Purvis Short,
Hattiesburg
Averaged 23.7 points
at Jackson State from
1974 to '78; scored 59 for
Warriors against Nets in '84.
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| 23 |
Jackie Slater,
Jackson
Set NFL record for linemen
by playing in 259 games with Rams from 1976 to '95.
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| 24 |
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf,
Gulfport
The former Chris Jackson averaged 30.2 points as LSU freshman in 1988-89;
15.2 ppg in eight NBA seasons.
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| 25 |
Harold Jackson,
Hattiesburg
Jackson State product hauled in NFL-best 62 passes for 1,048 yards in 1972 for Eagles; also led league in
receiving yards (1,116) in '69.
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| 26 |
Bill Foster,
Lorman
Won 26 straight games for Chicago American Giants of Negro leagues in 1926.
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| 27 |
Erick Dampier,
Monticello
Three-time All-SEC center led Mississippi State to its only Final Four, in 1996, averaging 14.5 points and 9.3
rebounds; now with Warriors.
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| 28 |
Mary Mills,
Gulfport
Won eight straight state amateur golf championships; 1962 LPGA Rookie of the
Year; won U.S. Open in '63.
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| 29 |
Billy Shaw,
Vicksburg
Bills pulling guard in 1960s; named to alltime AFL team.
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| 30 |
Ray Perkins,
Petal
All-America fullback at Petal High was Alabama receiving star; succeeded Bear Bryant
as Tide coach in 1983;
also coached Giants
and Buccaneers.
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| 31 |
Babe McCarthy,
Starkville
Against orders of governor, who objected to playing against blacks, Mississippi State basketball coach sneaked team out of state so it could play in 1963 NCAA tournament; won four SEC titles in 10 years.
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| 32 |
Larry Myricks,
Jackson
Won long jump at 1980 Olympic trials, but boycott of Games wiped out gold medal chances; got bronze at '88 Games.
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| 33 |
Dave (Boo) Ferriss,
Shaw
Was 21-10 as rookie in 1945, for Red Sox; won 25 in '46.
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| 34 |
Steve McNair,
Mount Olive
Only NCAA player with 16,000 yards of total offense; 3,228 passing yards for Oilers in 1998.
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| 35 |
Van Chancellor,
Louisville
Made 14 trips to NCAAs in 19 years as Ole Miss women's basketball coach; won three WNBA titles with Comets.
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| 36 |
Clarence Weatherspoon,
Columbus
Alltime leading rebounder at Southern Miss; led Golden Eagles to 20-win seasons in 1989-90 and '90-91.
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| 37 |
Litterial Green,
Moss Point
All-America averaged 39.7 points as senior at Moss Point High in 1989; 17.7 ppg, 4.0 apg in career at Georgia.
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| 38 |
Hugh Green,
Natchez
State's top lineman at North High in 1976; won Lombardi
and Maxwell awards at Pitt in '80; played in two Pro Bowls.
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| 39 |
Bert Jenkins,
Starkville
Coach won state-record
866 games and seven basketball titles at Gulfport High.
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| 40 |
Antonio McDyess,
Quitman
Averaged 25.8 points, 14.7 rebounds at Quitman High in 1991-92 and '92-93; one of six players in NBA with 20 ppg and 10 rpg in '98-99, with Nuggets.
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| 41 |
Jim Gallagher Jr.,
Greenwood
Won 1993 PGA Tour Championship; has four
other wins on Tour.
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| 42 |
Jack Gregory,
Okolona
Three-sport star at Okolona High had 21 sacks as defensive end for the Giants in 1972.
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| 43 |
Marcus Dupree,
Philadelphia
Rushed for 5,283 yards and
87 TDs at Philadelphia High from 1979 to '81; spent a year at Oklahoma, two seasons
in USFL and two with Rams.
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| 44 |
Harol Lofton,
Brookhaven
Won 15 letters at
Brookhaven High and was
All-America in football
in 1950; All-SEC as a running back for Ole Miss in '53.
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| 45 |
Sammy Winder,
Madison
Led nation in scoring for Southern Miss in 1980 (20 TDs); led Broncos in rushing
every year from 1983 to '87.
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| 46 |
Slew Hester,
Jackson
As president of USTA he oversaw U.S. Open's move from Forest Hills to
Flushing Meadow in 1978.
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| 47 |
Claude Passeau,
Waynesboro
Starting NL pitcher in three
All-Star Games in 1940s; 162 wins.
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| 48 |
Eric Moulds,
Lucedale
All-SEC wideout at Mississippi State; set Bills receiving record in 1998 (1,368 yards).
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| 49 |
Bobby Collins,
Laurel
Mississippi State
quarterback from 1951 to '54;
coached Southern Miss to
first two Division I-A bowls,
in '80 and '81.
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| 50 |
Dot Easterwood Murphy,
Starkville
Averaged 33 points at
Starkville High; played basketball for U.S. in 1973 World University Games; assistant to husband, Gene, football coach at Hinds C.C.
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