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20th Century Top 50
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Rank |
Profile |
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1 |
Dave McNally,
Billings
Four-time 20-game winner with the Orioles; tied then AL record with 17 consecutive wins in 1968-69.
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| 2 |
Dan Mortensen,
Billings
Rodeo all-around world champion in 1997; saddle bronc winner in '93, '94, '95
and again in '97 and '98.
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| 3 |
Lones Wigger,
Great Falls
One of the greatest U.S. rifle shooters; won two Olympic gold medals, in small-bore (1964) and free rifle ('72), and a silver in small bore ('64).
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| 4 |
Pat Donovan,
Helena
Four-time Pro Bowl
offensive lineman for Cowboys from 1975 to '83.
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| 5 |
Corey Widmer,
Bozeman
Two-time All-Big Sky Conference at Montana State; currently a starting
linebacker for Giants.
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| 6 |
Jeff Ballard,
Billings
No high school team, but played American Legion ball and earned scholarship to Stanford; set three Cardinal records; pitched for Orioles
and Pirates from 1987 to '94.
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| 7 |
Ryan Leaf,
Great Falls
Led C.M. Russell High to 1992 state title; took Washington State to '97 Rose Bowl; second pick overall by Chargers in '98.
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| 8 |
Greg Rice,
Missoula
Sullivan Award winner in 1940 was two-time NCAA two-mile champion for Notre Dame.
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| 9 |
Gene Davis,
Missoula
NCAA 137-pound wrestling champion in 1966; Olympic bronze medalist in '76.
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| 10 |
Scott Davis,
Great Falls
Rose from obscurity to win 1993 U.S. figure skating championship, won again the following year.
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| 11 |
Tim Hauck,
Big Timber
All-America safety at Montana has spent 10 seasons in
NFL; currently with Eagles.
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| 12 |
Dave Dickenson,
Great Falls
Two-time All-America at Montana threw for 11,080 yards and 96 TDs; led Grizzlies
to Division I-AA title in 1995.
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| 13 |
Shannon Cate,
Billings
Alltime leading scorer (2,172 points), male or female, in Montana basketball history; 1991-92 All-America;
holds nine Big Sky records.
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| 14 |
Robert Craig (Evel) Knievel,
Butte
Bombastic daredevil broke 35 bones attempting
to jump almost anything on his motorcycle, including Idaho's mile-wide Snake River Canyon.
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| 15 |
Shannon Butler,
Eureka
NCAA men's champion in 10,000 (1990) and 5,000 meters ('91) at Montana State.
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| 16 |
Larry Krystkowiak,
Shelby
Standout for Montana; was hard-nosed forward for six NBA teams; best season was 1988-89, when he averaged 12.7 points and 7.6 rebounds.
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| 17 |
Brian Salonen,
Great Falls
Division I-AA All-America
left Montana in 1984 as school's alltime leading receiver.
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| 18 |
Marvin Camel,
Missoula
World Boxing Council's first cruiserweight champion, in 1980; '83 International Boxing Federation cruiser champion.
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| 19 |
Ed Kalafat,
Anaconda
Standout center at Minnesota averaged 14.5 points; played for Lakers from 1954 to '57.
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| 20 |
Alice Greenough,
Red Lodge
Won three national rodeo titles
in 1930s and '40s; first inductee into Cowgirl Hall of Fame,
in '75; entered National Cowboy Hall of Fame in '83.
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| 21 |
Sonny Holland,
Butte
Three-time Division I-AA
All-America linebacker
at Montana State; head coach of Bobcats from 1971 to '77.
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| 22 |
Alice Ritzman,
Kalispell
Has earned more than $1 million on LPGA tour -- the second most by a player who has never won a tournament.
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| 23 |
Milt Popovich,
Butte
All-America halfback
at Montana; played for the Cardinals from 1938 to
'42, rushing for 233 yards
and four touchdowns.
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| 24 |
Deb Greenough,
Red Lodge
Nephew of Alice Greenough (#20) was 1993 world champion bareback rider.
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| 25 |
Terry Casey,
Great Falls
All-America center iceman
at North Dakota in 1965-66; member of U.S. team in '67 world championships.
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| 26 |
Mike Tilleman,
Chinook
Montana defensive tackle
had 11-year career (1966-76) with Vikings, Saints, Oilers
and Falcons.
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| 27 |
(Wild) Bill Kelly,
Missoula
All-America quarterback
and halfback at Montana from 1924 to '26; scored 31 career touchdowns; also lettered in baseball and basketball.
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| 28 |
Mike Lewis,
Missoula
All-America center averaged 21.7 points and 14.4 rebounds in 1967-68 at Duke; spent
one season in ABA with Pacers.
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| 29 |
Eric Bergoust,
Missoula
Won gold medal in aerial
skiing at 1998 Olympics.
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| 30 |
Marti Leibenguth,
Missoula
Three-time All-Big Sky in basketball at Montana from 1984 to '88; voted Little Sullivan Award winner in '88 as best female athlete in
state; played professionally in France in 1988-89.
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| 31 |
Larry Questad,
Livingston
Sprinter placed sixth in 200 meters at 1968 Olympics.
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| 32 |
Brick Breeden,
Bozeman
All-America
basketball guard at Montana State; school's alltime
winningest coach in sport (283-198, 1936-47, '48-54).
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| 33 |
Dick Doyle,
Missoula
Two-time track and field
All-America at Montana was 1950 NCAA discus champion.
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| 34 |
Dave Silk,
Butte
Speed skater was
World Cup champion at
5,000 meters in 1986.
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| 35 |
Max Worthington,
Billings
Basketball and football
standout at Montana State
in 1920s; coached Bobcats' basketball team in '47-48; school's arena named
after him.
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| 36 |
John Petkevich,
Great Falls
Won national senior
men's figure skating championship in 1971.
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| 37 |
Rod Lyman,
Great Falls
All-state football player at
Great Falls High in 1978 later became four-time Montana circuit steer-wrestling champion.
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| 38 |
Bill Linderman,
Red Lodge
Top all-around cowboy in 1950 and '53; won world titles in steer wrestling and bronc riding.
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| 39 |
Wayne Estes,
Anaconda
Utah State forward was averaging 33.7 points in 1964-65 when he stopped to help a
car-accident victim and was electrocuted by a live wire.
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| 40 |
Todd Foster,
Great Falls
National Golden Gloves champion at 139 pounds
in 1987; light welterweight on '88 Olympic team.
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| 41 |
Russ Sweet,
Miles City
Football and track standout at Montana placed second in
100- and 200-yard dashes at 1925 NCAA championships.
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| 42 |
Leslie Spalding,
Billings
Two-time state high school (1986-87) and amateur ('91-92) champion; joined LPGA tour in 1996.
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| 43 |
Sarah Flock,
Belgrade
Three-time all-conference basketball player at Montana State; honorable mention All-America in 1992; team's fourth-leading scorer alltime.
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| 44 |
Kris Schmitt,
Great Falls
Sprinter and hurdler
at Montana in late 1980s holds nine school records; first
Lady Griz to break 60 seconds
in 400-meter hurdles.
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| 45 |
Cass Bauer,
Hysham
Big Sky player of the year
at Montana State in 1993; played forward for WNBA's Charlotte Sting in '99.
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| 46 |
Benny Reynolds,
Melrose
Won top all-around cowboy title in 1961.
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| 47 |
Bob O'Billovich,
Butte
Two-time All-Skyline Conference quarterback and defensive back at Montana
in 1959 and '60; coached
CFL's Toronto Argonauts
to '83 Grey Cup.
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| 48 |
Arnold Gillette,
Lewiston
NCAA two-mile champion at Montana in 1926.
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| 49 |
Jack Gillespie,
Great Falls
Montana State basketball center elected to Big Sky's 25th-anniversary team in 1988.
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| 50 |
Elvis Old Bull,
Crow Indian Reservation
Guard led Lodge Grass High to consecutive Class B state basketball titles in
1988, '89, '90; was state tournament MVP each year. |
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