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| Taking the top off the defense: DeAndre "Nuk" Hopkins, pictured at Daniel High, has scored more NFL TDs than any other South Carolinian (GreenvilleOnline photo). |
I was surprised how many of the South Carolinians that I had encountered in my sportswriting career. No. 2 was Shoeless Joe Jackson, who died before I was born, so I wrote columns contending that his "lifetime ban" from baseball was no longer valid.
No. 3 Pete Maravich I saw play in 1968 at Clemson.
No. 7 David Pearson and No. 14 Cale Yarborough drove in the first NASCAR race I ever saw, at Darlington.
At T.L. Hanna, I was the scorekeeper for No. 9 Jim Rice's senior season, and saw No. 8 Alex English play for Dreher and No. 25 Stanley Morgan for Easley. We called him Ed Rice, and Ed, if you see this, I owe you an apology for a misquote 50 years ago.
No. 3 Pete Maravich I saw play in 1968 at Clemson.
No. 7 David Pearson and No. 14 Cale Yarborough drove in the first NASCAR race I ever saw, at Darlington.
At T.L. Hanna, I was the scorekeeper for No. 9 Jim Rice's senior season, and saw No. 8 Alex English play for Dreher and No. 25 Stanley Morgan for Easley. We called him Ed Rice, and Ed, if you see this, I owe you an apology for a misquote 50 years ago.
As a sportswriter for The Anderson Independent, I covered the emergence of No. 18 Larry Nance at McDuffie High School and No. 43 Willie Mays Aikens at Seneca, plus No. 33 Steve Fuller in the demise of his Spartanburg High School juggernaut.
On my first road trip for the paper, I met No. 19 Bobby Richardson when I covered the 1975 College World Series. (Our paths crossed again in Boone, when Richardson shared his testimony at Deerfield United Methodist Church, and I won an autographed baseball by answering the trivia question of who replaced him at second base for the Yankees Answer: Horace Clarke).
At The Greenville News, I crossed paths with No. 15 Kevin Garnett during the 1999 NBA lockout and No. 24 Xavier McDaniel. I presented No. 31 William Perry with his all-state plaque at the Easley Football Jamboree, and followed the career of No. 41 Tony Rice from Woodruff High School to Notre Dame to the Fiesta Bowl. Before No. 47 Anthuan Maybank was an Olympic Gold Medalist, I saw him run for Georgetown High School, and his name inspired the Antwan Index (see my memoirs for 1991).
On my first road trip for the paper, I met No. 19 Bobby Richardson when I covered the 1975 College World Series. (Our paths crossed again in Boone, when Richardson shared his testimony at Deerfield United Methodist Church, and I won an autographed baseball by answering the trivia question of who replaced him at second base for the Yankees Answer: Horace Clarke).
At The Greenville News, I crossed paths with No. 15 Kevin Garnett during the 1999 NBA lockout and No. 24 Xavier McDaniel. I presented No. 31 William Perry with his all-state plaque at the Easley Football Jamboree, and followed the career of No. 41 Tony Rice from Woodruff High School to Notre Dame to the Fiesta Bowl. Before No. 47 Anthuan Maybank was an Olympic Gold Medalist, I saw him run for Georgetown High School, and his name inspired the Antwan Index (see my memoirs for 1991).
I'm sorry I never met No. 48 George Webster—the story of his underground-railroad recruitment from Anderson to Michigan State would have been an enlightening window into segregation.
If SI had asked me, I would have told them they overlooked Camden's Larry Doby, a 1998 Hall of Famer who was the Jackie Robinson of the American League. Neither SI nor I were aware of Anderson's Ben Taylor, a Negro League baseball star who was inducted into Cooperstown in 2006.
If SI had asked me, I would have told them they overlooked Camden's Larry Doby, a 1998 Hall of Famer who was the Jackie Robinson of the American League. Neither SI nor I were aware of Anderson's Ben Taylor, a Negro League baseball star who was inducted into Cooperstown in 2006.
Other worthy nominees would have been Greenville basketballer Clyde Mayes (another barrier-breaker from Jim Rice's generation); Fountain Inn golfer Chris Patton; and Textile Leaguer Earl Wooten of Pelzer.
If SI had survived, this list eventually might have included Stephen Davis of Spartanburg (who had three times more NFL yardage than his Auburn predecessor, Bo Jackson); golfers Dustin Johnson and Lucas Glover; and baseball's Preston Wilson. I saw Wilson homer for Bamberg-Ehrhardt in a 1992 playoff game at Walhalla, shortly before he became a Top 10 draftee in the same class as Derek Jeter.
As I reflected on these personalities, I looked up the big-league benchmarks of South Carolina's favorite sons. These names are off the top of my head, so these lists may not be all-inclusive.
Let me know anyone I've overlooked #borninsouthcarolina:
(Listed with hometown and high school)
MLB Home Runs:
382 Jim Rice, Anderson Westside/T.L. Hanna
305 Reggie Sanders, Florence Wilson
382 Jim Rice, Anderson Westside/T.L. Hanna
305 Reggie Sanders, Florence Wilson
294 Larry Doby, Camden (including 21 in the Negro leagues)
268 Gorman Thomas, Charleston James Island
196 Justin Smoak, Goose Creek Stratford
192 Al Rosen, born Spartanburg (raised in Miami)
268 Gorman Thomas, Charleston James Island
196 Justin Smoak, Goose Creek Stratford
192 Al Rosen, born Spartanburg (raised in Miami)
189 Preston Wilson, Bamberg-Ehrhardt
153 Dan Driessen, Hilton Head Hardeeville
146 Matt Weiters, Goose Creek
139 Brett Gardner, Holly Hill Academy
153 Dan Driessen, Hilton Head Hardeeville
146 Matt Weiters, Goose Creek
139 Brett Gardner, Holly Hill Academy
131 Ken Harrelson, born Woodruff (raised in Savannah)
110 Willie Mays Aikens, Seneca
94 Whit Merrifield, born Florence (raised in N.C.)
67 Mookie Wilson, Bamberg-Ehrhardt
60 Matthew LeCroy, Belton-Honea Path
54 Shoeless Joe Jackson, Greenville
54 Willie Randolph, Holly Hill
60 Matthew LeCroy, Belton-Honea Path
54 Shoeless Joe Jackson, Greenville
54 Willie Randolph, Holly Hill
44 Pokey Reese, Columbia Lower Richland
43 Del Pratt, Walhalla (raised in Alabama)
41 Don Buddin, Olanta
37 Bill Spiers, Orangeburg Wade Hampton
36 Marty Marion, Richburg (raised in Atlanta)
34 Bobby Richardson, Sumter Edmunds
32 Chino Smith, Greenwood
31 Doug Strange, Greenville Wade Hampton
31 Dewayne Wise, Chapin
27 Red Smith, Greenville
26 Ben Taylor, Anderson
26 Candy Jim Taylor, Anderson
20 Eli White, Piedmont Wren (through 2025)
19 Herm Winningham, Orangeburg-Wilkinson
17 Chick Galloway, Clinton
16 Neil Chrisley, Calhoun Falls
16, Billy McMillon, Bishopville Lee County
14 Steven Duggar, Spartanburg Byrnes
14 Reggie Taylor, Newberry
12 Tripp Cromer, Lake City
10 Mike Sharperson, Orangburg-Wilkinson
MLB Batting Average:
.408 Chino Smith, Greenwood
.356 Joe Jackson, Greenville
.337 Ben Taylor, Anderson
.298 Jim Rice, Anderson Westside/T.L. Hanna
.297 Candy Jim Taylor, Anderson
.283 Larry Doby, Camden
.280 Mike Sharperson, Orangeburg
.280 Whit Merrifield, Florence (raised in N.C.)
.276 Willie Randolph, Holly HIll
.274 Mookie Wilson, Bamberg-Ehrhardt
.271 Willie Mays Aikens, Seneca
.267 Reggie Sanders, Florence
.267 Dan Driessen, Hilton Head
.266 Bobby Richardson, Sumter Edmunds
.264 Chick Galloway, Clinton
.264 Preston Wilson, Bamberg-Ehrhardt
.263 Marty Marion, Richburg (raised in Atlanta)
.256 Brett Gardner, Holly Hill Academy
MLB Wins as a Pitcher:
200 Bobo Newsome, Hartsville
120 Van Lingle Mungo, Pageland
118 Kirby Higbe, Columbia
105 Billy O'Dell, Newberry
105 Flint Rhem, Rhems
88 Bob Bolin, Hickory Grove
74 Bill Voiselle, Ninety Six
54 Art Fowler, Spartanburg
44 Lou Brissie, Ware Shoals
MLB Strikeouts:
2,082 Bobo Newsome, Hartsville
1,133 Billy O'Dell, Newberry
1,242 Van Lingle Mungo, Pageland
1,175 Bob Bolin, Hickory Grove
971 Kirby Higbe, Columbia
645 Bill Voiselle, Ninety Six
539 Art Fowler, Spartanburg
529 Flint Rhem, Rheas
436 Lou Brissie, Ware Shoals
397 Brian Williams, Lewisville
395 Bryce Florie, Hanahan
365 Lee Roy Mahaffey, Anderson
MLB Wins as a Manager
955 Candy Jim Taylor, Anderson
302 Willie Randolph, Holly Hill
NFL Touchdowns:
85 DeAndre Hopkins, Daniel (through October 2025)
73 Stanley Morgan, Easley
70 A.J. Green, Summerville
69 Stephen Davis, Spartanburg
66 Jimmy Orr, Seneca
85 DeAndre Hopkins, Daniel (through October 2025)
73 Stanley Morgan, Easley
70 A.J. Green, Summerville
69 Stephen Davis, Spartanburg
66 Jimmy Orr, Seneca
63 Roddy White, Charleston James Island
57 Freddie Solomon, Sumter
57 Freddie Solomon, Sumter
50 Ben Coates, Greenwood
47 Alshon Jeffery, St. Matthews Calhoun County
37 Bobby Engram, Camden
34 Duce Staley, Columbia Airport
32 Robert Brooks, Greenwood
34 Duce Staley, Columbia Airport
32 Robert Brooks, Greenwood
31 Troy Brown, Blackville-Hilda
30 Sidney Rice, Gaffney
28 Steve Fuller, Spartanburg
28 Mason Rudolph, Rock Hill Northwestern
27 David Meggett, Charleston Bonds-Wilson
25 Charlie Brown, John's Island St. John's
25 Kevin Long, Clinton
21 Deebo Samuel, Inman Chapman
20 Bennie Cunningham, Seneca
20 Stanford Jennings, Summerville
20 Stanford Jennings, Summerville
19 Clarence Williams, Moncks Corner Berkeley
14 Rico Dowdle, Gaffney (raised in Asheville, N.C.)
13 Harold Green, Stratford
10 Brian Quick, Columbia Ridge View
10 Keith Jennings, Summerville
10 Greg Jones, Battery Creek
NFL Touchdown passes:
88, Steve Fuller, Spartanburg (born in Enid, Okla.)
21 Tyler Thigpen, Winnsboro Fairfield Central
20 Mason Rudolph, Rock Hill Northwestern
NBA Points:
26,071 Kevin Garnett, Mauldin
25,613 Alex English, Columbia
24,055 Ray Allen, Dalzell Hillcrest
15,948 Pete Maravich, Clemson Daniel
15,687 Larry Nance, Anderson McDuffie
13,606 Xavier McDaniel, Columbia Flora
13,309 Jermaine O'Neal, Columbia Eau Claire
12,901 Khris Middleton, Charleston Porter-Gaud (through Oct. 2025)
10,853 Raymond Felton, Latta
NBA Points:
26,071 Kevin Garnett, Mauldin
25,613 Alex English, Columbia
24,055 Ray Allen, Dalzell Hillcrest
15,948 Pete Maravich, Clemson Daniel
15,687 Larry Nance, Anderson McDuffie
13,606 Xavier McDaniel, Columbia Flora
13,309 Jermaine O'Neal, Columbia Eau Claire
12,901 Khris Middleton, Charleston Porter-Gaud (through Oct. 2025)
10,853 Raymond Felton, Latta
9,766 Tyrone Corbin, Columbia Flora
5,821 Clifford Ray, Union Sims
5.393 Zion Williamson, Spartanburg Day (through Oct. 2025)
2,555 Stanley Roberts, Columbia Lower Richland
1,892 Shammond Williams, Greenville Southside
PGA Tour wins:
24 Dustin Johnson, Columbia Dutch Fork
9 Lucas Glover, Greenville Wade Hampton
6 Bill Haas, Greenville Riverside
5 Jonathan Byrd, Columbia Spring Valley
NASCAR races won:
105 David Pearson, Spartanburg
83 Cale Yarborough, Timmonsville
21 Jack Smith, Spartanburg
9 Cotton Owens, Spartanburg
