Top 10 Athletes From North Dakota

November 2, 1889: For the only time in the nation's history, 2 new States are admitted to the Union on the same day. North Dakota becomes the 39th State, and South Dakota becomes the 40th State.

Top 10 Athletes from North Dakota

Honorable Mention to Cliff Cushman of Grand Forks. At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he won the Silver Medal in the 400-meter hurdles. He later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and became a pilot, but his plane was hit over Bac Giang, Vietnam on September 25, 1966. Captain Clifton E. Cushman was only 28, and his body has never been recovered.

Honorable Mention to Cliff Purpur of Grand Forks. The 1st North Dakota native to play in the NHL, "Fido" was a right wing for the ill-fated St. Louis Eagles of 1934-35. After playing in the minors, he played 4 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, helping them reach the 1944 Stanley Cup Finals. He later returned to the University of North Dakota, and was their head coach from 1949 to 1956.

10. Steve Myhra of Wahpeton. A guard and linebacker at the University of North Dakota, he probably would have been recruited by a bigger school had he come along now. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts, and became better known as a placekicker. He kicked a field goal to send the 1958 NFL Championship Game against the Giants at Yankee Stadium into overtime. The Colts won it, and beat the Giants again the next year.

9. Phil Jackson of Williston. Yes, you know him as a basketball coach. But he was a good player, too. What we would now call a power forward, he was a 2-time First Team Division II All-American at the University of North Dakota. Drafted by the Knicks, he made the All-Rookie First Team in 1968.

Back surgery and his recovery from it kept him out of the Knicks' 1969-70 NBA Championship season, but he was a key reserve when they took the 1972-73 title, still the team's last. He wrapped up his playing career with the Nets in 1980.

8. Carson Wentz of Bismarck. He quarterbacked North Dakota State University to the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA) Championship all 4 years, 2012 to 2015. He is now in his 2nd year as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, and they're 7-1 and leading the NFC Eastern Division.

But he's not Number 1 on this list -- even among Philadelphia Eagles. At least, not yet.

7. Travis Hafner of Jamestown. Known as "Pronk," a combination of "Project" and "Donkey," the 1st baseman hit 213 career home runs, and helped the Cleveland Indians get to within 1 win of a Pennant in 2007. He closed his career with the Yankees in 2013.

6. Dave Osborn of Cando. A veteran of 12 NFL seasons, he helped the Minnesota Vikings win their only NFL Championship, in 1969, although they lost Super Bowl IV. He was named to the Pro Bowl the next season. He rushed for 4,336 yards, including 29 touchdowns, and caught 173 passes for 1,412 yards.

5. Rick Helling of Lakota. Pitching for the Texas Rangers, he led the American League in wins in 1998, and helped them win the AL Western Division title in 1998 and 1999, and the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the National League West in 2002. He was a member of the Florida Marlins when they won the 2003 World Series, but, as a Yankee Fan, I don't like to talk about that.

His career record was 93-81. He now coaches at a high school in the Minneapolis suburbs -- not baseball, but football.

4. Darin Erstad of Jamestown. He kicked a 50-yard field goal in high school, but the University of Nebraska was more interested in him as a baseball player. He won 3 Gold Gloves with the team now known as the Los Angeles Angels, made 2 All-Star Games, and was a member of their 2002 World Champions. He is now back with the Nebraska baseball team, as head coach.

3. Virgil Hill of Williston. He won his 1st boxing title, the WBA Light Heavyweight Championship, in 1987, when he was 23. He held his last, the WBA Cruiserweight title, in 2007, when he was 43. Think about that: He held title belts 20 years apart. Not too many boxers have done that. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

2. Roger Maris of Fargo. He's known for "61 in '61." But he was a terrific all-around athlete, starring in baseball, football, track and swimming at Bishop Shanley High School in Fargo. He was a 4-time All-Star -- 7-time, if you count the fact that 2 All-Star Games were held every year from 1959 to 1962. He won a Gold Glove for right field and the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1960, and won the MVP again in 1961 -- meaning the writers couldn't have been that much against him.

He won Pennants with the Yankees in 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964, and with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 and 1968. He won the World Series in 1961, 1962 and 1967. Injuries led him to retire at age 34, and limited him to 275 career home runs, so he's never going to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But the Yankees did retire his Number 9 and give him a Plaque in Monument Park, and they did it while he was still alive to appreciate it.

1. Pete Retzlaff of Ellendale. A star in football and track at South Dakota State College (now University), he was a 5-time Pro Bowler as what we would now call a tight end with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a key figure on their 1960 NFL Championship team, still their last. In 1965, he received the Bert Bell Award as NFL Most Valuable Player.

He had 452 career receptions for 7,412 yards and 47 touchdowns, big totals for the pre-merger era. The Eagles retired his Number 44, and he is a member of their team Hall of Fame -- but not the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

He is 86 years old. What are they waiting for? Is it because he was the president of the NFL Players Association, the players' union? Is that being held against him? That can't be: If it was, the Eagles wouldn't have named him general manager in 1969, a post he held for 4 seasons. Also, former Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw also held that post, and he's in the Hall of Fame. So why not Retzlaff?