The Greatest Athlete of All Time From Every State

Alabama - Willie Mays

Born in: Westfield. Willie Mays was one of the greatest players to ever play baseball, because he was so talented all around. He could run well and hit for power, which was a rare combination during his playing days and it still is now. Coming from the South, he went on to amaze fans on the West Coast as he went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Giants, accumulating 660 home runs along the way.

Alaska - Curt Schilling

Born in: Anchorage. Curt Schilling has always seemed like a quirky guy, so it figures he’s from one of the more obscure states in the country. He was born in Anchorage, but ended up going on to be one of the best pitchers of his time, winning World Series titles with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox. His place in history has forever been cemented since the “Bloody Sock” Game that helped propel the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS and eventually end their long World Series drought.

Arizona - Darren Woodson

Born in: Phoenix. Arizona tends to be a state with older residents, but plenty of young athletes come up through the state as well. Darren Woodson is a prime example. The former safety enjoyed a successful career from 1992-2004 while being selected to the All-Pro team three times, winning three Super Bowl titles and intercepting opposing passers 23 times as a member of the Cowboys.

Arkansas - Scottie Pippen

Born in: Hamburg. Pippen, who also went to college in Arkansas at the University of Central Arkansas, was probably the most famous sidekick in NBA history as he helped the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, to six championships in eight seasons. He could have been a superstar and “the man” on another team, but he stayed with the Bulls and continued to help Jordan become an even better player. Not many people get to say they played for over a decade with the best player to ever play their sport, but Pippen can say exactly that.

California - Ted Williams

Born in: San Diego. California is a big state, and since sports can be played in most parts of the state year-round, there have been a ton of talented athletes to come out of the Golden State. Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio are the greatest players to ever come out of the state, but Williams gets the slight edge because of the lore that surrounds his career decades later. He wasn’t quite as flashy as DiMaggio, but Williams was one of the greatest hitters to ever walk the earth.

Colorado - Jack Dempsey

Born in: Manassa. Obviously, with the terrain it’s set in, plenty of winter sports athletes come out of Colorado, but it’s a boxer who is the best to ever come out of the state. Dempsey was one of the greatest boxers to ever step into the ring, recording a lifetime record of 65-6-11 (51 KOs). Dempsey was a key figure in American society in the 1920s as he held his heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926.

Connecticut - Bill Romanowski

Born in: Vernon. After being born on the east coast in Connecticut, Romanowski spent most of his career far from home, playing out west with the 49ers, Broncos and Raiders (he also played for the Eagles briefly). The 6-foot-4, 245-pound linebacker was one of the most intimidating figures in sports during his playing days because of his harsh hits and brute strength. There surely are offensive players from his era who still dread the sight of him to this day.

Delaware - Delino DeShields

Born in: Seaford. Since it’s such a small state, Delaware hasn’t produced a ton of athletic talent throughout the years, but it did produce a speed demon second baseman. DeShields, who played for five different teams in his career, was never a great hitter, but his speed on the bases struck fear into opposing catchers. By the time it was all said and done, he swiped an impressive 463 bases.

Florida - Deion Sanders

Born in: Fort Myers. Florida is a hot bed for athletic talent, especially in football, and there have been countless professional players to come from the state. Even though Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, also comes from the state, Deion Sanders barely gets the nod here. He was a two-sport athlete, excelling in both baseball and football, and he may have just been the biggest freak athlete in sports history.

Georgia - Ty Cobb

Born in: Narrows. Jackie Robinson made the bigger impact on sports, but Ty Cobb is the best athlete to ever come out of the state of Georgia. After all, the speedster was nicknamed “The Georgia Peach”. Even though his career was filled with controversy, Cobb set numerous major league records at the time of his playing career, including hits and steals.

Hawaii - Marcus Mariota

Born in: Honolulu. Even though Mariota hasn’t played a snap in the NFL yet, he is the greatest popular athlete to come out of the Aloha State as he won college football’s highest award, the Heisman trophy. He has a ton of pride for his home state as could be seen when he wore native garb to the Heisman trophy ceremony in 2015. If he experiences success in the NFL, Mariota will only further his claim as the greatest athlete to ever come from the Hawaiian Islands.

Idaho - Harmon Killebrew

Born in: Payette. Contrary to popular belief, Idaho grows more than just potatoes. It turns out the state grows power hitters as well. Harmon Killebrew is one of the most underrated power hitters in baseball history; he hit 573 home runs in his big league career. Killebrew is best known for his two decades with the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins where he became a living legend to local fans.

Illinois - Dick Butkus

Born in: Chicago. There aren’t many athletes who get to play professional sports in their hometown, but that’s exactly what Butkus got to do as a Chicago native playing for the Bears. He was one of the most hard-nosed players to ever play football, and his harsh playing style inspired a nasty new form of linebacker. It’s not an exaggeration to say that his brutality helped turn football into the game it has become.

Indiana - Larry Bird

Born in: West Baden. Larry Bird became a legend in the state of Indiana because he was born and raised there and then helped Indiana State reach national prominence during his college days. Even though he went out east to play for the Boston Celtics during his NBA career, he never lost sight of his roots. Every one of his 21,791 career points was scored as a result of the hard work he put in while living in Indiana.

Iowa - Bob Feller

Born in: Van Meter. Perhaps in Iowa, where Bob Feller was born, they could cut the cornfields down by simply allowing Feller to throw a fastball as fast as he could at the stalks. It probably would have worked. Outside of Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson, baseball fans hadn’t seen anyone who threw as hard as Feller did in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. His blazing fastball helped him strike out 2,581 batters in his 21-year career.

Kansas - Gale Sayers

Born in: Wichita. Coincidentally, two of the best running backs in NFL history both came from Kansas. Also coincidentally, both enjoyed extremely successful, but short NFL careers. Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders both dazzled on the field, and even though Sayers’ career was shorter, he was the more impressive runner. Sayers did it all: he ran out of the backfield, ran back kicks and ran back punts. It’s just a shame his career was cut short by a knee injury that could be fixed within a year with today’s medicine.

Kentucky - Muhammad Ali

Born in: Louisville. There has perhaps never been an athlete quite as big of a pop culture icon as Muhammad Ali. He was a polarizing figure: he was cocky, but he was so fun to watch that few boxing fans seemed to care. With the way he floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, how could anyone mind his occasional antics? The star was born in Louisville and went on to a 56-5-0 (37 KOs) career record.

Louisiana - Peyton Manning

Born in: New Orleans. His father and brother, both of whom also have played quarterback in the NFL, were born in Mississippi, but Peyton Manning was born in the home of Mardi Gras. Since Archie was playing for the Saints at the time, Manning was born in the team’s home city. Unfortunately for Saints fans, he would go on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Indianapolis and Denver.

Maine - Bob Stanley

Born in: Portland. You’re unlikely to catch many athletes from the Northeast’s northern-most state. The best athlete to come out of Maine is former MLB pitcher Bob Stanley, who experienced moderate success during his 13-year career. He made the All-Star team twice and recorded an impressive 132 saves from 1977-89.

Maryland - Babe Ruth

Born in: Baltimore. The greatest player to ever swing a baseball bat has always been connected to the East Coast. He was born and raised in Baltimore, began his career in Boston and earned fame and fortune in New York City. Ruth completely changed the game of baseball with his power hitting, and he did it all in a time when America was ready for an athlete to become an icon. He became exactly that and became one of the greatest athletes of all time as well as the greatest Maryland-born athlete ever.

Massachusetts - Jim Craig

Born in: North Easton. Elite hockey players are born every day in Massachusetts, but none of them have had the national and global impact of Jim Craig. Team USA’s goalie during the magical 1980 Miracle on Ice was magnificent all tournament. If it weren’t for his strong play against the USSR, the Miracle on Ice never would have happened and America’s greatest sports moment wouldn’t exist.

Michigan - Magic Johnson

Born in: Lansing. Like his long-time adversary Larry Bird, Magic Johnson was born, raised and attended college in the same home state. Michigan is where Magic calls home and it’s where he led his Michigan State Spartans to a national championship. He moved all the way to L.A. during his playing days, where he established himself as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, but he first became famous as a Spartan, playing for his hometown team.

Minnesota - Dave Winfield

Born in: St. Paul. There isn’t a whole lot of time to play outdoor sports in Minnesota, so it’s a wonder how Dave Winfield was able to become an elite three-sport athlete. The 12-time MLB All-Star was actually selected in the MLB, NFL and NBA drafts, showing just what type of athletic talent he was. In the sport he chose to play professionally, baseball, he is a member of the Hall of Fame. After all, 465 career home runs and 3,110 career hits will get you recognized.

Mississippi - Jerry Rice

Born in: Crawford. Mississippi is crazy about their football, and they just happened to raise the best wide receiver in the history of the sport. Jerry Rice put up numbers out of the wide receiver spot that are unlikely to be duplicated even in today’s pass-happy NFL. As part of three Super Bowl titles and after winning game MVP in one of them, Rice is widely regarded as the best player to ever catch a football for a living.

Missouri - Yogi Berra

Born in: St. Louis. The beloved Yogi Berra is one of several talented St. Louis kids who came into baseball around the same time, but he had the most successful career of any of them. He is widely recognized as the best catcher in baseball history and he’s also recognized as a winner. As a member of the Yankees, Berra won 13 World Series while appearing in the All-Star Game 18 times.

Montana - Phil Jackson

Born in: Deer Lodge. Phil Jackson wasn’t an outstanding player while he was in the NBA, but his playing career grouped with his coaching accomplishments make him the greatest athlete to ever come from the state of Montana. He won two NBA titles as a player for the Knicks, and he went on to win an unprecedented 11 more as the coach of Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and Kobe’s Los Angeles Lakers.

Nebraska - Bob Gibson

Born in: Omaha. Gibson was born in the hometown of the College World Series, but it was what he did after college that made him a legend. Pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, Gibson was dominant; he forced the league’s hand in lowering the pitching mound. His dazzling stuff helped him to a lifetime ERA of 2.91 with 3,117 strikeouts on the way to a 251-174 record.

Nevada - Andre Agassi

Born in: Las Vegas. In general, Las Vegas is a pretty transient city, but it’s where Agassi calls home. One of the greatest American-born tennis players of all time, Agassi won 870 career matches while locking down eight Grand Slam singles titles. To go along with those accolades, Agassi won a Gold Medal for men’s singles tennis in the 1996 Olympics.

New Hampshire - Chris Carpenter

Born in: Exeter. Since most of the athletic talent in the Northeast centralizes in the big cities, there haven’t been a ton of elite athletes from New Hampshire. One athlete who hails from the Granite State, though, was one of the best pitchers of his time. Chris Carpenter was a shutdown pitcher during most of his career, especially once he arrived in St. Louis as a member of the Cardinals. He won the Cy Young award in 2005, his second season in St. Louis, and helped the Cardinals to World Series titles in 2006 and 2011, pitching a gem in Game 7 of the 2011 Fall Classic.

New Jersey - Derek Jeter

Born in: Pequannock Township. The Captain has become more strongly linked to Michigan and New York as a result of his childhood move and MLB career, but Jeter was born as a military kid in New Jersey. One of the greatest Yankees and greatest shortstops ever, Jeter never failed to amaze. With his leadership, even from an early age, the Yankees were able to add five more World Series titles to the trophy chest.

New Mexico - Ronnie Lott

Born in: Albuquerque. New Mexico isn’t exactly a football hotbed, but it did produce the No. 11 NFL player of all time according to NFL.com. Lott was one of the most feared defensive backs ever, as he racked up 63 career interceptions. His strong play also led to personal and team success; he was named to the All-Pro First Team eight times and won four Super Bowl titles with the 49ers.

New York - Michael Jordan

Born in: New York City. Like many others on this list, Michael Jordan is more strongly associated with other cities and states (North Carolina and Chicago in MJ’s case). However, he was born in the city that never sleeps. Jordan became the greatest player in NBA history by doing things players had never done before. Beyond his acrobatics, Jordan just refused to lose. That’s just part of the reason why he led the Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s while winning the Finals MVP in each series.

North Carolina - Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Born in: Kannapolis. NASCAR isn’t the most popular sport in the Tar Heel State, but for a sustained period of time, one of the state’s favorite sons, Dale Earnhardt, was the most popular icon within the sport of auto racing. Earnhardt won 76 races over the course of his 27-year career while winning the Sprint Cup Series seven times. Tragically, he was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001 at the age of 49.

North Dakota - Travis Hafner

Born in: Jamestown. The Dakotas don’t produce an environment conducive to athletics and as a result, not many famous athletes come from that region. However, one of the more underrated power hitters of the 2000s, Travis Hafner, calls North Dakota home. He was one of the best designated hitters in baseball during his 12-year career as he belted 213 long balls.

Ohio - LeBron James

Born in: Akron. LeBron James is another athlete who gets to play professionally near his hometown, which is a pretty special thing. He is one of the most talented NBA players in history already and he hasn’t even finished his prime yet; that’s scary. By the time it’s all said and done, Cleveland’s favorite son might bring home a title to the city that’s been waiting for one more than half a century.

Oklahoma - Jim Thorpe

Born in: Pottawatomie County. Oklahoma used to produce a ton of football talent, and Jim Thorpe was no exception. One of the members of NFL’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, Thorpe wasn’t only good at football. He also played professional baseball and basketball and won Olympic gold medals in 1912 for the pentathlon and decathlon. Now that is versatility.

Oregon - Steve Prefontaine

Born in: Coos Bay. There have been a couple great athletes to come out of Oregon, but none of them are as closely connected to the state as runner Steve Prefontaine. He captured people’s imaginations as a runner at the University of Oregon, where he set records in seven different long-distance track events. Unfortunately, Prefontaine was killed in a car accident when he was just 24 years old.

Pennsylvania - Wilt Chamberlain

Born in: Philadelphia. There is a lot of basketball talent that comes out of Philly, and “Wilt the Stilt” is the best to ever come from the City of Brotherly Love. His 100-point game is unlikely to be matched in NBA history, but that wasn’t even his most impressive achievement. He scored 31,419 career points, good enough for 30.1 per contest.

Rhode Island - Nap Lajoie

Born in: Woonsocket. Like the other small Northeastern states, Rhode Island hasn’t produced a bevvy of athletic talent. The country’s smallest state did produce one of the greatest baseball players in the sport’s early history, though. Nap Lajoie was one of baseball’s premier players in the early 1900s; he was so talented and well respected that his team in Cleveland actually changed their name to the Cleveland Naps. Unbelievably, he recorded a lifetime .339 batting average and hit safely 3,252 times.

South Carolina - Kevin Garnett

Born in: Greenville. His NBA career is coming to a close (he will likely retire after the 2015-16 or 2016-17 season), but Kevin Garnett was one of the best big men to ever play the game. He traveled a long way from South Carolina to Chicago, where he played his final season of high school ball, to Minnesota, where he established himself as an NBA star. With his unique trash talking personality, nobody outside of South Carolina or otherwise, will ever forget him.

South Dakota - Dallas Clark

Born in: Sioux Falls. Dallas Clark is a unique guy in a couple ways. First of all, not many professional athletes have come from South Dakota. Second of all, not many tight ends have left the mark that he has on the game of football. He played 11 seasons, nine of which came with the Colts, where he was one of Peyton Manning’s top targets. With the future Hall of Famer throwing him the ball, Clark caught 505 passes, 53 of which were touchdowns, while picking up 5,665 yards.

Tennessee - Reggie White

Born in: Chattanooga. White was born in a state known for country music, but his playing style was more rock n’ roll. In his 15 NFL seasons, he made the Pro Bowl 13 times and became one of the most feared pass rushers in the history of the game. Quarterbacks didn’t want to be anywhere near him, but it didn’t matter. White finished his Hall of Fame career with 198 sacks.

Texas - Nolan Ryan

Born in: Refugio. There have been countless talented athletes to come out of Texas, but none embody the state better than Nolan Ryan. One of the best strikeout pitchers of all time, Ryan missed opposing bats with regularity while also spending much of his career in his home state with the Rangers and Astros. His country hardball style helped influence a new breed of Texas pitcher that exists to this day. Oh, and his 5,714 strikeouts and his seven no-hitters are the most in baseball history.

Utah - Steve Young

Born in: Salt Lake City. When Joe Montana’s career was winding down, the 49ers were wondering how they were ever going to replace him. It turns out they had another Hall of Fame quarterback waiting behind him. Young, a rare lefty quarterback, was born in Utah and attended school in the state at BYU. With San Francisco, Young tossed 232 touchdowns and brought the 49ers another Super Bowl title in 1994.

Vermont - Carlton Fisk

Born in: Bellows Falls. Yet another native of a small Northeastern state, Carlton Fisk established himself as one of the best catchers to ever play the game of baseball. His 25-year career spoke to his endurance and his 376 career home runs spoke to his playing ability. The 11-time All-Star was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.

Virginia - Lawrence Taylor

Born in: Williamsburg. Feared pass rushers come from all walks of life, but the most feared pass rusher of all time came from Virginia. Lawrence Taylor redefined the way defense is played in the NFL, and he redefined which offensive line positions teams prioritize. As a rusher from the outside linebacker spot, Taylor wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks. His 1,088 career tackles and 132.5 career sacks are a testament to that fact.

Washington - John Elway

Born in: Port Angeles. John Elway became famous in Denver, but his first days were spent in Washington. The two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback enjoyed a career unlike most in the NFL. He tried and failed to win a Super Bowl his entire career and then triumphed with a Lombardi trophy in each of his final two seasons. His leadership and ability from the quarterback position was key in both years.

West Virginia - Jerry West

Born in: Chelyan. NBA fans know West as the West Virginia native who made a name for himself with the Lakers. The point guard, whose picture above was used as the basis for the NBA's logo, went to college at the University of West Virginia as well and became one of the best basketball players in history, scoring 25,192 career points and racking up 6,238 assists.

Wisconsin - J.J. Watt

Born in: Waukesha. His career isn’t even half over yet, but J.J. Watt is already the best athlete to ever come from the state of Wisconsin. He went to school at the state’s university, so the fans there love him. Now if only they could get the dominant pass rusher, who already has 57 career sacks, to come to the hometown Packers, the state might just explode.

Wyoming - Boyd Dowler

Born in: Rock Springs. As one might imagine, Wyoming has the least impressive list of famous athletes of any state in the country. However, its best player is no pushover. Dowler was a top receiver and tight end, and he was one of the key players on the 1960s Packers. He pulled in 474 passes for 7,270 yards and scored 40 touchdowns in his career. Perhaps the coolest achievement of his career, though, was being a part of the first two Super Bowl champion Packer teams.