Posted on
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Creating The Texas Sports Version Of Mount Rushmore
Texas is such an expansive state - rich in history and traditions. Included in the Lone Star State's legacy is an illustrious sporting past.
I received an early Christmas present of Jaime Aron's book - The Best Dallas-Fort Worth Sports Arguments. It's a great read for sports fans.
One of Jaime's chapters is: Who would be on the Mount Rushmore of DFW Sports?
He placed Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Nolan Ryan and Dirk Nowitzki on the DFW Mountain.
Great choices.
It got me to thinking of who would represent the entire state. It's quite a chore narrowing down all the greats who have played in our state.
This is just for fun and is not meant to take away from Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. The park is visited by more than 3 million people each year to marvel at the beauty of the Black Hills.
Plus, there's a lesson about the ideals of democracy and freedom represented by the portraits in granite of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
There are so many great sporting Texans. It's tough to narrow it down.
As for the Texas representatives, here are my choices:
EARL CAMPBELL
The Tyler Rose was one of the top running backs ever. Just ask those who were fortunate to witness him first-hand.
He led John Tyler High School to a state football championship, won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Texas and was a three-time NFL Player of the Year for the Houston Oilers.
Also, he's a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. He used a rare blend of speed and power. He is as humble of a superstar as anyone. Also, he was voted an official state hero of Texas by the Texas Legislature. Campbell is honored along with Davy Crockett, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. What a foursome!
TOM LANDRY
Not only was he a great coach for the Dallas Cowboys, but also a gentleman. He was instrumental in the Cowboys becoming America's Team.
Landry began his career as a standout football player at Mission High School. He was later a star running back and defensive back for the University of Texas. After playing and coaching with the New York Giants, he became head coach of the Dallas franchise in 1960. It took six years, but once the Cowboys started winning, there was no stopping them.
He was an innovator and pioneer in football. Landry led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles and numerous division championships and playoff victories.
Landry is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Cowboys Ring of Honor.
NOLAN RYAN
The long, tall Texan played for both the Astros and Rangers. He was one of the great pitchers in baseball history. He pitched 27 seasons and holds the major league record of 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. He also has the single-season record of 383 Ks. Ryan is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
The fourth member of the Texas Mount Rushmore was very tough to decide. Should it be another person affiliated with football - Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, John David Crow, Bob Lilly, Darrell Royal, Doak Walker, or Y.A. Tittle? Or how about seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong? Or another baseball player - Roger Clemens, Ernie Banks, Rogers Hornsby or Tris Speaker? Or an Olympian - Rafer Johnson, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Mary Lou Retton or Babe Didrikson Zaharias? Or a boxer - George Foreman?
Still there are the great Texas golfers from Ben Crenshaw to Ben Hogan to Byron Nelson to Lee Trevino to Payne Stewart to Tom Kite.
It's so tough, both Hogan and Nelson were wonderful linksters. Both won major championships, but Hogan had more.
BEN HOGAN
Hogan was born in Dublin, Texas, and grew up in Fort Worth.
He was voted the greatest professional golfer of the first half of the 20th century. He had 62 tournament wins, including a career grand slam (U.S. Open, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953), Masters (1951, 1953), PGA Championship (1946, 1948) and the British Open (1953).
He won three majors in 1953 after recovering from a near fatal car accident. He was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1947 and 1951 and was captain in 1953. Hogan was a four-time PGA Player of the Year and is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
So there you have it.
I know there are lots of others who should receive consideration - Jeff Bagwell, Sammy Baugh, Craig Biggo, Tim Brown, Jody Conradt, Clyde Drexler, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, T.J. Ford, A.J. Foyt, Don Gay, George Gervin, Joe Greene, Don Haskins, Bob Hayes, Elvin Hayes, Ken Houston, Lamar Hunt, Rafer Johnson, Jimmy Johnson, Bobby Layne, Carl Lewis, Guy V. Lewis, Slater Martin, Bruce Matthews, Don Maynard, Don Meredith, Mike Modano, Joe Morgan, Clint Murchison, Ty Murray, Dirk Nowitzki, Davey O'Brien, Hakeem Olajuwon, Drew Pearson, Adrian Peterson, Bum Phillips, Judy Rankin, Mel Renfro, David Robinson, Kyle Rote, Peter Runnels, Johnny Rutherford, Tex Schramm, Marsha Sharp, Willie Shoemaker, Billy Sims, Mike Singletary, Lovie Smith, Gene Stallings, Monty Stratton, James Street, Jim Swink, Sheryl Swoopes, Robert Taylor, Grant Teaff, Clyde Turner, Gene Upshaw, Floyd Wagstaff, Randy White, Kathy Whitworth, Gordon Wood, Rayfield Wright and Vince Young.
I know I left some out and there are others who are still making their marks.
If you disagree or agree or just want to sound off: send me your choices of the faces of the Texas Mount Rushmore. E-mail phicks @tylerpaper.net or sports @tylerpaper.com or write to Sports Department, Tyler Morning Telegraph, P.O. Box 2030, Tyler, 75710.
Also, Happy Holidays and have a Merry Christmas!
I received an early Christmas present of Jaime Aron's book - The Best Dallas-Fort Worth Sports Arguments. It's a great read for sports fans.
One of Jaime's chapters is: Who would be on the Mount Rushmore of DFW Sports?
He placed Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Nolan Ryan and Dirk Nowitzki on the DFW Mountain.
Great choices.
It got me to thinking of who would represent the entire state. It's quite a chore narrowing down all the greats who have played in our state.
This is just for fun and is not meant to take away from Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. The park is visited by more than 3 million people each year to marvel at the beauty of the Black Hills.
Plus, there's a lesson about the ideals of democracy and freedom represented by the portraits in granite of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
There are so many great sporting Texans. It's tough to narrow it down.
As for the Texas representatives, here are my choices:
EARL CAMPBELL
The Tyler Rose was one of the top running backs ever. Just ask those who were fortunate to witness him first-hand.
He led John Tyler High School to a state football championship, won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Texas and was a three-time NFL Player of the Year for the Houston Oilers.
Also, he's a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. He used a rare blend of speed and power. He is as humble of a superstar as anyone. Also, he was voted an official state hero of Texas by the Texas Legislature. Campbell is honored along with Davy Crockett, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. What a foursome!
TOM LANDRY
Not only was he a great coach for the Dallas Cowboys, but also a gentleman. He was instrumental in the Cowboys becoming America's Team.
Landry began his career as a standout football player at Mission High School. He was later a star running back and defensive back for the University of Texas. After playing and coaching with the New York Giants, he became head coach of the Dallas franchise in 1960. It took six years, but once the Cowboys started winning, there was no stopping them.
He was an innovator and pioneer in football. Landry led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles and numerous division championships and playoff victories.
Landry is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Cowboys Ring of Honor.
NOLAN RYAN
The long, tall Texan played for both the Astros and Rangers. He was one of the great pitchers in baseball history. He pitched 27 seasons and holds the major league record of 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. He also has the single-season record of 383 Ks. Ryan is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
The fourth member of the Texas Mount Rushmore was very tough to decide. Should it be another person affiliated with football - Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, John David Crow, Bob Lilly, Darrell Royal, Doak Walker, or Y.A. Tittle? Or how about seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong? Or another baseball player - Roger Clemens, Ernie Banks, Rogers Hornsby or Tris Speaker? Or an Olympian - Rafer Johnson, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Mary Lou Retton or Babe Didrikson Zaharias? Or a boxer - George Foreman?
Still there are the great Texas golfers from Ben Crenshaw to Ben Hogan to Byron Nelson to Lee Trevino to Payne Stewart to Tom Kite.
It's so tough, both Hogan and Nelson were wonderful linksters. Both won major championships, but Hogan had more.
BEN HOGAN
Hogan was born in Dublin, Texas, and grew up in Fort Worth.
He was voted the greatest professional golfer of the first half of the 20th century. He had 62 tournament wins, including a career grand slam (U.S. Open, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953), Masters (1951, 1953), PGA Championship (1946, 1948) and the British Open (1953).
He won three majors in 1953 after recovering from a near fatal car accident. He was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1947 and 1951 and was captain in 1953. Hogan was a four-time PGA Player of the Year and is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
So there you have it.
I know there are lots of others who should receive consideration - Jeff Bagwell, Sammy Baugh, Craig Biggo, Tim Brown, Jody Conradt, Clyde Drexler, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, T.J. Ford, A.J. Foyt, Don Gay, George Gervin, Joe Greene, Don Haskins, Bob Hayes, Elvin Hayes, Ken Houston, Lamar Hunt, Rafer Johnson, Jimmy Johnson, Bobby Layne, Carl Lewis, Guy V. Lewis, Slater Martin, Bruce Matthews, Don Maynard, Don Meredith, Mike Modano, Joe Morgan, Clint Murchison, Ty Murray, Dirk Nowitzki, Davey O'Brien, Hakeem Olajuwon, Drew Pearson, Adrian Peterson, Bum Phillips, Judy Rankin, Mel Renfro, David Robinson, Kyle Rote, Peter Runnels, Johnny Rutherford, Tex Schramm, Marsha Sharp, Willie Shoemaker, Billy Sims, Mike Singletary, Lovie Smith, Gene Stallings, Monty Stratton, James Street, Jim Swink, Sheryl Swoopes, Robert Taylor, Grant Teaff, Clyde Turner, Gene Upshaw, Floyd Wagstaff, Randy White, Kathy Whitworth, Gordon Wood, Rayfield Wright and Vince Young.
I know I left some out and there are others who are still making their marks.
If you disagree or agree or just want to sound off: send me your choices of the faces of the Texas Mount Rushmore. E-mail phicks @tylerpaper.net or sports @tylerpaper.com or write to Sports Department, Tyler Morning Telegraph, P.O. Box 2030, Tyler, 75710.
Also, Happy Holidays and have a Merry Christmas!
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