Who & Where
1. Billy Wagner
The Astros' closer from Tannersville averaged an NCAA
all-divisions record 19.1 K's per nine innings for Ferrum College
in '92.
2. George Washington and Jefferson national forests
With more than 2,000 miles of hiking trails, the Blue Ridge
Mountain forests are one of the largest public recreation areas
in the eastern U.S.
3. University of Virginia
Thomas Jefferson's school has sent 212 players to the NFL
(including Ronde and Tiki Barber), 30 to the NBA (most notably
Ralph Sampson) and 10 to the WNBA (Dawn Staley).
4. Fork Union Military Academy
The military school counts among its alums more than 50 NFL
players, including Eddie George and Vinny Testaverde.
5. Grant Hill
The three-time All-America at Duke and five-time NBA All-Star is
from Reston.
6. Arlington
The county of 189,927 is Virginia's SI Sportstown, for having the
state's best community sports programs.
7. Ashley Postell
The 2002 world champion on the balance beam is from Burke.
8. Allen Iverson
The 76ers' four-time All-Star quarterbacked Hampton's Bethel High
to the 1992 state football championship.
9. Michael Vick
The Newport News native starred at quarterback for Virginia Tech
before becoming the first player drafted in 2001, by Atlanta.
10. Old Dominion
The Norfolk university has won three national titles in women's
basketball (1979, '80 and '85).
11. Curtis Strange
The Norfolk golfer won back-to-back U.S. Opens in 1988 and '89
and was the first PGA Tour player to win $1 million in a single
year ('88).
12. Norfolk Tides
Formerly the Tidewater Tides, the Mets' Triple A club since '69
has helped groom such stars as Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden
and Jose Reyes.
13. Chesapeake
Home to both Nets center Alonzo Mourning, a two-time state high
school player of the year, and former NFL safety Kenny Easley,
the first Virginia high schooler to pass and rush for 1,000 yards
in a season.
14. Richmond International Raceway
The three-quarter-mile track hosts two Winston Cup events
annually, including the Pontiac Excitement 400 night race in May.
15. Burton Brothers
South Boston's Jeff and Ward, along with Elliot Sadler (Emporia)
and Ricky Rudd (Chesapeake), star in NASCAR.
HOT SPOT
16. Martinsville Speedway
This paper-clip-shaped .526-mile oval, which has been described
as "two drag strips with a turnaround on each end," is the oldest
and shortest track on the Winston Cup circuit and produces a
fender-rubbing good show for the 88,000 fans who attend each of
the two Cup races held here annually.
17. Oak Hill Academy
The Mouth of Wilson school has had a record 18 McDonald's
All-Americans, among them Jerry Stackhouse and Carmelo Anthony.
COLOR PHOTO: DONALD MIRALLE/ALLSPORT/GETTY IMAGES (MARTINSVILLE)
COLOR MAP: MAP ILLUSTRATION BY JOE ZEFF RICHMOND
