Photos: Ten best athletes to be born in Colorado

By Michael Roberts Tue., Feb. 19 2013 at 7:50 AM

Number 8: Aaron Smith

Aaron Smith (left-center, making the tackle).

Smith, who hails from Colorado Springs (another one) and played for the University of Northern Colorado, isn't a player whose name appears high on most lists of Pittsburgh Steeler greats -- and more's the pity. Drafted in 1999, he had a stellar thirteen years in the league, racking up impressive stats aplenty as a defensive end. He was part of two Super Bowl-winning squads, made the 2004 Pro Bowl, and was named to Sports Illustrated's all-decade team for the first ten years of this century. Those are accomplishments worth remembering.

Number 7: Richard "Goose" Gossage

Richard "Goose" Gossage.

Another proud product of Colorado Springs, Gossage pitched for nine different Major League Baseball teams over a 22-year career. But most casual fans know him for his stint with the New York Yankees, when he set the team's save record en route to multiple All-Star Game appearances and a key role in helping the Evil Empire win the 1978 World Series. For years, he was on the bubble for Hall of Fame membership, but he finally won election in 2008. And deservedly so.

Continue to keep counting down our list of the ten best athletes to be born in Colorado.

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Juan_Leg topcommenter

Why not :

The Top Ten Colorado Celebs You'd Most Likely LOVE To Wake Up Next To .......

Craig_Houston

How could you leave Reggie Jackson off the list? He's doing wonders for the Thunder as a third-string point guard.

Craig_Houston

How could you leave Reggie Jackson off the list? He's doing wonders for the Thunder as a third-string point guard.

crucialbee1

Buddy Werner? Billy Kidd? Lindsay Vonn? Where my skiers at?

Pam Stiffler

Depends on what you consider athletic...

Juan_Leg topcommenter

Roberts, nice job putting a difficult list together .

You did surprisingly miss Anderson,

but otherwise did a damn fine job !

David Kotzebue

Whizzer White, duh. & how about a few skiers?

dgarrettcham

1 Like

No Dick Anderson, Boulder native, All-American at CU, Pro-Bowler for the Miami Dolphins, defensive stalwart of three Super Bowl teams, winner of two?

Most egregiously, no Whizzer White, Fort Collins native, CU AllAmerican, two-time leader of NFL in rushing?

michael.roberts moderator editortopcommenter

@dgarrettchamTwo strong arguments, dgarrettcham. White, in particular, was a huge oversight, since we forgot to include him on a previous list, too -- one featuring famous people to have died in Colorado. Here's that link:

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/05/ten_most_notable_people_to_die_in_colorado_part_2.php

Thanks for the post.

Aly Sotiros

Adeline Gray-Wrestling

Tim Tindle

Tim Tindle, he is a strong pedicab operator, has a nice stereo system on his bike and provides concierge level service. A Colorado athlete indeed!

Laura Grisenti de Luna

Matt Hasselbeck was born in Boulder, Eddie Eagan, Goose Gossage and Dutch Clark were all born in Colorado.

Nathan Jones

How could you not include Eric Willet or Bobby Brown? You're saying these dudes that play baseball are better athletes than them?

tandersonbank

How could you not include Glenn Morris from Simla? He won the Decathlon at the 1936 Olympics and was chosen the 1936 United States athlete of the year.