February 17th, 2018 - 12:11
Ethan Happ, an All-American for Wisconsin last season, came from an obscure hometown (Milan, IL) with small population (5,100). But there are a striking number of major-college All-Americans who came from significantly smaller outposts. Flyover-country hamlets offering little more than a part-time post office and gas station supplied the following standouts from municipalities with populations fewer than 1,000:
| All-American |
Pos. |
Major College |
A-A Year(s) |
Hometown |
Population |
| James Anderson |
G |
Oklahoma State |
2010 |
Junction City, AR |
705 |
| Forrest "Whitey" Baccus |
G |
Southern Methodist |
1935 |
Estelline, TX |
190 |
| Frankie Baumholtz |
F |
Ohio University |
1941 |
Midvale, OH |
655 |
| R. Gale Bishop |
F-C |
Washington State |
1943 |
Sumas, WA |
710 |
| Tom Burleson |
C |
North Carolina State |
1973 and 1974 |
Newland, NC |
720 |
| Bob Burrow |
C |
Kentucky |
1955 and 1956 |
Wells, TX |
925 |
| A.W. Davis |
F |
Tennessee |
1965 |
Rutledge, TN |
830 |
| Evan Eschmeyer |
C |
Northwestern |
1999 |
New Knoxville, OH |
760 |
| Pat Garrity |
F |
Notre Dame |
1998 |
Monument, CO |
690 |
| Joe Gibbon |
F |
Mississippi |
1957 |
Hickory, MS |
670 |
| Gary Gray |
G |
Oklahoma City |
1967 |
Fort Cobb, OK |
760 |
| Jimmy Hagan |
C |
Tennessee Tech |
1959 |
Glendale, KY |
300 |
| Charles Halbert |
C |
West Texas State |
1942 |
House, NM |
120 |
| Bob Harris |
C |
Oklahoma A&M |
1949 |
Linden, TN |
750 |
| Kirk Haston |
F-C |
Indiana |
2001 |
Lobelville, TN |
915 |
| Don Hennon |
G |
Pittsburgh |
1958 and 1959 |
Wampum, PA |
665 |
| Bailey Howell |
F-C |
Mississippi State |
1958 and 1959 |
Middleton, TN |
595 |
| Dick Ives |
F |
Iowa |
1945 |
Diagonal, IA |
360 |
| Paul Judson |
G |
Illinois |
1956 |
Hebron, IL |
785 |
| Dean Kelley |
G |
Kansas |
1953 |
McCune, KS |
530 |
| Henry "Bud" Koper |
F-G |
Oklahoma City |
1964 |
Rocky, OK |
240 |
| Paul Lindemann |
C |
Washington State |
1941 |
Cowiche, WA |
425 |
| Karl Malone |
F |
Louisiana Tech |
1985 |
Summerfield, LA |
370 |
| E. "Branch" McCracken |
F |
Indiana |
1930 |
Monrovia, IN |
860 |
| Ryan Minor |
F |
Oklahoma |
1995 and 1996 |
Hammon, OK |
865 |
| Phillip "Red" Murrell |
F |
Drake |
1958 |
Linneus, MO |
420 |
| Willie Murrell |
F |
Kansas State |
1964 |
Taft, OK |
490 |
| Otto Porter Jr. |
F |
Georgetown |
2013 |
Morley, MO |
697 |
| Bryant Reeves |
C |
Oklahoma State |
1994 and 1995 |
Gans, OK |
345 |
| Jack Smiley |
G |
Illinois |
1943 |
Waterman, IL |
945 |
| Ray Steiner |
G |
St. Louis |
1952 |
Bland, MO |
660 |
| John Stroud |
F |
Mississippi |
1980 |
Myrtle, MS |
400 |
| Terry Teagle |
G-F |
Baylor |
1982 |
Broaddus, TX |
190 |
| Gary Thompson |
G |
Iowa State |
1957 |
Roland, IA |
710 |
| Jack Tingle |
F |
Kentucky |
1947 |
Bedford, KY |
835 |
| Gene Tormohlen |
C |
Tennessee |
1959 |
Holland, IN |
685 |
| Carlyle "Blackie" Towery |
C |
Western Kentucky |
1940 and 1941 |
Shady Grove, KY |
100 |
| Kenny Walker |
F |
Kentucky |
1985 and 1986 |
Roberta, GA |
860 |
| Waldo Wegner |
C |
Iowa State |
1935 |
Everly, IA |
350 |
| Murray Wier |
G-F |
Iowa |
1948 |
Grandview, IA |
475 |
| Win Wilfong |
F |
Memphis State |
1957 |
Puxico, MO |
830 |
