 Classic SI photo by Al Tielemans |
Thunderous
In just two seasons at Marshall University, Randy Moss established himself as one of the greatest receivers ever to play college football. At 6-foot-5, with a 39-inch vertical leap and 4.25 speed in the 40, Moss practically rewrote The Thundering Herd record book. "The way I look at it," Moss once remarked, "God's got a magic wand, and he taps just a few on the head."
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FACES IN THE CROWD |
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Randy Barnes South Charleston
July 29, 1985 -- Randy, 18, broke Bill Fields' 28-year-old state high school discus record by 6' 7' feet with a throw of 181'7' at the state championships. Randy, who will attend Texas A&M in the fall, is also a two-time state shotput champ.
Career highlight: Gold medalist in shot put at 1996 Olympics.
Now photo by Mike Powell/Allsport
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Jerry West, Cheylan
Two-time All-America at West Virginia; led Lakers to 1972 NBA title as player; as G.M. helped build L.A. dynasty that won five NBA crowns in '80s.
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Mary Lou Retton, Fairmont
At 1984 Olympics became first U.S. gymnast to win gold in women's all-around competition.
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Hack Wilson, Martinsburg
In 1930, Cubs slugger had major-league-record 190 RBIs; also had 56 homers, an NL record that stood for 68 years.
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FLASHBACK |
1988: Up from the Hill
Major Harris rose from Pittsburgh's Hill District to football heights
When Major Harris was 16, he threw a football more than 70 yards for the winning touchdown on the last play of the game as his high school team, Brashear of Pittsburgh, beat Indiana (Pa.) High 22-21.
FULL STORY
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THE SI POLL |
Who do West Virginians root for? SI asked the Mountain State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
Pittsburgh Pirates | 20% |
Atlanta Braves | 10% |
Cincinnati Reds | 9% |
No favorite | 21% |
Favorite NFL team
Pittsburgh Steelers | 29% |
Dallas Cowboys | 12% |
Cleveland Browns | 5% |
Green Bay Packers | 5% |
Favorite NBA team
Los Angeles Lakers | 19% |
Chicago Bulls | 9% |
Boston Celtics | 7% |
Utah Jazz | 7% |
No favorite | 43% |
Favorite NHL team
Pittsburgh Penguins | 22% |
Detroit Red Wings | 5% |
No favorite | 53% |
Favorite pro team
Pittsburgh Steelers | 25% |
Dallas Cowboys | 8% |
Atlanta Braves | 4% |
Green Bay Packers | 4% |
Miami Dolphins/div> | 4% |
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Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state
Jerry West | 60% |
Randy Moss | 6% |
Chad Pennington | 6% |
State's biggest sports rivalry
W.Va.-Marshall | 61% |
W.Va.-Pitt | 11% |
Favorite college sports team
West Virginia | 42% |
Marshall | 13% |
Notre Dame | 3% |
Ohio State | 3% |
More a fan of college or pro sports?
Pro | 53% |
College | 28% |
Equal | 19% |
Favorite sports to watch on TV
Football | 77% |
Auto racing | 44% |
Winter Olympics | 42% |
Summer Olympics | 39% |
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State's biggest rival
Pennsylvania | 43% |
Virginia | 16% |
Favorite sports announcer
John Madden | 13% |
Al Michaels | 4% |
Marty Brennaman | 4% |
Bob Costas | 4% |
Favorite sport to participate in
Fishing | 25% |
Swimming | 18% |
Golf | 11% |
Baseball or softball | 10% |
Which is more important to you -- sports or sex?
Sex | 58% |
Sports | 12% |
Declined to answer | 30% |
FUN FACT | |
Thirty percent of West Virginia respondents have attended a college sporting event during the past year. Nineteen percent have attended a professional baseball, basketball, football, or hockey game during that span. | |
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* Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 403 West Virginia residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 4.9%. |
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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32.2 Points averaged by Jerry West as a senior at East Bank (W.Va.) High School. West became the first prep player in state history to score 900 points in a season and led East Bank to the 1956 state title.
50 Number of John Kruk's relatives and friends who drove two hours from Kruk's hometown of Keyser, W.Va. in 1986 to see the then Padres rookie play in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium for the first time.
15,000 Fans who turned out at the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Station in Huntington, W.Va. in March 1947 to greet the Marshall University basketball team and its coaches after they won the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball championship. Coached by Cam Henderson, Marshall beat Mankato State to bring home the school's first national championship.
1,248 Reduction in the seating capacity of the Henderson Center, home of Marshall Univerity basketball, as part of renovations to the arena in 1998.
39 Inches in the vertical leap of Randy Moss, who was twice named West Virginia's Basketball Player of the Year (1994 and '95) while at DuPont High School in Belle.
972 Career points scored at West Virginia by Eddie Beach, the first Mountaineer to be chosen in the NBA draft.
80 Cost in dollars of an adult-size 2002-2003 Wheeling (W.Va) Nailers road black jersey. The Nailers compete in the East Coast Hockey League.
12 Round of the 1990 NFL draft in which Major Harris of West Virginia was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders. Harris was the first Division I-A player to rush for more than 2,000 yards (2,161) and pass for more than 5,000 (5,137) in a career.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
Joe Paterno
The Penn State football coach has a career record of 25-2 against the West Virginia Mountaineers. As their most hated opponent, respondents chose Pitt (40%), Virginia Tech (15%) and Penn State (8%).
Joe Paterno | 18% |
Randy Moss | 15% |
Frank Beamer | 5% |
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: June 20, 1863 (35th state)
Area: 24,231 square miles
Bird: Cardinal
Capital: Charleston
Economy: Agriculture -- Cattle, dairy products, poultry, apples. Industry -- Chemical products, mining, primary metals, stone, clay, and glass products, tourism.
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Flower: Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)
Nickname: Mountain State
Population: 1,808,344 (37th)
Major college programs:
Marshall Herd, West Virginia Mountaineers
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