To celebrate its 175th anniversary, The Baltimore Sun has been counting down the 175 greatest athletes in Maryland during the history of the newspaper. Sun reporter Mike Klingaman has been compiling the list and the order of the top 10 will be announced tomorrow, May 8. The list includes athletes who played for teams and schools in the state and was not limited to athletes born in the state.
No boxers made the top 10 as that section of the list includes the likes of Cal Ripken, Jr. Johnny Unitas, Wes Unseld and Brooks Robinson. The highest finish for a boxer was at number 15 where former six-time world champion Sugar Ray Leonard is placed.
The first African-American world champion, Joe Gans, made the list at number 51. Hasim Rahman, who shocked the world with his championship knockout of Lennox Lewis, checked in at 148. Four spots later came Kid Williams, a former world bantamweight titleholder in 1917 at number 152.
Then at 166 came a man many people believe should be in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Harry Jeffra, another world bantamweight champ in 1937.
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What about Andrew Maynard, the 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist? How many other boxers born in Maryland have won gold medals? Remember, I said born in Maryland. Heck, how many Marylanders, born here or otherwise, have won Olympic gold medals (other than Sugar Ray Leonard)?
The list also left off Vincent Pettway, who won a world boxing title -- the former IBF Junior Middleweight title!
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