Questions and Answers
Who was named the top defensive end of the NFL's first 50 years?
Gino Marchetti
Which left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates was born in Tyler County?
Wilbur Cooper
Who became a quarterback for the New York Jets in 2013?
Gene Smith
Which former rifle coach at WVU won a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics?
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Who played Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox from 1908 to 1918?
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Who played professional football for the Akron Pros during its league-winning 1920 season?
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What West Virginia native won the gold medal in shot put during the 1996 Olympic Games?
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What Burnsville High School basketball player scored 135 points in a single game on January 26, 1960?
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Which golf legend served as the golf professional at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs?
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Who won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympic Games and plays wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders?
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Who is known as the 'Coal Miner's Daughter' and became a well-known female boxer?
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Which Marshall University basketball star holds the NCAA record for the highest rebounding average in a season?
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The Marshall football team won the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady Bowl.
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Who was boxer Muhammad Ali's first professional opponent?
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Which heavyweight boxing champion was known as the 'Manasseh Mauler'?
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Who was the head football coach at Clemson University from 1999 to 2008?
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Which coach led the Northfork High School basketball team to eight straight state championships?
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Who was named the men's basketball coach at WVU on March 28, 1978?
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Which member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame coached the Philadelphia Eagles to NFL championships in 1948 and 1949?
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Who was born in Charleston and served as a baseball analyst for ESPN?
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Who became the head basketball coach at WVU in 2007?
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Which former Dupont High School star is now an All-Pro receiver with the Oakland Raiders?
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Who was named Most Valuable Player for his performance in Super Bowl V?
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Which former Marshall University coach is credited with pioneering basketball's zone defense?
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Who was the first high school football player to win the Stydahar and Huff awards in the same season?
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Which former Marshall University football star was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003?
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Who set a record for consecutive games played in Major League Baseball?
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Which former Kopperston resident holds the Major League Baseball record for most doubles in a season?
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Who is a native of Grant Town and was a former head football coach for WVU?
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Which former head basketball coach at Wake Forest began his coaching career at Linsly Institute?
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Who won three Silver Slugger Awards during his professional baseball career?
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Which WV Native was named the 2004 NBA Executive of the Year?
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Who was a pitcher for the Rockford Peaches from 1945 to 1954?
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Who was the head football coach at Syracuse University from 1949 to 1973?
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Which former head football coach at West Virginia State University was a three-time Pro Bowl player?
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Who was named head basketball coach at Charleston High School in December 1958 as the first African-American head coach?
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Which Hall of Famer was born on January 2, 1927, in Smithers?
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Who is the first television play-by-play announcer of the Florida Marlins?
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What team won the national black college basketball championship on March 13, 1948?
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Who set numerous national high school football records as a former Nitro quarterback?
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Which former Pineville High School football star holds rushing and scoring records for the Seattle Seahawks?
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Who won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship in 1964?
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Which Weirton native was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants in 1977?
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Who scored 39 points to lead East Bank to the state high school basketball championship on March 24, 1956?
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Who replaced Frank Cignetti as head football coach at WVU in 1980?
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Which Wheeling native was the first West Virginian inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
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Which West Virginia native gave up Babe Ruth's first two major league home runs?
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Who was the first woman athlete to appear on the front of a box of Wheaties?
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Who was named the 2006 college football Coach of the Year by the Associated Press?
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Who was named West Virginia's boys basketball player of the year for 2007?
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Who coached Beckley's Woodrow Wilson High School basketball to six state championships?
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Which Princeton native was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2002?
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Who was a charter member of the NFL Hall of Fame and was born in Grafton?
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Which former professional tennis star from Charleston is known for her Wimbledon white bodysuit?
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What West Virginian won a gold medal in gymnastics during the 1984 Olympics?
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Who became the head basketball coach at the University of Memphis in 2009?
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Which former WVU star led all NFL rookie running backs in rushing in 2008?
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Which Beckley native was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 1998?
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Who was named WV high school basketball player of the year in 1994 and 1995?
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Which Warwood native was named Most Valuable Player for Super Bowl V?
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Which former WV State player became the first African American to play in an NBA game?
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Which Charleston native played college basketball for the Lady Vols before being drafted by the WNBA's Detroit Shock?
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Who lives in Huntington and is a former New England Patriots wide receiver?
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Which Morris Harvey College basketball player became the first player to average more than 30 points a game in a season?
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Who became the head football coach at WVU in 2011?
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Which baseball Hall of Famer was born in Glen Dale, WV?
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Which Ripley native played for the Chicago Bears from 1933 to 1938?
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Which Logan native competed in the sport of Skeleton at the 2004 Olympics?
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Who was born in Wheeling in 1859 and led the National League in hits in 1889 and 1890?
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Which former Seattle Seahawks running back won the 1978 Kennedy Award?
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Which member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame coached the Philadelphia Eagles to NFL Championships in 1948 and 1949?
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Which WVU freshman was named Most Valuable Player in the 2006 Sugar Bowl?
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Study Notes
Notable Athletes from West Virginia
- Gino Marchetti: Hall of Fame defensive end, recognized as the top in NFL's first 50 years; born in Smithers.
- Wilbur Cooper: Left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1912-1924, co-National League wins champion in 1921; born in Tyler County.
- Randy Barnes: Gold medalist in shot put at the 1996 Olympics; born in West Virginia.
- Danny Heater: Set a high school basketball record by scoring 135 points in a single game on January 26, 1960.
- Sam Snead: Legendary golfer and golf professional at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs.
- James Jett: Wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders, won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics; from Jefferson County.
- Christy Martin: Notable female boxer from Bluefield, known as the "Coal Miner's Daughter."
Significant Coaches and Innovators
- Ed Etzel: Olympic gold medal-winning rifle coach from West Virginia University, achieved in 1984.
- Jennings Boyd: Coach who led Northfork High School basketball to eight consecutive state championships, a national record.
- Gale Catlett: Appointed men's basketball coach at WVU on March 28, 1978.
- Don Nehlen: Became head football coach at WVU in 1980.
- Dana Holgerson: Named head football coach at WVU in 2011.
Historical Achievements
- Marshall University: Won the 2011 Beef 'O' Brady Bowl.
- West Virginia State College: National black college basketball championship team on March 13, 1948.
- James Jarrett: First African-American head coach at a previously all-white public school in West Virginia (1958).
- Earl Lloyd: First African-American to play in the NBA on October 31, 1950.
Major League Figures
- Cal Ripken: MLB star known for setting a record for consecutive games played; began career with the Bluefield Orioles.
- Bill Mazeroski: Gained fame for his game-winning home run in the 1960 World Series, born in Wheeling.
- Chuck Howley: Warwood native and MVP of Super Bowl V, the only player from a losing team to earn that honor.
Personal Milestones
- Mary Lou Retton: First woman on Wheaties box and gold medalist in gymnastics in 1984 Olympics.
- Jerry West: NBA Hall of Famer, known as "Zeke from Cabin Creek," and 2004 NBA Executive of the Year.
- O.J. Mayo: Named West Virginia's boys basketball player of the year in 2007.
Other Noteworthy Athletes
- Randy Moss: Achieved All-Pro status as a receiver for the Oakland Raiders, also recognized as a high school basketball player of the year.
- Curt Warner: Seattle Seahawks running back, holder of numerous rushing records.
- Glenn Davis: Olympic gold medalist in 400-meter hurdles in 1956 and 1960; born in Wellsburg.
Miscellaneous
- Bill Stewart: Head football coach at WVU in January 2008.
- George Preston Marshall: Former owner of the Washington Redskins, charter member of the NFL Hall of Fame; from Grafton.
- Alexis Hornbuckle: Lady Vols player drafted by WNBA's Detroit Shock; from Charleston.
- Earle Neale: Coached the Eagles to back-to-back NFL Championships in 1948 and 1949, born in Parkersburg.
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Description
Test your knowledge about the remarkable athletes and coaches hailing from West Virginia. This quiz covers significant figures like Gino Marchetti, Wilbur Cooper, and Olympic gold medalists. Discover the impact of these sports icons on their respective fields.
