The 50 Greatest Sports Figures From Delaware
There's a difference between loyalty to the home team--athletes
imported to play for our local colleges and pro franchises--and
the deep emotional bond we share with hometown heroes, the local
legends we knew back when. They are the boys and girls from next
door, or the next town. We watched them grow up, watched them
play when it was still play. Unfortunately, these luminaries are
almost inevitably dispersed because of sport's mercenary nature,
lured away by scholarships or contracts. Well, we're bringing
'em all back home for the millennium--not necessarily to where
they were born, but to where they first showed flashes of the
greatness to come. Thus, Broadway Joe is in Pennsylvania, not
Alabama or New York; and the Mailman is in Louisiana, not Utah.
The result: the top 50 from your state and, on the following
pages, a list of those from all 50 states. In short, the
ultimate home teams.
#1 Randy White
WILMINGTON
Co-MVP of Super Bowl XII went to nine Pro Bowls in 14 seasons
(1975-88) with Cowboys.
#2 Judy Johnson
WILMINGTON
Pittsburgh Crawfords third baseman was two-time Negro leagues
All-Star in the 1930s and 1975 Hall of Fame inductee.
#3 Delino DeShields
SEAFORD
High school All-America in baseball and basketball; has 393
steals in 10 seasons with Expos, Dodgers, Cardinals and Orioles.
#4 Harold (Tubby) Raymond
NEWARK
Is 284-109-3 in 34 seasons as Delaware football coach; led Blue
Hens to 1971 and '72 small-college national titles, and '79
Division II crown.
#5 Victor Willis
WILMINGTON
Eight-time 20-game winner had 45 complete games and pitched 410
innings for 1902 Boston Braves.
#6 Margaret Osborne DuPont
WILMINGTON
Won 37 major tennis titles from 1941 to '62, including six in
singles competition (three U.S. championships, two French
championships and one Wimbledon).
#7 Val Whiting
WILMINGTON
Averaged 30.3 points and 16.1 rebounds as senior at Ursuline
Academy in 1988-89; two-time All-America at Stanford.
#8 Steve Watson
WILMINGTON
Caught 353 passes in nine years with Broncos, All-Pro in
1981, played in two Super Bowls.
#9 Vicki Huber
WILMINGTON
Eight-time individual champ in track and cross-country at
Villanova was sixth in 3,000 meters at 1988 Olympics.
#10 Mike Hall
DAGSBORO
Won five world powerlifting titles from 1986 to '91; two-time
gold medal winner at Pan Am Games.
#11 Dave Nelson
NEWARK
Delaware football coach from 1951 to '65 was architect of Blue
Hens' famed wing T offense; led school to Lambert Cups in '59,
'62, '63.
#12 Ed (Porky) Oliver
WILMINGTON
Won eight PGA Tour events and was runner-up at 1953 Masters;
member of U.S. Ryder Cup team in '47, '51 and '53.
#13 Dallas Green
NEWPORT
Delaware basketball standout from 1953 to '55; managed '80
Phillies to franchise's first--and only--World Series title.
#14 Frank Masley
NEWARK
Member of 1980, '84, '88 U.S. Olympic luge team; six-time
national singles champion.
#15 Dionna Harris
WILMINGTON
Junior college All-America at Delaware Technical and Community
College; outfielder for gold-medal-winning 1996 U.S. Olympic
softball team.
#16 William McGowan
WILMINGTON
AL umpire from 1925 to '54 worked major-league-record 2,541
straight games.
#17 Audie Kujula Showalter
WILMINGTON
Delaware outfielder was 1977 AIAW softball player of the year;
set Blue Hens record for career average (.530).
#18 Creighton Miller
WILMINGTON
Notre Dame All-America halfback ran for 911 yards and 13 TDs to
help Irish to 1943 national championship.
#19 Franklin Shakespeare
WILMINGTON
Member of U.S. crew that beat favored Soviet eight-oared boat in
1952 Olympics; first Delawarean to win a gold medal.
#20 Dave May
NEW CASTLE
Outfielder had 920 hits and 96 homers in 12-year career
(1967-78) with Braves, Orioles, Rangers and Pirates.
#21 Ron Waller
LAUREL
Ran for 716 yards and was All-Pro as a rookie with Rams in 1955.
#22 Ed Michaels
WILMINGTON
All-America guard at Villanova in 1935 is considered best lineman
in Wildcats' history.
#23 Jimmy Caras
WILMINGTON
Won 1936 pool world championship at age 26; added three more
world titles between 1938 and '49.
#24 Vic Zwolak
WILMINGTON
Won NCAA 3,000-meter steeplechase title for Villanova in 1963
and '64, NCAA cross-country crown in '63; was a steeplechaser on
'64 U.S. Olympic team.
#25 Bill Bruton
MARSHALLTON
Had .273 average with Braves and Tigers; led NL in steals three
times; batted .412 in '58 World Series for Milwaukee.
#26 Terence Stansbury
NEWARK
Left Temple as Owls' alltime leading scorer; first Delaware
native to reach NBA, where he spent two seasons with Indiana, one
with Seattle in mid-1980s.
#27 Conway Hayman
NEWARK
All-America guard at Delaware in 1970 played six years with the
Oilers.
#28 George Schollenberger
LAUREL
Renowned Laurel High football coach had five unbeaten teams in
36-year coaching career.
#29 Chris Short
MILFORD
Two-time All-Star pitcher was 135-132 with 3.43 ERA in 15-year
major league career; was 17-9 with 2.20 ERA in 1964 with Phillies.
#30 Tim Wilson
NEW CASTLE
Had 19 TDs as senior at DeLaWarr High in 1973; spent six years
with Oilers, rushing for career-best 431 yards in '78.
#31 Derrick May
NEWARK
Son of Dave May (#20) had .271 average in 10-year career with
six clubs; best year was 1993, when he hit .295 with 77 RBIs for
Cubs.
#32 John Wockenfuss
WILMINGTON
Catcher-outfielder had .274 average, 16 home runs and 65 RBIs for
Tigers in 1980.
#33 Lou Brooks
WILMINGTON
Ranked heavyweight in 1940s; won more than 100 bouts as an
amateur.
#34 Jamie Duncan
WILMINGTON
Buccaneers linebacker was Delaware high school player of the
year as junior and senior at Christiana High; All-America as a
senior at Vanderbilt in 1997.
#35 Rosemary Y. Miller
NEW CASTLE
Eight-time Delaware trapshooting champion; second at 1973 U.S.
nationals.
#36 Madge Vosters
WILMINGTON
Won 12 national doubles squash titles and five U.S. senior titles
in 1940s and '50s.
#37 Laron Profit
DOVER
Set Caesar Rodney High basketball career-scoring record and was
Delaware player of the year in 1995; starred at Maryland; now
with Wizards.
#38 R.R.M. (Bob) Carpenter
WILMINGTON
Owned Phillies from 1943 to '72; specialized in finding young
talent, including Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts.
#39 John Wilcutts
MAGNOLIA
Won 1,755 harness races and more than $4.7 million during 25-year
career as driver.
#40 Mary Ann Hitchens
MILFORD
Had 196-76-30 mark as Delaware field hockey coach from 1973 to
'88; first female president of America East Conference.
#41 Luke Petitgout
GEORGETOWN
All-America lineman at Sussex Central High; starred at Notre
Dame; off-and-on starter at guard as Giants rookie in 1999.
#42 Rita Justice
WILMINGTON
Top 10 kegler on Professional Women's Bowling Tour from 1964 to
'75.
#43 Bill Collick
LEWES
Delaware State football coach from 1985 to '96 had school-best
78-40 record and 11 straight winning seasons.
#44 Dave Tiberi
NEW CASTLE
Ranked middleweight lost controversial split decision to James
Toney in 1992 IBF middleweight championship bout that resulted in
U.S. Senate boxing investigation.
#45 Dexter Boney
WILMINGTON
Brandywine basketball star was named all-state three times;
averaged 31.6 points as sophomore at Hagerstown (Md.) Junior
College in 1989-90; played two years at UNLV.
#46 PATSY HAHN
WILMINGTON
State's best female junior golfer; turned pro in 1962 and placed
sixth in '64 U.S. Open.
#47 Lennell Shepherd
WILMINGTON
1965 national junior weightlifting champ won eight state titles.
#48 Milton Roberts
REHOBOTH
Cofounded Delaware lacrosse program in 1948 and coached team from
'50 to '57.
#49 Arthur Redden
WILMINGTON
Track and football star at Howard High; won light heavyweight
boxing gold medal at 1967 Pan Am Games.
#50 Spencer Dunkley
NEWARK
Delaware center set 13 school records from 1989 to '93; went on
to play in CBA and several overseas leagues.
COLOR PHOTO: HEINZ KLUETMEIER #1 Randy White