There's a difference between loyalty to the home team--athletes

imported to play for our local colleges and pro franchises--and

the deep emotional bond we share with hometown heroes, the local

legends we knew back when. They are the boys and girls from next

door, or the next town. We watched them grow up, watched them

play when it was still play. Unfortunately, these luminaries are

almost inevitably dispersed because of sport's mercenary nature,

lured away by scholarships or contracts. Well, we're bringing 'em

all back home for the millennium--not necessarily to where they

were born, but to where they first showed flashes of the

greatness to come. Thus, Broadway Joe is in Pennsylvania, not

Alabama or New York; and the Mailman is in Louisiana, not Utah.

The result: the top 50 from your state and, on the following

pages, a list of those from all 50 states. In short, the ultimate

home teams.

#1

Roger Maris

FARGO

Three-sport star at Shanley High; Yankees outfielder was AL MVP

in 1960 and '61; broke Babe Ruth's record with 61 home runs in

'61.

#2

Phil Jackson

WILLISTON

Played 12 seasons in the NBA; coached Bulls to six titles between

1991 and '98.

#3

Darin Erstad

JAMESTOWN

Scored 36 goals in 1992 for Jamestown High hockey team; state

110- and 300-meter hurdles champion; punted for Nebraska's '94

national championship team; outfielder with Angels.

#4

Andy Hampsten

GRAND FORKS

Only American to win Tour of Italy and Tour of Switzerland.

#5

Lute Olson

GRAND FORKS

Played on 1952 state basketball championship team at Grand Forks

High; '97 NCAA title as Arizona coach.

#6

Cliff Cushman

GRAND FORKS

Two-time Kansas All-America hurdler, in 1959 and '60; won silver

medal in 400-meter hurdles at 1960 Olympics.

#7

Cliff (Fido) Purpur

GRAND FORKS

First North Dakotan to play in NHL; joined St. Louis Eagles in

1934-35; had 60 points in 144 regular-season games in five

seasons with two teams.

#8

Amy Ruley

FARGO

North Dakota State women's basketball coach has led Bison to

five NCAA Division II titles since 1980.

#9

John Bennett

GRAND FORKS

Won NCAA long jump at Marquette in 1953 and '54, and silver medal

at '56 Olympics.

#10

Virgil Hill

WILLISTON

Won silver medal at 1984 Games; won WBA light heavyweight title

in '87; defended belt a record 19 times.

#11

Casper Oimoen

MINOT

A captain of 1932 and '36 U.S. Olympic ski teams; won three

national titles in ski jumping.

#12

Brad Gjermundson

MARSHALL

Four-time world champion saddle bronc rider (1981, '83, '84,

'85); qualified for National Finals Rodeo nine times.

#13

Dale Brown

MINOT

Earned 12 letters at Minot State in basketball, football and

track; LSU basketball coach from 1972 to '97; set school record

with 448 wins.

#14

Pete Retzlaff

ELLENDALE

Eagles receiver was five-time Pro Bowl pick; retired in 1966 with

452 catches for 7,412 yards and 47 touchdowns.

#15

Sid Cichy

FARGO

Coached Shanley High football team to 231-38-3 record, 11

undefeated seasons and 15 state titles from 1948 to '77.

#16

Dave Osborn

CANDO

Three-time letterman in football and track at North Dakota;

rushed for 4,320 yards and 29 touchdowns with Vikings from 1965

to '75.

#17

Rick Helling

LAKOTA

Won 20 games for Rangers in 1998; is 44-34 in six seasons.

#18

Bob Wiese

JAMESTOWN

Two-time all-state back at Jamestown High in early 1940s was

twice All-Big Ten at Michigan; lettered two years in basketball,

three years in baseball for Wolverines.

#19

Brian Voss

BISMARCK

Won PBA national title and was bowler of the year in 1988.

#20

Phil Hansen

OAKES

Two-time All-America at North Dakota State; defensive end is

third player in Bills' history with 50-plus sacks.

#21

Steve Myhra

WAHPETON

Set Colts' marks with 21 field goals and 96 points in 1961;

kicked late-game field goal in historic '58 NFL Championship

against Giants to force overtime.

#22

Steve Blehm

DEVILS LAKE

North Dakota School for the Deaf guard scored state-record 3,930

points (1970 to '73).

#23

Ron Erhardt

MANDAN

All-conference quarterback at Jamestown College; Giants

offensive coordinator with two Super Bowl championship teams

(1986 and '90).

#24

Pat Smykowski

LIDGERWOOD

Set North Dakota State women's basketball career marks for

points, three-pointers and assists, from 1986 to '89.

#25

Don Barcome Jr.

GRAND FORKS

In 1979, captained first American team to win world junior men's

curling championship.

#26

Ken Hunt

GRAND FORKS

Major league outfielder from 1959 to '64 had best season in '61

with Angels, hitting career-high 25 home runs.

#27

Jim Kleinsasser

CARRINGTON

Two-time Division II All-America tight end at North Dakota, in

1997 and '98; led team in '98 with 45 catches; second-round pick

of Vikings.

#28

Glenn Hansen

GRAND FORKS

Set state career scoring record at Grand Forks High; played

in NBA from 1976 to '78.

#29

Janelle Bakken

THOMPSON

Has five snowmobile drag-racing world records and more than 160

first-place showings.

#30

Jeff Boschee

VALLEY CITY

Averaged 26 points at Valley City High as a senior and

was state's first McDonald's high school All-America; now point

guard at Kansas.

#31

Randy Hedberg

PARSHALL

Minot State QB passed for school-record 5,737 yards and 49

touchdowns; started four games for Buccaneers in 1977.

#32

Kami Anderson

VALLEY CITY

Twice named all-state in girls' basketball at Valley City High;

Stanford's 18th alltime leading scorer (1985 to '88).

#33

Bob Feeney

BISMARCK

North Dakota's alltime winningest high school football coach had

234-110-1 record at three schools (1964 to '98).

#34

Corey Ihmels

WILLISTON

Won three straight state cross-country championships (1989 to

'91); won '91 national cross-country championships.

#35

Nadine Schmidt

BRADDOCK

North Dakota State guard-forward was NCAA Division II Final Four

MVP in 1991 and '93.

#36

Al Dosch

STRASBURG

Two-time all-conference football player at Valley City State;

coached five high schools, including Strasburg High, to combined

229-61-4 record.

#37

Brooks Bollinger

GRAND FORKS

Four-time all-city QB at Central High; passed for 4,209 career

yards and 40 touchdowns; won 10 letters in three sports; now

playing at Wisconsin.

#38

Jeff Panzer

GRAND FORKS

Junior forward on North Dakota hockey team had 21 goals

and 26 assists in 1998-99.

#39

Dick Tschider

BISMARCK

All-state at St. Mary's High; two-time all-conference linebacker

and center at North Dakota State in 1956 and '57.

#40

Shane McMenamy

GRAND FORKS

U.S. Junior Amateur golf champion in 1996; first

16-year-old to win that title since Tiger Woods in '92.

#41

Les Jepsen

BOWBELLS

Averaged 14.9 points and 10.0 rebounds at Iowa in 1990; played

two years in the NBA.

#42

Tanya Fischer

RHAME

North Dakota's alltime leading high school scorer (3,148 points)

at Bowman High; state's 1993 Miss Basketball; two-time state

cross-country champion.

#43

Doug Beaudoin

JAMESTOWN

All-America in football and basketball at Jamestown High; played

in NFL from 1976 to '81.

#44

Lynn Nelson

SHELDON

Was 33-42 in seven seasons with Cubs, A's and Tigers between 1930

and '40.

#45

Sheri Kleinsasser

CARRINGTON

Ended career as alltime leading scorer for North Dakota women's

basketball team (1992 to '95); finished with 1,941 points.

#46

Ron Green

FARGO

All-conference receiver at North Dakota; played with Browns in

1967 and '68.

#47

George Rulon

JAMESTOWN

National coordinator of American Legion Baseball from 1961 to

'86; credited with popularizing American Legion World Series.

#48

Julie Bosch

BISMARCK

Has won five straight I Made the Hill 10K's and nine of the last

10; set course record in 1998.

#49

Justin Fletschock

MUNICH

Two-time all-conference pitcher at North Dakota State (1996 and

'97); school's career leader in wins, complete games and innings

pitched.

#50

Tony Satter

FARGO

North Dakota State running back from 1987 to '90 helped team win

two Division II national titles; career average of 9.96 yards per

touch.

B/W PHOTO: HERB SCHARFMAN #1 Roger Maris