Small-Town Value: Numerous A-As Came From Smaller Outposts Than Happ
April 16th, 2017 - 21:08
Wisconsin All-American Ethan Happ 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 |