The 50 Greatest Sports Figures From Idaho

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
Harmon Killebrew
PAYETTE
Most homers by AL righthanded hitter (573); fifth alltime
overall; 13 All-Star Games with Twins; 1969 AL MVP.

#2
Jerry Kramer
SANDPOINT
Starred as tackle and kicker at Idaho; led power sweeps that
helped Packers to five NFL titles including wins in first two
Super Bowls; four-time All-Pro guard.

#3
Picabo Street
SUN VALLEY
Earned gold in Super G at 1998 Olympics, downhill silver in '94;
only American to win World Cup downhill title ('96).

#4
Gary Stevens
BOISE
One of this generation's top jockeys; has won six Triple Crown
races, including 1997 Derby and Preakness.

#5
Vern Law
MERIDIAN
Won twice in Pirates' 1960 World Series defeat of Yankees; got Cy
Young Award that year.

#6
Larry Wilson
RIGBY
Four-sport high school star was safety-blitzing terror with
Cardinals from 1960 to '72; 52 interceptions, eight Pro Bowls.

#7
Jake Plummer
BOISE
Third in 1996 Heisman race, at Arizona State; comeback specialist
led '98 Cardinals to first postseason win since '47.

#8
Mike Young
IDAHO FALLS
Three-time state wrestling champ at Idaho Falls High in early
1960s; 56-1 record at BYU; won gold at '67 Pan Am Games.

#9
Wayne Walker
BOISE
Anchored Idaho offensive line with Jerry Kramer in 1950s; made
three Pro Bowls as linebacker with Lions.

#10
Merril Hoge
POCATELLO
Set Idaho State record for all-purpose yards (5,413) in 1980s;
holds Steelers season mark for catches by a running back (50).

#11
John Friesz
COEUR D'ALENE
Set Division I-AA record with 10 straight 300-yard passing games
at Idaho in 1989; now with Patriots, his fourth team.

#12
Larry Jackson
BOISE
In 1964 won 24 games and was NL Comeback Player of the
Year with Cubs; had 194 victories in 14 seasons in majors.

#13
Jason Buck
ST. ANTHONY
Two-time junior college defensive player of the year at Ricks
College; Outland Trophy winner at BYU in 1986.

#14
Andrea Lloyd
MOSCOW
Three-time state girls' basketball player of the year at Moscow
High; won NCAA title with Texas in 1986, Olympic gold in '88.

#15
Doug Riesenberg
MOSCOW
Football and track All-America at Moscow High; Giants offensive
tackle from 1987 to '95; won Super Bowl ring in '90.

#16
Chris Owens
IDAHO FALLS
Won four state wrestling titles and went 123-0 at Idaho Falls
High in 1980s; finished second in 142-pound class at NCAA
championships in '92.

#17
Dean Oliver
CALDWELL
Won record eight world calf roping titles and three world
all-around championships (1963, '64, '65).

#18
John Grant
BOISE
All-America defensive end at USC in 1972; spent seven seasons
with Broncos.

#19
Mike Garman
CALDWELL
Pitched for five teams in nine seasons in majors; had
career-high 12 saves for NL champion Dodgers in 1977.

#20
Randy Trautman
CALDWELL
Boise State walk-on was two-time Division I-AA All-America
defensive tackle; led Broncos to 1980 divisional national title.

#21
Dee Pickett
CALDWELL
Boise State quarterback in 1976 and '77; world all-around rodeo
champion in '84.

#22
Amber Welty
TWIN FALLS
Won NCAA high jump championship as junior at Idaho State in 1988;
member of '92 Olympic team.

#23
Babe Caccia
POCATELLO
Idaho State fixture from 1948 to '86; school's winningest
football and baseball coach; athletic director from '79 to '86.

#24
Laverne Fator
HAILEY
Jockey won 143 races in 1926; won or placed in 2,783 of 4,967
starts from '19 to '31.

#25
Corissa Yasen
COEUR D'ALENE
Won 1996 NCAA heptathlon title; All-America in nine track events
at Purdue; averaged 11.4 points for Boilermakers' basketball team
that season.

#26
Davey Hamilton
MERIDIAN
Has 13 top five finishes on Indy Racing League circuit; finished
fourth in 1999 point standings.

#27
Rick Woods
BOISE
Set Boise State record for career punt return yards (1,147); had
13 interceptions with Steelers and Buccaneers from 1982 to '87.

#28
David Archer
SODA SPRINGS
Football and basketball star at Soda Springs High; spent six
seasons in NFL; best year was 1986 when he passed for 2,007
yards with Falcons.

#29
Brent Pease
MOUNTAIN HOME
Left Montana in 1986 with single-season records in passing yards
(3,056) and TDs (30).

#30
Roland Woolsey
GRANDVIEW
All-Big Sky safety at Boise State in 1974; had five
interceptions in four-year career with four NFL teams.

#31
Kipp Bedard
BOISE
All-America wideout at Boise State in 1980, '81; still holds
Broncos' single-season mark for receiving yards (1,101).

#32
Cedric Minter
BOISE
Set then Big Sky career rushing record (4,475) at Boise State
from 1978 to '80; played five seasons with CFL's Toronto
Argonauts and NFL's Jets.

#33
Babe Hiskey
POCATELLO
Won three state amateur golf titles, in 1956, '60 and '61.

#34
Dee Wilde
POCATELLO
Won World Indoor Archery Championship in 1998; has been ranked
No. 1 in world eight times since '89; holds every 18-meter world
record.

#35
Andy Toolson
TWIN FALLS
Left BYU in 1990 as career leader in three-pointers (141); played
briefly with Jazz.

#36
Ray McDonald
CALDWELL
Led nation in rushing (1,329 yards) for Idaho in 1966; played two
seasons with Redskins before leg injury ended career.

#37
Steve Hayes
ABERDEEN
Idaho State's alltime leading rebounder and second-leading
scorer; played in Italy, CBA and NBA from 1982 to '86.

#38
Ed Jacoby
IDAHO FALLS
Boise State track coach for 23 of last 24 years; coached 11
All-Americas; three-time NCAA district coach of the year.

#39
John L. Smith
IDAHO FALLS
All-Big Sky quarterback at Weber State in 1971; coached Idaho to
three Division I-AA top 10 finishes from '89 to '94.

#40
Teresa Spaulding
MERIDIAN
Starred at center for BYU basketball team; member of 1984 Olympic
team.

#41
Brad White
IDAHO FALLS
Football star and state wrestling champ at Skyline High;
defensive lineman for three NFL teams from 1981 to '87.

#42
Clarence Edmundson
MOSCOW
Won national half-mile title at Idaho in 1909; ran 800 meters at
'12 Olympics; had 488-195 record as Washington hoops coach from
'21 to '47.

#43
Hal Espy
POCATELLO
At Idaho State won NCAA heavyweight boxing title in 1957 and '59.

#44
Yo Murphy
IDAHO FALLS
All-America wide receiver at Idaho in 1992; played for Scottish
Claymores of NFL Europe in '98; receiver with Buccaneers and
Vikings in '99.

#45
Ken Hobart
KAMIAH
All-America quarterback at Idaho in 1983 was second player in
NCAA history to pass for more than 10,000 yards; set 12 Division
I-AA records.

#46
Scott Auker
FRUITLAND
All-Big Sky tight end at Idaho in 1984 and '85.

#47
Vic Kobe
POCATELLO
Won 1953 NCAA boxing championship in 119-pound division.

#48
Jane Chi
BOISE
NCAA indoor women's tennis champion at UCLA in 1995; turned
professional same year; finished '99 as world's 84th-ranked pro.

#49
Gary Simmons
TWIN FALLS
All-America guard at Idaho in 1957-58; his 20.4 ppg that season
was a Vandals record.

#50
Robbie Davis
POCATELLO
Leading apprentice jockey in 1982; still successful rider today,
though not the same after 1988 accident in which his horse
trampled a fellow jockey to death.

COLOR PHOTO: FRED KAPLAN #1 Harmon Killebrew