Dong's Top 10

As most sports enthusiasts would say, it is fun to engage in a debate about which team/player/school is best. Last week, I was in the midst of one of these discussions with a high school friend of mine, who attends a major sports college in a power conference. While I was giving him a hard time about his team's recent bowl loss, he threw back the one line I was horrified to hear "At least our players are going pro, who does Dartmouth have in the NFL?"

I hope this week's top 10 will serve as a public service for all of you who are losing these sports debates. Here are the top 10 Dartmouth alumni who have had success in the four major professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL).

1. Mark Johnson '90 (1B, MLB) A former Big Green quarterback, Johnson decided to try his luck in professional baseball. In a seven-year MLB career stretching from 1995 to 2002, Johnson played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels and New York Mets, collecting 38 homeruns and 137 RBIs. Although Johnson played mainly as a backup infielder and pinch-hitter, the Massachusetts native had a solid career and cracks the list at number 10.

2. T.J. Galiardi '10 (Center, NHL) Galiardi was selected in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche and began his NHL career in 2008. After a breakout season last year in which Galiardi tallied 15 goals and 24 assists, he was selected to play on the U.S. National Team at the 2010 World Championships.

3. Jay Fiedler '94 (QB, NFL) By far the most well-known and most successful NFL quarterback to have attended Dartmouth, Fiedler spent the bulk of his career playing for the Miami Dolphins and led the team to two post-season appearances. In his professional career, the Dartmouth alumnus threw for 11,844 yards, rushed for 854 more and scored 80 touchdowns. We might have to wait a while to see another Dartmouth quarterback in the NFL who is as successful as Fiedler.

4. Lee Stempniak '05 (RW, NHL) A seven-year veteran for three different teams in the NHL, Stempniak has amassed 96 goals and 113 assists in 374 career games. He has also tallied 13 points in 14 career games playing for Team USA.

5. Reggie Williams '76 (LB, NFL) A third-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1975, Williams played for the team for 14 seasons. The three-time All-Ivy linebacker played in two Super Bowls with the Bengals and recorded 16 interceptions, 23 fumble recoveries and 62.5 sacks the second most in Bengals history. Williams was also named Sports Illustrated's co-Sportsman of the Year in 1987.

6. Carey Wilson '83 (Center, NHL) Wilson helped Canada win its first World Junior Championship in 1982. While competing in the 1984 Winter Olympics, he registered a hat trick in a 4-2 victory over Team USA in the opening game. For the next 10 years of his career, Wilson bounced around between the NHL and European professional hockey. He ended his NHL career in 1993 after tallying 427 points in 552 regular season games.

7. Rudy Larusso '59 (F, NBA) Arguably the most successful Dartmouth alumnus who played in the NBA, Larusso played the majority of his career for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1960s. The 6'7" forward averaged 15.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in his career, and was a five-time All-Star who played in four NBA Finals. Unfortunately, his team lost to the Boston Celtics all four times.

8. Ed Healey '18 (Tackle, NFL) If you have no idea who Ed Healey is, you are probably not alone. Healey played in the NFL in the 1920s as an offensive tackle, best known for his time with the Chicago Bears. He was an All-League pick five times during his eight-year playing career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964. Yes, Dartmouth has one of its own in the Hall of Fame.

9. Nick Lowery '78 (Kicker, NFL) How good was Nick Lowery? When he retired in 1996 after an 18-year NFL career, he had 1) made the most field goals of all time 2) been the most accurate kicker of all time 3) made the most 50-yard field goals and 4) recorded the best extra-point percentage. Lowery played in three Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro seven times.

10. Brad Ausmus '91 (Catcher, MLB) The former all-star catcher played for six major league teams most notably the Houston Astros - while amassing 1,579 hits and 607 RBIs. A three-time Gold Glove winner, his best-known moment came during Game Four of the 2005 National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, when he homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 6-6. The Astros went on to make the World Series that year.