Two, Actually. (Not bad for a town of about 3500)
Golfer John Daly and former FEMA director James Lee Witt.
I’d love for it to be me. Alas, it isn’t. Probably the biggest-name celeb from my smal NJ town is football player Joe Theisman. But some peoiple might be more familiar with mystery writer Janet Evanovich (or maybe mystery writer Troy Soos).
Jon Bon Jovi is from the next town over. I played trumpet in HS band with his cousin, Lou.
How’s this for sad. My hometown of Tifton, GA (pop: 10,000) can claim:
Former Dallas Cowboy Clay Shiver
Former WCW announcer Scott Hudson
Former country music singer Cindi Thomson
Lots of “formers” in there.
Cincinnati, OH
Pete Rose. He may be a criminal, but, dammit he’s our criminal.
As far as women go, Sarah Jessica Parker spent her toddlerhood here as did Doris Day, but I can’t really say that either of them is a “favorite.”
L-
P.S. Sublight, care to enlighten us (heh heh. Pun) as to what happened in 1990?
Another one I just remembered–a girl from my home town, Kate Vanderliet, went on to become the lead dancer (kind of like being the Wayne Newton of the dance world) at the Lido in Paris. Woot.
Great legs, too.
Mike Piazza and Tommy Lasorda.
Well, let’s see.
Thomas Gibson from “Dharma and Greg”
Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish
Ashley Scott from “Birds of Prey”
Those are the only ones I can think of right now.
Automobile pioneer Henry Ford
Boston Red Sox closer Derek Lowe
The A-Team’s George Peppard
Former NFL quarterback, and current ABC commentator Gary Danielson
Detroit Tigers, Detoit Red Wings and Little Caesars co-owner Marian Illitch
All-around swell guy Happy Lendervedder
Happy
If we’re talking about the town where I was born, that’s easy: Stephen King! Now, there is someone famous from the town where I live now, but his name escapes me. He is not Stephen King famous at all. One of those people who fall under the category humorist as opposed to comedian. As in, it’s not that they’re funny, but they aren’t exactly reverent either. Anyway, it’s Barrington, RI. Perhaps Eutychuscan help me out.
Chagrin Falls, Ohio: Actor Tim Conway (McHale’s Navy, The Carol Burnett Show); cartoonist Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes)
Well, I don’t like to brag, but… [pulls out 40-page speech he keeps prepared for just such an occasion]
I was on a high school quiz show on Channel 5 Boston and ended up going all the way to finals, much to the surprise of a lot of people. I have to admit I enjoyed overhearing complete strangers talking about me (and actually saying good things, for once!). Graduation came a month later, and everything was forgotten.
I came in second, btw, so I guess between me and Ms. Kerrigan, my town has a reputation for building up hopes, but then not quite going the distance.
Monroe, Michigan:
U.S. general and all-around waste of oxygen George Armstrong Custer
Miss America 1988 Kay Lani Rae Rafko
Mediocre boxer Bronco McKart
Yay. Civic pride. Yay.
- Orville and Wilbur Wright
- Paul Lawrence Dunbar (black poet)
- Eugene Kettering (auto self starter)
- Edwin C. Moses (track hurdler)
- Mike Schmidt (baseball)
- Roger Clemens (baseball)
- Chris Carter (football)
- Martin Sheen
- Rob and Chad Lowe
- Allison Chaney
- Kathy Guisewite (comic strip “Kathy”)
- Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson)
That’s all I can remember right now.
From my hometown of Hoopeston, IL, we have Xavier basketball coach Thad Matta. He graduated a year before me. Really nice guy… I was in Algebra I and II with him.
From my hometown’s county seat of Danville, we have a small host of favorites:
** Dick and Jerry Van Dyke
Gene Hackman
Bobby Short
Donald O’Connor
Astronaut Joe Tanner**
Although he wasn’t from Danville, Abraham Lincoln practiced law there from 1841 until 1859 (link to cite).