Editor’s note: This is an article from the Winter 1999 issue of UCLA Magazine.
Tired of lists yet?
We have been inundated with them at the close of this millennium, especially in the world of sports. There have been baseball’s all-century team, Sports Illustrated’s 20th Century Sports Awards and ESPN’s top-100 North American athletes, of which UCLA had five, more than any other university — No. 81, Jimmy Connors; No. 53, Rafer Johnson; No. 26, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; No. 23, Jackie Joyner-Kersee; and No. 15, Jackie Robinson.
So brace yourself, here is one last list that is sure to delight — or perhaps enrage — Bruin fans: the All-20th Century Bruin team.
As most of these lists tend to be, this one is a bit front-loaded. New and improved technology has changed the way we experience and keep records of athletic events, better equipment has led to higher achievements and modern athletes are simply bigger, faster and stronger. And UCLA’s athletic prowess, in direct relation to the school’s academic ascendancy, has mostly been a second-half-of-the-20th-century phenomenon. These athletes were either at the top of their sports while at UCLA, went on to have outstanding professional careers or a combination of both.
Classic Cagers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Don Barksdale, Denise Curry, Gail Goodrich, David Greenwood, Walt Hazzard, Marques Johnson, Dick Linthicum, Don MacLean, Ann Meyers, Reggie Miller, Willie Naulls, Ed O’Bannon, Bill Walton, Mike Warren, Sidney Wicks, Jamaal Wilkes
Gridiron Greats: Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Troy Aikman, Burr Baldwin, Gary Beban, Paul Cameron, Kenny Easley, Gaston Green, Kevin Jordan, Billy Kilmer, John Lee, Freeman McNeil, Cade McNown, Donn Moomaw, Tom Ramsey, Jerry Robinson, Don Rogers, John Sciarra, J.J. Stokes, Eric Turner, Wendell Tyler, Kenny Washington, Bob Waterfield
Multisport Stars: Denise Corlett (basketball, volleyball, badminton), Keith Erickson (basketball, volleyball), Rafer Johnson (track & field, basketball), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (track & field, basketball), Jonathan Ogden (football, track & field), Jackie Robinson (baseball, basketball, football, track & field), George Stanich (basketball, track & field), Natalie Williams (basketball, volleyball)
Runners, Jumpers & Hurlers: Amy Acuff, Evelyn Ashford, Willie Banks, Ato Boldon, Gail Devers, Greg Foster, John Godina, Florence Griffith Joyner, Mebrahtom Keflezighi, Steve Lewis, Mike Marsh, Mike Powell, John Smith, Kevin Young
Setters, Diggers & Spikers: Karch Kiraly, Kirk Kilgour, Ricci Luyties, Liz Masakayan, Doug Partie, Larry Rundle, Sinjin Smith, Ernie Suwara, Elaine Youngs
Diamond Dazzlers: Sue Enquist, Lisa Fernandez, Eric Karros, Troy Glaus, Tim Leary,Torey Lovullo, Dot Richardson
Country Club Sportspersons: Tennis — Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors; Golf — Kay Cockerill, Steve Pate, Corey Pavin; Swimming/Water polo — Mike Burton, Stan Cole, Brian Goodell, Dan Hackett, Tom Jager, Robin Leamy, Karen Moe Thornton, Alex Rousseau, Annette Salmeen, Matt Swanson
Vaulters & Strikers: Gymnastics — Tim Daggett, Mitch Gaylord, Leah Homma, Sharon Shapiro, Stella Umeh, Peter Vidmar; Soccer — Paul Caliguiri, Brad Friedel, Cobi Jones
Future Fab Five: These current student-athletes will one day be added to this illustrious group: Danny Farmer (football, volleyball), Maylana Martin (basketball), Stacey Nuveman (softball), Kristee Porter (volleyball, track & field), Seilala Sua (track & field)
