Vinatieri, Adam

1991 Rapid City Central/1995 SDSU graduate. Most agree, Vinatieri is the greatest kicker in NFL history. Played for New England Patriots (1996-2005) and Indianapolis Colts (2006-19). Became the all-time leading scorer in NFL history in his 24 seasons. Was a four-time Super Bowl champion and three-time pro bowler. Named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, […]

Wallman, Gary

The patriarch of the most famous wrestling family in South Dakota, Wallman was the state’s first four-time high school wrestling champion and the state’s first NCAA Division I wrestling All-American. And he was an exceptional coach and boxer as well. At Miller High, he won state titles from 1961-64 (at 95-112-127-133 pounds), compiling a 65-1 […]

Weber, Dale

Dale Weber was a 1957 Delmont High School and 1961 Yankton College graduate. He was a multiple sport athlete in high school and college. Weber retired from high school basketball officiating in 1995 after a 30-year career and working more than 2,000 games, including a combined 34 boys’ and girls’ state tournaments and 21 state […]

Whisler, Bill

Yankton High School. 1962 Iowa grad. Drafted in ninth round by Washington Redskins in 1961 but never played in NFL. Played 10 years as a 6-3, 245-pound defensive lineman in the CFL, mostly for Coach Bud Grant and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Whisler was often an all-CFL pick and he played on a Grey Cup […]

Whipple, Sr, Vince

Considered one of the state’s finest shooters in history, Vince Whipple’s numbers may have been unreachable had he played in the era of the three-point line. He was one of the best assist men and ball-handlers of his time as well. Whipple graduated from Rapid City High School in 1956 and after his military service […]

White, Tommie Lee

White came from a large urban area (Atlanta) to a small rural town (Yankton) in 1962, and he became one of the greatest hurdlers in the world. The 1966 Yankton College grad held virtually every high hurdle record in the immediate three-state area (South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa). He also held the world record at 60 […]

Schutte, Clarence

The Hecla native gained fame as “the man who stopped Red Grange’’ for his football exploits at the University of Minnesota. Before Minnesota, he starred at Northern State and South Dakota State. After Minnesota, he became known as “Mr. Santa Barbara of Sports” after spending 40 years in the California city as a high school […]

Schwartz, Gary

An all-state football player at Wessington Springs, Schwartz was thinking about playing the sport in college. All that changed in a flash at the 1962 Howard Wood Dakota Relays. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder’s discus throw of 190 feet, 7 1/2 inches was the best prep throw in the nation at the time that year and broke […]

Schwartz, Bryan

Bryan Schwartz was the first NCAA Division II player ever nominated for the Dick Butkus Award, given to college football’s best linebacker. He was a second-round pick, 64th overall, of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 NFL Draft. The 6-4, 251-pound Schwartz was the Jaguars’ leading tackler as a rookie. He was named to the […]

Scott, James

Born April 23, 1888, in Deadwood. Scott’s family later moved to the Standing Rock Reservation west of Mobridge and then to Lander, Wyo., where he attended grade school and high school. Scott is one of the few big-leaguers ever to return to the majors as an umpire. He also was the first major-leaguer to leave […]