|
20th Century Top 50
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|
Rank |
Profile |
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1
| 
Eric
Heiden,
Madison
Took speed skating record five gold medals at 1980 Olympics; won total of 10
world championships in '77, '78,
'79.
|
| 2
|
Ernie
Nevers,
Superior
All-Pro in each of his five NFL seasons; scored league-record 40 points in
Cardinals' 40-6 win over Bears in 1929; pitched for Browns from 1926 to
'28.
|
|---|
| 3
|
Al
Simmons,
Milwaukee
Outfielder drove in 100 runs 12 times and had 200 hits six times (including
253 in 1925) in 20-year major league
career.
|
|---|
| 4
|
Curley
Lambeau,
Green
Bay
Founded Packers in 1919 and coached them to six NFL titles; first coach to hold
daily
practice.
|
|---|
| 5
|
Dan
Jansen,
West
Allis
Set world record in 1,000-meter speed skating in 1994 Olympics after having
fallen in 500 and 1,000 at '88
Games.
|
|---|
| 6
|
Bud
Grant,
Superior
Nine-letter winner at Minnesota was guard on 1949-50 NBA champion Lakers;
coached Vikings to four Super Bowls in
1970s.
|
|---|
| 7
|
Addie
Joss,
Woodland
Threw one-hitter in major league debut with Indians in 1902; had career 1.89
ERA, second lowest of all
time.
|
|---|
| 8
|
Mike
Webster,
Tomahawk
Nine-time Pro Bowl center won four Super Bowls with Steelers in 1970s; didn't
miss a game from '74 to
'85.
|
|---|
| 9
|
Dave
Casper,
Chilton
Tight end for Super Bowl XI and XV champion Raiders made five straight Pro Bowls
(1976 to
'80).
|
|---|
| 10
|
Helene
Kapphahu,
Madison
Set world swimming records in 20 events and Olympic records in 100-meter free,
400 free and 4x100 free relay at 1932
Games.
|
|---|
| 11
|
Jim
Otto,
Wausau
Started 210 straight games at center for Raiders from 1961 to '75; went to
12 Pro
Bowls.
|
|---|
| 12
|
D. Wayne
Lukas,
Antigo
Has trained 15 Breeders' Cup winners; won six straight Triple Crown races from
1994 to
'96.
|
|---|
| 13
|
Alan
Ameche,
Kenosha
All-state fullback at Bradford High won 1954 Heisman at Wisconsin; ran for 4,045
yards in 10 seasons with
Colts.
|
|---|
| 14
|
Jim
Montgomery,
Madison
First person to swim 100-meter freestyle in less than 50 seconds; won gold
medals in 100 free and two relays at 1976
Olympics.
|
|---|
| 15
|
Alvin
Kraenzlein,
Milwaukee
Won gold medals in the 60-meter dash, 110-meter high hurdles, 200-meter low
hurdles and long jump at 1900
Olympics.
|
|---|
| 16
|
Elroy (Crazy Legs)
Hirsch,
Wausau
University of Michigan's first four-sport letterman had 387 catches and 66 TDs
for Chicago Rockets and Rams from 1946 to
'57.
|
|---|
| 17
|
Harvey
Kuenn,
West
Allis
Led AL in hits four times; batted .303 with 2,092 hits and 356 doubles for
career (1952-66); eight-time
All-Star.
|
|---|
| 18
|
Dave
Krieg,
Schofield
Illini-Badger Conference player of the year in 1979 at Milton College; spent 19
years in NFL, passing for 38,147 yards (eighth alltime) and 261 TDs
(seventh).
|
|---|
| 19
|
Frank
Parker,
Milwaukee
Won U.S. tennis singles championship in 1944 and '45, French in '48 and
'49.
|
|---|
| 20
|
Tony
Kubek,
Milwaukee
Three-time All-Star; 1957 Rookie of the Year; played in six World Series with
Yankees.
|
|---|
| 21
|
Terry
Porter,
Milwaukee
Two-time NAIA All-America at Wisconsin-Stevens Point; appeared in two NBA finals
with Blazers; hit 1,000th three-pointer last year with
Heat.
|
|---|
| 22
|
Mark
Johnson,
Madison
All-America at Wisconsin in 1978 and '79; leading scorer on
gold-medal-winning '80 U.S. Olympic hockey team.
|
|---|
| 23
|
Arnold
Herber,
Green
Bay
Strong-armed Packers quarterback teamed with Don Hutson in 1930s to form NFL's
first great pass-catching
duo.
|
|---|
| 24
|
Archie
Hahn,
Dodgeville
Won 60-, 100- and 200-meter dashes at 1904 Olympics.
|
|---|
| 25
|
Tuffy
Leemans,
Superior
Led NFL in rushing as rookie with Giants in 1936; had 3,132 rushing yards, 2,318
passing yards and 422 receiving yards over eight
seasons.
|
|---|
| 26
|
Chris
Steinmetz,
Milwaukee
Led South Division High to 1902 state basketball title; at Wisconsin became
first college player to score 1,000
points.
|
|---|
| 27
|
David
Greenwood,
Park
Falls
In 1978 became first state high schooler to high-jump seven feet; All-USFL
safety in '83 and
'84.
|
|---|
| 28
|
Ken
Keltner,
Milwaukee
Seven-time All-Star third baseman with Indians and Red Sox helped end Joe
DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak in 1941 with two dazzling
catches.
|
|---|
| 29
|
Eddie
Cochems,
Sturgeon
Bay
Father of the Forward Pass coached Saint Louis University to 22-0 win over
Carroll College on Sept. 5, 1906, the first time the pass was extensively
used.
|
|---|
| 30
|
LaVern
Dilweg,
Milwaukee
Two-time All-America end at Marquette was one of NFL's first dominant
receivers with Packers in
1920s.
|
|---|
| 31
|
Suzy
Favor-Hamilton,
Stevens
Point
Won 23 Big Ten and nine NCAA distance running titles at Wisconsin from 1987 to
'90.
|
|---|
| 32
|
Burleigh
Grimes,
Emerald
Spitball artist was 270-212 with six teams from 1916 to '34; twice led NL in
wins.
|
|---|
| 33
|
Bob
Peterson,
Comstock
Three-time NCAA wrestling All-America at Iowa State won gold in 1972
Olympics and silver in
'76.
|
|---|
| 34
|
Mickey
Crowe,
St.
Nazianz
JFK Prep basketball star led nation's high schoolers with 41 ppg as a senior
in
1974-75.
|
|---|
| 35
|
Rocky
Bleier,
Appleton
Halfback was key member of Steelers' four Super Bowl-champion teams; rushed
for 3,865 yards and 23 TDs over 11-year
career.
|
|---|
| 36
|
Latrell
Sprewell,
Milwaukee
Coach-choking guard is three-time All-Star who has averaged 19.8 points over
eight-year career with Warriors and
Knicks.
|
|---|
| 37
|
Connie
Carpenter,
Madison
First U.S. woman to compete in Winter and Summer Olympics; placed seventh in
15,000-meter speed skating at 1972 Games, won gold in cycling in
'84.
|
|---|
| 38
|
Andy
North,
Monona
Three-time All-America golfer at Florida won 1978 and '85 U.S.
Opens.
|
|---|
| 39
|
Jim
Chones,
Racine
Excelled in basketball, football and track at St. Catherine's High; averaged 8.3
rebounds with three NBA teams from 1974 to
'82.
|
|---|
| 40
|
Ginger
Beaumont,
Rochester
Pirates outfielder batted .311 over 12 seasons, including NL-best .357 in
1902; led league in hits four
times.
|
|---|
| 41
|
Ed
Konetchy,
La
Crosse
Had 2,150 hits in 15-year major league career (1907 to '21); led NL first
basemen in fielding percentage eight
times.
|
|---|
| 42
|
John
Peterson,
Comstock
Wisconsin-Stout All-America wrestler won silver medal in 1972 Olympics and
gold in '76
Games.
|
|---|
| 43
|
Johnny
Blood,
New
Richmond
Caught then NFL-record 11 TDs with Packers in
1931.
|
|---|
| 44
|
Pat
Harder,
Milwaukee
Star running back on Cardinals' 1947 NFL title team; led league in scoring in
'47, '48,
'49.
|
|---|
| 45
|
Pat
Richter,
Madison
Three-sport star at Wisconsin; football All-America in 1961-62; caught then
record 11 passes in Badgers '63 Rose Bowl loss to USC; now Wisconsin athletic
director.
|
|---|
| 46
|
Bob
Johnson,
Madison
Coached Wisconsin to NCAA hockey championships in 1973, '77 and '81; won
Stanley Cup with Penguins in
'91.
|
|---|
| 47
|
Pat
Matzdorf,
Sheboygan
Set world high jump record with 7' 6 1/4" leap as a Wisconsin junior in
1971.
|
|---|
| 48
|
Wayne
Zahn,
Milwaukee
Won more than 20 major bowling championships from 1960 to '81; rolled nine 300
games and eight 299
games.
|
|---|
| 49
|
Beth
Heiden,
Madison
Sister of Eric (#1) was bronze medalist in 3,000-meter speed skating at 1980
Olympics; won '80 U.S. cycling and '83 NCAA cross-country skiing
titles.
|
|---|
| 50
|
Jim
Gantner,
Eden
Five-sport star at Campbellsport High; had 1,696 hits as steady Brewers
infielder from 1976 to
'92. |
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