|
20th Century Top 50
|
|
Rank |
Profile |
|
1
| 
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.
|
| 2
|
Mary Lou
Retton,
Fairmont
At 1984 Olympics became first U.S. gymnast to win gold in women's all-around
competition.
|
|---|
| 3
|
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.
|
|---|
| 4
|
Randy
Barnes,
St.
Albans
Holds the world indoor and outdoor shot put records; won gold medal at 1996
Olympics.
|
|---|
| 5
|
Hal
Greer,
Huntington
First African-American to play for a major West Virginia college team; had 1,377
points for Marshall and averaged 19.2 points in 15 NBA
seasons.
|
|---|
| 6
|
Sam
Huff,
Farmington
All-conference two-way lineman at Farmington High; five-time All-Pro linebacker
with Giants and Redskins from 1956 to
'70.
|
|---|
| 7
|
Lew
Burdette,
Nitro
Teamed with Warren Spahn in Milwaukee to form baseball's best righty-lefty duo
from 1953 to '61; won three games in 1957 World
Series.
|
|---|
| 8
|
Hot Rod
Hundley,
Charleston
Two-time All-America at West Virginia was top pick of 1957 NBA draft, by Royals;
averaged 8.4 points in six seasons.
|
|---|
| 9
|
Earle (Greasy)
Neale,
Parkersburg
Batted .259 for Reds and A's from 1916 to '24; coached Eagles to '48 and '49 NFL
titles.
|
|---|
| 10
|
Joe
Stydahar,
Shinnston
Renowned 60-minute man made four Pro Bowls; led Bears to NFL titles in 1940,
'41 and
'46.
|
|---|
| 11
|
Randy
Moss,
Rand
DuPont High football star was state high school basketball player of the year
in 1994-95; 28 TD catches at Marshall in '97 tied NCAA record; '98 NFL
Rookie of the Year with
Vikings.
|
|---|
| 12
|
Clair
Bee,
Grafton
Coached Long Island University basketball team to undefeated seasons in 1935-36
and '38-39; won NIT title in '39 and
'41.
|
|---|
| 13
|
Chuck
Howley,
Wheeling
Five-sport letterman at West Virginia; 1970 Super Bowl MVP as Cowboys
linebacker.
|
|---|
| 14
|
Cam
Henderson,
Mannington
Helped pioneer modern fast break and zone defense; was 362-160 as Marshall
coach from 1935 to
'55.
|
|---|
| 15
|
Ira
Rodgers,
Bethany
West Virginia football, basketball and baseball star took up golf in 1928; won
state amateur in
'29.
|
|---|
| 16
|
John
McKay,
Shinnston
From 1960 to '75 coached USC to four national football championships and three
undefeated
seasons.
|
|---|
| 17
|
Curt
Warner,
Pineville
Set 41 Penn State football records; Seahawks' second alltime leading rusher,
with 6,705
yards.
|
|---|
| 18
|
Wilbur
Cooper,
Bearsville
Lefty Pirates hurler won 20 games four times from 1912 to '24, including
NL-best 22 in
'21.
|
|---|
| 19
|
Vicky
Bullett,
Martinsburg
Charlotte Sting forward played on 1988 and '92 U.S. Olympic women's
basketball
teams.
|
|---|
| 20
|
Frank
Gatski,
Farmington
Four-time All-Pro center won eight AAFC and NFL championships with Browns and
Lions from 1946 to
'57.
|
|---|
| 21
|
Dave
Tork,
Fairmont
Six-time Southern Conference champion at West Virginia set world outdoor pole
vault record in 1962, indoor mark in '63.
|
|---|
| 22
|
John
Kruk,
Charleston
Baseball and basketball star at Keyser High; three-time All-Star batted .300 in
10 major league seasons; played for 1993 NL champion
Phillies.
|
|---|
| 23
|
Dick
Huffman,
Charleston
All-America tackle for 1946 co-SEC champion Tennessee was Pro Bowl tackle with
Rams.
|
|---|
| 24
|
Mary
Ostrowski,
Parkersburg
Led Parkersburg Catholic to 88 straight wins and two state high school
basketball titles; 1982 All-America forward at
Tennessee.
|
|---|
| 25
|
George
Cafego,
Oak
Hill
Tailback-safety helped lead Tennessee to 11-0 season in 1938, unbeaten
regular season in
'39.
|
|---|
| 26
|
Rod
Thorn,
Princeton
In effort to encourage him to play for West Virginia, legislature declared him
state "natural resource" in 1959; averaged 10.8 points in NBA career;
now league's senior vice president of
operations.
|
|---|
| 27
|
James
Jett,
Shenandoah
Junction
Raiders receiver was on 1992 gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic 4x100-meter
relay team; more than 3,900 receiving yards in seven NFL
seasons.
|
|---|
| 28
|
Dennis
Harrah,
Charleston
Rams guard appeared in six Pro Bowls from 1975 to
'87.
|
|---|
| 29
|
Bimbo
Coles,
Lewisburg
Leading scorer in Virginia Tech history was first player to lead Metro
Conference in scoring three straight years; has averaged more than four assists
over 10 NBA
seasons.
|
|---|
| 30
|
Bruce
Bosley,
Green
Bank
All-America offensive tackle at West Virginia in 1955 played in four Pro Bowls
for
49ers.
|
|---|
| 31
|
Marshall
Goldberg,
Elkins
Running back led Pitt to 1937 national title and was runner-up for the Heisman
Trophy in
'38.
|
|---|
| 32
|
Rocco
Gorman,
Charleston
Coached Charleston High football team to 118-31-4 mark; his 1920 team
outscored opponents
379-0.
|
|---|
| 33
|
Kitty
Frazier,
Cross
Lanes
Won three national archery championships in the
1980s.
|
|---|
| 34
|
Jason
Williams,
Belle
DuPont High teammate of Randy Moss was 1994 state basketball player of the
year; '99 NBA first-team All-Rookie selection with Kings.
|
|---|
| 35
|
Carl
Lee,
Charleston
Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback intercepted a career-high eight passes for
Vikings in
1988.
|
|---|
| 36
|
Norm
Willey,
Hastings
Played on first Marshall bowl team, in 1947; two-time Pro Bowl defensive end
with
Eagles.
|
|---|
| 37
|
Russ
Parsons,
Charleston
Coached Stonewall Jackson High to eight straight state track titles from 1948 to
'55; 246-94 as football coach and 274-63 as basketball
coach.
|
|---|
| 38
|
Fern (Peachy)
Kellmeyer,
Charleston
At 15 was youngest tennis player invited to U.S. Nationals at Forest Hills, in
1959; advanced to round of 16 in
'60.
|
|---|
| 39
|
Mike
Barrett,
Richwood
West Virginia Tech basketball star played on 1968 gold-medal-winning U.S.
Olympic
team.
|
|---|
| 40
|
John
Zontini,
Sherman
Ran for 2,135 yards on just 79 carries at Sherman High in 1929; set state
javelin record (172' 1") in
'31.
|
|---|
| 41
|
Bill
Campbell,
Huntington
Beat fellow West Virginian Ed Tutwiler (#46) for 1964 U.S. Amateur golf title;
won 15 West Virginia Amateurs from '49 to '75 and '56 Mexican
Amateur.
|
|---|
| 42
|
Ed
Etzel,
Morgantown
Won gold in free rifle, prone at 1984 Olympics; last U.S. male to win medal
in the
event.
|
|---|
| 43
|
Mike
D'Antoni,
Mullens
Left Marshall in 1973 as school's alltime assists leader; spent 13 seasons with
Milan of the Italian
League.
|
|---|
| 44
|
J.R.
House,
Nitro
Nitro High quarterback set national high school records for career passing yards
(14,457), completions (1,103) and attempts (1,725) in
1998.
|
|---|
| 45
|
Steve
Swisher,
Parkersburg
Three-time All-MAC catcher at Ohio University was Cubs' top pick in 1973
draft; All-Star in
'76.
|
|---|
| 46
|
Ed
Tutwiler,
Mount
Hope
Won 11 West Virginia Amateur golf titles from 1939 to
'63.
|
|---|
| 47
|
Christy
Martin,
Bluefield
Two-time all-state basketball player at Mullens High; now WBC women's
lightweight champion (38-2-2, 30 knockouts).
|
|---|
| 48
|
Don
Robinson,
Ceredo
Ceredo-Kenova High star won 109 games for four major league teams from 1978 to
'92; pitched for '79 world champion
Pirates.
|
|---|
| 49
|
Anne
White,
Charleston
Tennis pro was ranked as high as 19th in world (1987); famous for spandex body
suit she wore at '85 Wimbledon.
|
|---|
| 50
|
Danny
Heater,
Burnsville
Burnsville High guard scored national-record 135 points against Wilden in
173-43 victory on Jan. 26,
1960. |
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