The 50 Greatest Sports Figures From Nevada

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
Greg Maddux
LAS VEGAS
Valley High graduate has won four Cy Young Awards and appeared in
four World Series; 221 career wins in 14 big league seasons (1986
to '99).

#2
Andre Agassi
LAS VEGAS
One of five men to win all four tennis Grand Slam singles
events; currently world's top-ranked player.

#3
Matt Williams
CARSON CITY
Third baseman has 334 homers and 1,050 RBIs over 13 seasons;
owner of four Gold Gloves; led NL with 43 homers in 1994.

#4
Don Johnson
LAS VEGAS
Won at least one PBA title for 12 years (1966 to '77); two-time
BWAA bowler of the year.

#5
David Humm
LAS VEGAS
All-America quarterback at Bishop Gorman High; passed for 5,236
yards and 42 TDs at Nebraska; All-America in 1974.

#6
Lionel (Train) Hollins
LAS VEGAS
Averaged 17.0 points in two seasons at Arizona State;
All-America in 1975; 10 seasons in NBA; made All-Rookie team in
1975-76.

#7
Lee White
LAS VEGAS
Weber State's alltime leading rusher; averaged 153.1 yards per
game as a senior in 1967; two-time All-Big Sky Conference.

#8
Marion Jones Farquhar
GOLD HILL
First Far Westerner to win national lawn tennis title (1899);
first U.S. woman at Wimbledon (1900).

#9
Mike Morgan
LAS VEGAS
Was 7-1 with an 0.68 ERA at Valley High in 1978; has played with
11 teams in 19 years in bigs.

#10
Marty Barrett
LAS VEGAS
Won two state baseball titles at Rancho High; major league
infielder from 1982 to '91; ALCS MVP in 1986 with Red Sox.

#11
Gerald Riggs
LAS VEGAS
Bonanza High back once ran for 236 yards, four TDs on eight
carries against Henderson; as Falcon, led NFC with 1,719 yards in
1985.

#12
Greg Anthony
LAS VEGAS
Point guard on UNLV's 1990 NCAA championship team; Rebels'
alltime assists and steals leader.

#13
Michael Roxborough
LAS VEGAS
As president of Las Vegas Sports Consultants (1982 to '99) set
betting line for sports books.

#14
Sheila Tarr-Smith
LAS VEGAS
NCAA heptathlon champ in 1984; holds UNLV marks in heptathlon
points, shot put and javelin.

#15
Mills Lane
RENO
NCAA 147-pound boxing champ at Nevada in 1960; has refereed more
than 100 world title fights; disqualified Mike Tyson for biting
Evander Holyfield in '97.

#16
Shawn Estes
MINDEN
Threw four no-hitters at Douglas High; Giants lefthander was 1997
All-Star (19-5, 3.18 ERA).

#17
Frank Hawkins
LAS VEGAS
All-America in football and wrestling at West High; alltime
leading rusher at Nevada; gained 526 yards with Raiders in 1983.

#18
Richard Steele
LAS VEGAS
Former member of U.S. Marines boxing team has been one of sport's
top referees since 1982.

#19
Bison Dele
LAS VEGAS
Former Brian Williams was center on 1997 NBA champion Bulls;
averaged 15.8 points with Clippers in 1995-96.

#20
Robert Gamez
LAS VEGAS
As PGA rookie in 1990, beat Mark Calcavecchia by four strokes to
win Tucson Open in first pro start; also won '90 Nestle
Invitational.

#21
Chris Ault
RENO
Nevada's winningest football coach guided Wolf Pack to 163-63-1
record between 1976 and '95; won '92 Big West title in first
Division I-A season.

#22
Donovan Osborne
CARSON CITY
Three-sport star at Carson City High set Big West career record
for pitching victories at UNLV; 47-45 in seven years with
Cardinals.

#23
Nick Bell
LAS VEGAS
All-State running back at Clark High; All-Big Ten at Iowa in
1990; three seasons with Raiders.

#24
Marty Cordova
LAS VEGAS
Bishop Gorman High star won AL Rookie of the Year award with
Twins in 1995.

#25
Bob Martin
LAS VEGAS
Oddsmaker at powerful Churchill Downs sports book in 1960s, when
his line was known as the Las Vegas Line.

#26
Freddie Banks
LAS VEGAS
All-America guard at Valley High; UNLV's fourth-leading scorer
alltime (2,007 points from 1983 to '87).

#27
Tyler Houston
LAS VEGAS
Led Valley High to state title as a senior, hitting .485 with 13
home runs and 66 RBIs; Indians catcher was No. 2 pick in 1989
amateur draft by Braves.

#28
Glenn Carano
RENO
Passed for 2,368 yards and 13 TDs with USFL's Pittsburgh Maulers
in 1984.

#29
Abby Miller
HENDERSON
Four-time Nevada high school cross-country champ led Green Valley
High to 1999 state title, setting 5-km course record (18:51).

#30
Pam Buckner
RENO
First woman to bowl consecutive 300 games.

#31
Don Logan
TONOPAH
G.M. of Triple A Las Vegas Stars has led movement to build $50
million spring training complex to attract major league team to
southern Nevada.

#32
Stacy Bromberg
LAS VEGAS
America's No. 1-ranked women's dart thrower; won four titles at
1998 North American Open.

#33
Mike Maddux
LAS VEGAS
Three-year pitcher at UTEP; won career-high seven games with 1991
Padres.

#34
Michael Johnson
LAS VEGAS
Nevada player of the year as senior guard at Rancho High in
1994; helped lead Oklahoma to 1999 Sweet 16.

#35
LaVerne Carter
LAS VEGAS
Two-time winner of the WIBC Championship was one of America's top
bowlers during 1950s and '60s.

#36
Ginger Ernest
LAS VEGAS
San Diego State volleyball star from 1993 to '96 ranks fourth in
Aztecs history in kills and digs.

#37
Rodger Fairless
LAS VEGAS
In 18-year career (1978 to '89, '91 to '98) coached Valley High
and Green Valley High baseball teams to 12 large-school titles.

#38
John Klares
LAS VEGAS
Bowler teamed with Steve Nagy to win doubles title at 1952 ABC
Tournament with then record 1,453 series.

#39
Angelo Collis
McGILL
Coached underdog McGill High to 1948 state football title;
coached at Las Vegas High for 10 years; won four state titles.

#40
Danny Tarkanian
LAS VEGAS
Son of former Las Vegas coach Jerry; star point guard for Bishop
Gorman High; set many assist marks at UNLV from 1981 to '84.

#41
Prince Fowler
LAS VEGAS
Averaged 40.0 points and 8.7 assists as senior at Western High in
1993-94; played three years at TCU.

#42
Jon Denton
HENDERSON
UNLV's second-leading alltime passer threw for 6,177 yards and
43 TDs in 1996 and '97.

#43
Tony Mendes
RENO
World's No. 13-ranked bull rider was 1996 Professional Rodeo
Cowboy Association bull-riding rookie of the year.

#44
Rob MacCachren
LAS VEGAS
Driver in SCORE and SODA off-road racing series placed second in
1996 SCORE Trophy-Truck Series.

#45
Julie Dunn
LAS VEGAS
Won four straight state golf titles at Bishop Gorman High from
1993 to '96; twice honorable mention All-America at Stanford.

#46
Kurt Busch
LAS VEGAS
Set NASCAR Southwest Series record with four straight victories
in 1999.

#47
Bill (Wildcat) Morris
LAS VEGAS
Starred on undefeated 1944 Las Vegas High football team that
never allowed consecutive first downs; late president of UNLV's
booster club.

#48
Marc Ratner
LAS VEGAS
Executive director of Nevada Athletic Commission has overseen 185
world championship fights in state.

#49
Craig Barlow
HENDERSON
No. 5 in state as high school tennis player in 1990; won '94
Nevada state amateur golf title; qualified for PGA Tour in '98.

#50
H Waldman
HENDERSON
State high school basketball player of the year in 1990 (17.4
ppg, 8.3 apg); played at UNLV and St. Louis.

COLOR PHOTO: SIMON BRUTY #2 Andre Agassi