Young, Don

1933 Edgemont High grad. 1940 Black Hills State grad. Young’s name is synonymous with Black Hills State, where he spent almost 50 years as a coach, teacher and administrator. A coach who loved football, spent endless hours diagramming plays and creating new formations while demonstrating unbridled enthusiasm for the game, Young was first and foremost […]

Lindner, Don

Born Feb. 25, 1931, in Watertown. Grew up in Kranzburg. 1949 Goodwin High and 1954 South Dakota State grad. Sports editor of the Rapid City Journal for 37 years, Lindner was named South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year a record 11 times by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Lindner got his start with Al […]

Egan, John

Born April 1, 1931. Minneapolis (Washburn HS). 1953 Augustana grad. Egan began a 35-year career with the Sioux Falls Argus Leader in 1955, serving as sports writer, sports editor and sports columnist. He was voted the South Dakota Sportswriter of the Year eight times. Egan was cited by the Associated Press and the South Dakota […]

Brewer, Bryan

Lakota Name. Ohiyaku (Returns Victoriously) Bryan Brewer, Sr. was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He is a 1965 graduate of Pine Ridge High School and graduated from Black Hills State University in 1976. Brewer served in the United States Navy from 1965 to […]

Taplett, Howard

Born May 23, 1921. 1939 Tyndall High and 1943 University of South Dakota grad. Taplett built Tyndall into a Class B track power. In 16 years as Tyndall’s coach, Taplett coached the Panthers to seven state Class B titles (1953-56, 1960 and 1966-67) and one runner-up finish (1965). The four consecutive titles is a feat […]

Anderson, Sparky

Born Feb. 22, 1934 in Bridgewater. Anderson, one of the greatest managers in baseball history, is the only South Dakotan inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, entering Cooperstown in 2000. Anderson lived in Bridgewater until moving to California at age 9. In his 1990 autobiography “Sparky!”, Anderson said: “I remember more about South Dakota […]

Jordan, Bill

Born Sept. 20, 1931 in Iroquois. 1949 Onida High School grad. 1954 Northern State. Jordan was one of the greatest athletes in Northern State history. He earned four letters each in football, basketball and track, becoming one of the few NSU athletes to win 12 letters. He was a conference track champ in the 220 […]

Kelley, Frank

Born Oct. 23, 1903 in Tyndall. 1923 Tyndall HS grad. 1927 SDSU grad. Kelley was a world record holder in track and one of the finest football players in the history of South Dakota State. In all, he earned eight letters in football, basketball and track at SDSU. Kelley, a 1927 SDSU grad, actually set […]

Hecker, Fred

Born July 2, 1939, in Hinsdale, Ill. Sioux Falls (1957 Washington High grad). 1963 Augustana grad. One of the finest athletes in the history of Sioux Falls’ Washington High, Hecker was an All-American in football and basketball as a senior. The 1957 Washington grad also excelled in golf and track, earning 11 letters in all. […]