Although this is not an all-inclusive list, here are 12 of the Gem City’s most notable athletes:
1. Edwin Moses (Olympic Hurdles, 1976-1986)
Moses won eight gold medals in international competition, and nine in total. His 122 consecutive wins in competition spanned nine years, nine months and nine days. Moses also reformed Olympic drug testing and eligibility, and in 2000, was elected the first Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy. How beloved is he in Dayton? How about having a street – Edwin C. Moses Boulevard – named after him.
2. Roger Clemens (MLB pitcher Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, 1984-2007)
The "Rocket," who is widely regarded as one of the most dominant pitchers in MLB history, enjoyed a lengthy career that spanned 24 seasons, and included 354 wins, a 3.12 career ERA, 4,672 strikeouts (3rd all time), 11 All-Star selections and seven CY Young Awards.
3. Jim Paxson (NBA guard/small forward (Portland Blazers and Boston Celtics, 1979-1990)
Born in Kettering and a graduate from both Archbishop Alter and the University of Dayton, Paxson is a true native son of the Gem City. He was selected in the 1st Round of the 1979 NBA Draft (12th overall), earning two All-Star nods, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field during his 11 seasons in the league.
4. A.J. Hawk (NFL linebacker Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals, 2006-Present)
Hawk will forever live on in Buckeye State lore as a stand-out talent at Centerville High School and later at the Ohio State University, where he helped bring the Buckeyes their first national title since the Woody Hayes era. Now, after nine seasons in Green Bay, Hawk has returned to Ohio to play for the Cincinnati Bengals.
5. Matt Light (Offensive tackle New England Patriots, 2001-2011)
After starting his career at Purdue University as a tight end (a position he played at Greenville), he moved to left tackle to protect then quarterback Drew Brees. When the New England Patriots drafted Light in 2001, he would spend 10 seasons protecting another future Hall-of-Fame signal caller: Tom Brady.
6. Mike Schmidt (MLB Third baseman Philadelphia Phillies, 1972-1989)
Double-digit All-Star and Gold Glove Awards, six Silver Slugger Awards and one World Series ring later, Schmidt’s career is among the most impressive in MLB history. A lock to make it to Cooperstown, Schmidt became a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1995. His No. 20 was retired by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1990.
7. Kirk Herbstreit (Quarterback/Broadcaster Ohio State, 1989-1993)
Herbstreit, like Hawk, made his roots in Centerville and played for the Elks, until transitioning to Columbus. After four seasons under then head coach John Cooper, Herbstreit took his talents to Bristol, Conn., and is now a regular sight on ESPN’s College GameDay and ESPN college football game telecasts.
8. Ron Harper (NBA guard Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, 1986-2001)
Born in Dayton, Harper remained in Ohio throughout his early basketball career. He played for Kiser High School and Miami University before being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers 8th overall in 1986. Eventually, Harper arrived in Chicago in 1994 and won three NBA Championships with two guys named Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, then two more with the LA Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.
9. John Paxson (NBA guard San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls, 1983-1994)
Paxson followed in the footsteps of his older brother Jim at Archbishop Alter High School, before playing four seasons for Notre Dame. The San Antonio Spurs selected John in the 1st Round of the 1983 NBA Draft and after three years in Texas, Paxson took his talents to the Windy City, where he won three-consecutive NBA titles with Jordan and the Bulls.
10. Chris Borland (NFL linebacker San Francisco 49ers, 2014)
Borland did a little bit of everything during his playing career at Archbishop Alter in Kettering. He lettered in football, track, basketball and tennis and was a two-way player for the Knights. The statistics continued piling up in for the Wisconsin Badgers. During a game against Minnesota, Borland tied the FBS career with 14. Following his rookie season with the San Francisco 49ers, Borland abruptly retired, citing concerns of head and brain injuries.
11. Don Meineke (NBA Power forward/center Fort Wayne Pistons, Rochester/Cincinnati Royals, 1952-1958)
“Monk” was the cornerstone for coach Tom Blackburn’s program as it gained national acclaim in the early 1950s. He was a two-time All-American and is still the sixth-leading scorer in UD history with 1,866 points. Meineke won the NBA’s first-ever Rookie of the Year Award after the 1952-53 season and is in the UD Hall of Fame.
12. Keith Byars (NFL running back Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, 1986-1998)
After attending Roth High School and Trotwood Madison High School, Byars donned scarlet and gray at Ohio State for head coach Earl Bruce. Byars finished second to Doug Flutie in the 1984 Heisman Trophy race after accumulating a then-school record 2,441 all-purpose yards. His college career gave way to a long tenure in the NFL, which included stops with four teams, before retiring in 1998. Proving that he could do almost everything on the gridiron, Byars displayed a deft throwing ability, recording six passing touchdowns as a running back.
Are there any Dayton-area-born athletes that should have been included on this list? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
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