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Mt Rushmore - Athletes from Iowa

For consideration Paul Mayo from Grinnell. State champ wrestler. 2 time rodeo world champion, bareback riding. Pro and Texas Rodeo HOFer. Won or placed at every major rodeo in America.

Paul, his brothers Bob and Don and a cowboy named Jim Houston pioneered the Mayo style which is still used today. Leaning waaaay back in the saddle, a familiar image associated with rodeo, is the Mayo style.

The Mayo brothers (all RIP) were my friend’s uncles.
 
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I believe Jack Dittmer earned letters in three and maybe four sports at Iowa and played professional baseball for the Milwaukee Braves and Detroit Tigers.
 
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Roger Craig, Michael Nunn, Ricky Davis, Harrison Barnes, Lolo Jones, Reggie Roby, Dedric Ward, Cal Eldred, Jeremy Hellickson, Zach Johnson, Marshall Yanda, AJ Derby, Stacy Frese, Kia Stokes, Omaha Bielew?

Guess I missed the Mt. Rushmore part, lol. Most of these wouldn't make the top 4
 
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Gable and Kinnick are a lock.

Feller is a name some won't be as familiar with but he has to be in too. World Series Champ, 8X all star, first ballot hall of famer. He's among the greatest MLB pitchers of all time.

The 4th slot could go to a number of people. Johnson was special but she's not the only gold medalist from Iowa. Warner has to get consideration, Super Bowl Champion and MVP. Clark also in the mix. If she's able to lead IOWA to the NC..I'd put her up there.
 
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BonzoFury said:
Gable and Kinnick are a lock.

Feller is a name some won't be as familiar with but he has to be in too. World Series Champ, 8X all star, first ballot hall of famer. He's among the greatest MLB pitchers of all time.

the 4th slot could go to a number of people. Johnson was special but she's not the only gold medalist from Iowa.
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Kinnick actually not a lock. The Heisman was a huge accomplishment, even with far less teams back then. But there was a lot more to Kinnick, as a man, and in memorial (stadium), that adds to his legend. Nonetheless, I couldn't not include him in my Rushmore
 
eyesofhawk said:
Kinnick actually not a lock. The Heisman was a huge accomplishment, even with far less teams back then. But there was a lot more to Kinnick, as a man, and in memorial (stadium), that adds to his legend. Nonetheless, I couldn't not include him in my Rushmore
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Like all these things, it's a matter of criteria. Are we talking about Iowa-born, or an athlete who achieved fame while in the state? Feller absolutely is one.
 
eyesofhawk said:
Kinnick actually not a lock. The Heisman was a huge accomplishment, even with far less teams back then. But there was a lot more to Kinnick, as a man, and in memorial (stadium), that adds to his legend. Nonetheless, I couldn't not include him in my Rushmore
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What athlete from the state of Iowa is more celebrated?

Kinnick, Gable, Feller, Warner
 
I think if he keeps it up, we could put George kittle into the conversation. I consider him being from iowa even though he bounced around durning his childhood
 
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IAFB2021Champs said:
I think if he keeps it up, we could put George kittle into the conversation. I consider him being from iowa even though he bounced around durning his childhood
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Glad to claim him for Cedar Falls. He lived here and competed for CFHS. Dad Bruce played at CF too and was part of Hayden’s first Rose Bowl team.
 
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Time determines the legends!

Let go with the legends first:
Dan Gable - wrestler/coach... known world-wide for his accomplishments.
Nile Kinnick - stadium named after him...enough said!
Bob Feller - Hall of Fame baseball pitcher 266 career wins, despite spending 4 years in the war.
👏👏👏
4th is up for grabs
C Clark certainly has the potential to be legendary, Warner's story is well-documented and we'll see if it has legs.

One name not mentioned yet is the man considered the greatest hitter in Iowa baseball history, Hal Trosky Sr. from Norway. Averaged .306 over a long major league career. Inducted into Cleveland Indian Hall of Fame. Hindered by migraine headaches throughout his career. His success is legendary to those who know baseball!
I'll put him #4 for now, due to his success and longevity, plus I'm a baseball fan! ;)

Berwanger would have to be considered and there was an Iowan who was one of the Four Horseman at Notre Dame, just for an FYI.
 
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Feller has to be #1 IMO; his long, storied career at the highest level is unequaled by a native Iowan. Kurt Warner and Dan Gable can make a lesser claim in their respective fields. As someone said above, longevity is the key and many mentioned above may get there as well. Maybe Zach Johnson at this point???

A few excellent unique call outs most people wouldn't have thought of but not top 4:
  • Jack Dittmer: my dad, who lettered / played baseball with Dittmer at IA and played town ball against him in NE IA (and made it to AA in the White Sox organization so my dad was a good ball player himself); told me multiple times that Dittmer is one of the very best players he's personally ever played with or against at any level
  • Hal Trosky, Sr: outstanding, long career as noted above
  • The Mayo brothers, never heard of them but I like the call out.
A couple of other native Iowan MLB'ers but not top 4:
  • Red Faber, Cascade, MLB Hall of Fame, 19 year carreer with the White Sox, two time AL ERA leader, World Series Champ
  • Mike Boddicker, also from Norway as was Trosky, had a long career in the MLB including an All Star, World Series Champ, ALCS MVP, AL wins and ERA leader in 1984.
 
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eyesofhawk said:
Roger Craig, Michael Nunn, Ricky Davis, Harrison Barnes, Lolo Jones, Reggie Roby, Dedric Ward, Cal Eldred, Jeremy Hellickson, Zach Johnson, Marshall Yanda, AJ Derby, Stacy Frese, Kia Stokes, Omaha Bielew?

Guess I missed the Mt. Rushmore part, lol. Most of these wouldn't make the top 4
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AJ Derby? Good Lord, you did some diggen there, LOL
 
skydog0784 said:
Feller has to be #1 IMO; his long, storied career at the highest level is unequaled by a native Iowan. Kurt Warner and Dan Gable can make a lesser claim in their respective fields. As someone said above, longevity is the key and many mentioned above may get there as well. Maybe Zach Johnson at this point???

A few excellent unique call outs most people wouldn't have thought of but not top 4:
  • Jack Dittmer: my dad, who lettered / played baseball with Dittmer at IA and played town ball against him in NE IA (and made it to AA in the White Sox organization so my dad was a good ball player himself); told me multiple times that Dittmer is one of the very best players he's personally ever played with or against at any level
  • Hal Trosky, Sr: outstanding, long career as noted above
  • The Mayo brothers, never heard of them but I like the call out.
A couple of other native Iowan MLB'ers but not top 4:
  • Red Faber, Cascade, MLB Hall of Fame, 19 year carreer with the White Sox, two time AL ERA leader, World Series Champ
  • Mike Boddicker, also from Norway as was Trosky, had a long career in the MLB including an All Star, World Series Champ, ALCS MVP, AL wins and ERA leader in 1984.
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Some good additions 👏 👏 👏
Red Faber a new one for me and I'm old! ;)
 
eyesofhawk said:
Roger Craig, Michael Nunn, Ricky Davis, Harrison Barnes, Lolo Jones, Reggie Roby, Dedric Ward, Cal Eldred, Jeremy Hellickson, Zach Johnson, Marshall Yanda, AJ Derby, Stacy Frese, Kia Stokes, Omaha Bielew?

Guess I missed the Mt. Rushmore part, lol. Most of these wouldn't make the top 4
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Several not even top 100
 
kceasthawk said:
AJ Derby? Good Lord, you did some diggen there, LOL
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Yeah got a bit sidetracked on that list.

Derby certainly not one of the most accomplished. Played a few years in the NFL though, which is no small feat.

Athletically though, AJ played the part. One of the the more highly recruited players coming out of high school in Iowa. And could have been a Big Ten basketball player had that been his serious sport
 
skydog0784 said:
Feller has to be #1 IMO; his long, storied career at the highest level is unequaled by a native Iowan. Kurt Warner and Dan Gable can make a lesser claim in their respective fields. As someone said above, longevity is the key and many mentioned above may get there as well. Maybe Zach Johnson at this point???

A few excellent unique call outs most people wouldn't have thought of but not top 4:
  • Jack Dittmer: my dad, who lettered / played baseball with Dittmer at IA and played town ball against him in NE IA (and made it to AA in the White Sox organization so my dad was a good ball player himself); told me multiple times that Dittmer is one of the very best players he's personally ever played with or against at any level
  • Hal Trosky, Sr: outstanding, long career as noted above
  • The Mayo brothers, never heard of them but I like the call out.
A couple of other native Iowan MLB'ers but not top 4:
  • Red Faber, Cascade, MLB Hall of Fame, 19 year carreer with the White Sox, two time AL ERA leader, World Series Champ
  • Mike Boddicker, also from Norway as was Trosky, had a long career in the MLB including an All Star, World Series Champ, ALCS MVP, AL wins and ERA leader in 1984.
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How can you say Gable in a lesser claim. Was a high school phenom, a college phenom, an Olympics gold metal winner and about the best college coach of all time. What does it take for you to recognize his lifetime accomplishments?
 
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cecilB said:
Several not even top 100
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Not my Rushmore list. But I challenge you on "several not in the top 100". Everyone on that list is pretty legit, if not exceptional.

Obviously, time will tell on Bielew. That's why I put a question mark.

Without having my top 100 layed out in front of me, Derby could be a stretch, I get it. But again, when speaking pure athleticism, AJ makes a list.

Gotta give some love to some women, whether they are top 100 or not. Rankings get murky across genders. Frese played in the WNBA, and for Iowa and ISU. Turned a bad ISU program around, and they've been good ever since. Hugely important basketball figure to the state. Stokes has played several years in the WNBA and is champion.

Ward made winning plays for Parcels in the NFL. Would be much more fondly remembered had he played for the Hawks instead of UNI. At the time, Hayden had one more scholly available at WR, and chose the height of 6'3" Clinton Solomon. Dedric was also hard to keep off the list, athletically. Ran a 4.3 40 and could have been BIg Ten PG had he chosen basketball. One athlete I have never seen off-balance.

Yanda is a Hall-of-Famer and champion.

Same with Roger Craig. Please tell me I'm not defending him for top 100.

Zach "Green Jacket" Johnson has to be somewhere in the top 100.

Eldred and Hellickson have at the very least been strong #2 starters in a rotation. Top 100 for Iowa? Who knows. But legit nonetheless.

Michael Nunn world champion in maybe the purest sport of them all.

And again, please don't tell me I'm arguing for Reggie Roby to get in the top 100. One of the two best punters of all time. And hit a 55 yard FG in high school. The sport is called "foot"ball.

Lolo Jones has a few world championship medals.

Ricky Davis might be the most athletic of them all.

And Harrison Barnes was as highly recruited as any and is a champion. Really, any NBA player should be in the top 100, as statistically it's about impossible to stick for more than a cup of coffee. McDermott, Korver, Bowen, Bullard, Hasen, on down the line
 
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Would not be in my top 4, but she is legendary in girl's basketball...Denise Long!
Drafted by an NBA team.
 
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As much as it pains me to write this, I throw Iowa State's Gary Thompson in for consideration. Consensus 2nd team all-American in basketball, 1st team AP, Big 7 player of the year. beating out Wilt Chamberlain. Also, played in the 1957 college World Series as a shortstop. After turning down the NBA, he went on to play on the Phillips 66ers' in the AAU back when it was a thing. Led them to an AAU title in 1962. I present to you; "The Roland Rocket."
 
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eyesofhawk said:
Not my Rushmore list. But I challenge you on "several not in the top 100". Everyone on that list is pretty legit, if not exceptional.

Obviously, time will tell on Bielew. That's why I put a question mark.

Without having my top 100 layed out in front of me, Derby could be a stretch, I get it. But again, when speaking pure athleticism, AJ makes a list.

Gotta give some love to some women, whether they are top 100 or not. Rankings get murky across genders. Frese played in the WNBA, and for Iowa and ISU. Turned a bad ISU program around, and they've been good ever since. Hugely important basketball figure to the state. Stokes has played several years in the WNBA and is champion.

Ward made winning plays for Parcels in the NFL. Would be much more fondly remembered had he played for the Hawks instead of UNI. At the time, Hayden had one more scholly available at WR, and chose the height of 6'3" Clinton Solomon. Dedric was also hard to keep off the list, athletically. Ran a 4.3 40 and could have been BIg Ten PG had he chosen basketball. One athlete I have never seen off-balance.

Yanda is a Hall-of-Famer and champion.

Same with Roger Craig. Please tell me I'm not defending him for top 100.

Zach "Green Jacket" Johnson has to be somewhere in the top 100.

Eldred and Hellickson have at the very least been strong #2 starters in a rotation. Top 100 for Iowa? Who knows. But legit nonetheless.

Michael Nunn world champion in maybe the purest sport of them all.

And again, please don't tell me I'm arguing for Reggie Roby to get in the top 100. One of the two best punters of all time. And hit a 55 yard FG in high school. The sport is called "foot"ball.

Lolo Jones has a few world championship medals.

Ricky Davis might be the most athletic of them all.

And Harrison Barnes was as highly recruited as any and is a champion. Really, any NBA player should be in the top 100, as statistically it's about impossible to stick for more than a cup of coffee. McDermott, Korver, Bowen, Bullard, Hasen, on down the line
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Whatever. Have fun arguing with yourself
 
eyesofhawk said:
Yeah got a bit sidetracked on that list.

Derby certainly not one of the most accomplished. Played a few years in the NFL though, which is no small feat.

Athletically though, AJ played the part. One of the the more highly recruited players coming out of high school in Iowa. And could have been a Big Ten basketball player had that been his serious sport
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Then why not add Blake Larson?
 
Nile Kinnick and Caitlin Clark. That’s it. Gable never played for iowa so I can’t include him.
 
And we shouldn’t leave off Kyle Orton— the Bears best QB this millennia, and quite possibly franchise history.
 
Hawk_4shur said:
All-time, any sport, From the State of Iowa.

Maybe -

Caitlin Clark
Nile Kinnick
Dan Gable
Shawn Johnson

Kurt Warner?
Tim Dwight?
Jay Berwanger?
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Bob Sanders! Sorry, I just realized the OP said…from Iowa.
 
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