 Classic SI photo by Peter Read Miller |
What a Rush
Among the greatest running backs of all-time, Emmitt Smith has won four NFL rushing titles and three Super Bowl titles. He was named MVP of the 1993 regular season and MVP of the Super Bowl that followed. Last year, at age 33 and in his 13th season with the Dallas Cowboys, Smith broke Walter Payton's record of 16,726 yards to become the leading rusher in NFL history.
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FACES IN THE CROWD |
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Tamika Catchings Duncanville
June 2, 1997 -- Tamika, who is headed to Tennessee, had 21.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists a game as the Pantherettes ran up a 40-0 record, won the Class 5A state title and earned the No. 2 national ranking.
Career highlight: Four-time All-American at Tennessee, WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2002.
Then photo by Jim Midgett, Now photo by M. David Leeds/Getty Images
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Anthony (Spud) Webb Dallas
May 24, 1982 -- Wilson, a 6' 4" sophomore forward, and Webb, a 5' 6" freshman guard, averaged 24.3 and 20.5 points a game, respectively, to lead Midland (Texas) College to a 34-4 record and the national junior college basketball championship. Webb scored a game-high 36 points in Midland's 93-88 win over Miami Dade-North in the title game and despite his size had about 40 dunks this season.
Career highlight: Slam-dunk champion at 1986 NBA All-Star game.
Now photo by Al Bello/Allsport
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Johnny Bailey Houston
Jan. 5, 1987 -- Bailey, who is a 5' 9' 180-pound freshman running back for Texas A & I, broke the NCAA Division II single-season rushing mark with 2,010 yards, surpassing the record of 1,775 set by Jim Holder of Panhandle State (Okla.) in 1963.
Career highlight: Only non-Division I player to make Football Writers Association All-America team.
Now photo by Al Bello/Allsport
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
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.
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Ben Hogan, Fort Worth
Four-time PGA Player of Year; one of four men to win all four majors, including four U.S. Opens.
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Doak Walker, Dallas
Starred at SMU from 1947 to '49 as all-purpose player; won two NFL scoring titles in six years with Lions.
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FLASHBACK |
1991: Citizen Ryan
Down home in Alvin, Texas, Nolan Ryan is an old-fashioned cowboy
The last 45 minutes of Texas twilight have arrived. The day has been gray anyway, cool, and now the colors begin to fade even further as the unseen sun dips toward the trees at the edge of the pasture. The birds know that night is coming. Hear them squawk?
FULL STORY
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SI COVERS |
Lone Star Shining
The 1973 Sports Illustrated college football preview issue predicted the horns would hook 'em. The famous hand signal was introduced to Texas football fans at a 1955 pep rally.
Click here to view a gallery of every Texas cover
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THE SI POLL |
Who do Texans root for? SI asked the Lone Star State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
Texas Rangers | 37% |
Houston Astros | 20% |
New York Yankees | 7% |
Favorite NFL team
Dallas Cowboys | 45% |
Houston Texans | 17% |
Green Bay Packers | 4% |
Favorite NBA team
Dallas Mavericks | 35% |
Houston Rockets | 16% |
San Antonio Spurs | 16% |
No favorite | 20% |
Favorite NHL team
Dallas Stars/div> | 50% |
Detroit Red Wings | 3% |
No favorite | 35% |
Favorite pro team
Dallas Cowboys | 26% |
Dallas Mavericks | 9% |
San Antonio Spurs | 8% |
Texas Rangers | 7% |
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Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state
Nolan Ryan | 20% |
Roger Staubach | 18% |
Emmitt Smith | 14% |
Earl Campbell | 9% |
State's biggest sports rivalry
Texas-Texas A&M | 56% |
Texas-Oklahoma | 15% |
Cowboys-Texans | 7% |
Favorite Sports to play
Fishing | 14% |
Swimming | 13% |
Baseball-softball | 12% |
Basketball | 12% |
Golf | 12% |
Football | 10% |
Favorite sports to watch on television**
Football | 78% |
Basketball | 46% |
Summer Olympics | 46% |
Winter Olympics | 46% |
Baseball | 40% |
Hockey | 27% |
Auto racing | 26% |
**Multiple responses allowed | |
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State's biggest rival
Oklahoma | 52% |
California | 11% |
New York | 5% |
Florida | 3% |
Washington | 3% |
Favorite living sports announcer
John Madden | 34% |
Dick Vitale | 20% |
Terry Bradshaw (tie) | 13% |
Vin Scully (tie) | 13% |
Which is more important -- sports or sex?
Sex | 57% |
Sports | 12% |
Declined to answer | 31% |
FUN FACT | |
Thirty-seven percent of respondents say they have openly booed a referee or official during the past 12 months. Thirty-one percent have prayed for their team to win during that span.
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* Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 410 Texas residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 4.8%.
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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3,909 Number of strikeouts thrown by Katy, Texas native Roger Clemens entering the 2003 baseball season.
4 Number of Roger Clemens' children whose names begin with the letter "K".
2 Number of Texas-based Major League Baseball teams that retired Nolan Ryan's uniform number (No. 34, Rangers and Astros).
1,320 SAT score of San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson.
50 Dollars Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are paid per home game.
4 Styles of basketball shoes named after Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets (Air Swoopes, Air Swoopes Zoom, Air Swoopes IV, Air Tuned Swoopes.)
66 Consecutive NFL drafts in which at least one player from the Texas Longhorns has been selected, an NFL record.
26-7 Final score of the first intercollegiate football contest to use instant video replay (Texas Tech defeated Kansas on Sept. 18, 1965).
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: Dec. 29, 1845 (28th state)
Area: 268,601 square miles
Bird: Mockingbird
Capital: Austin
Economy: Agriculture -- Cattle, cotton, dairy products, nursery stock, poultry, sorghum, corn, wheat. Industry -- Chemical products, petroleum and natural gas, food processing, electric equipment, machinery, mining, tourism.
Flower: Bluebonnet (Lupins texensis)
Nickname: Lone Star State
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Population: 20,851,820 (2nd)
Pro sports teams: Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Houston Texans (NFL), San Antonio Spurs (NBA), Houston Astros (MLB), Texas Rangers (MLB), Houston Rockets (NBA), Dallas Mavericks (NBA), Dallas Stars (NHL), Houston Comets (WNBA), Dallas Burn (MLS)
Major college programs: Baylor Bears, Houston Cougars, Rice Owls, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
Jerry Jones
Forget those three Super Bowl wins the Cowboys' owner and Arkansas businessman brought to Dallas; he's now to blame for the team's recent decline. The most hated opponent of respondents: the Oklahoma Sooners (34%), the Washington Redskins (19%) and the Los Angeles Lakers (5%).
Jerry Jones | 32% |
Bud Adams | 14% |
Shaquille O'Neal | 7% |
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