Top 10 Alaska-Born Athletes

Alaska is known for brutal, blizzard-like winters. Fishing is big in the state as is anything to do with dog racing or mushing. Though the state doesn't come close to the deepest list of athletes born there, they have had some make a name for themselves on a big stage.

The list is based on accomplishments, awards, influence, cultural impact, and popularity. Athletes that were born in the state of Alaska are considered even if they didn't live there long after birth. Here are my picks for the top 10 Alabama-born athletes of all-time starting with No. 10......

10. Sam Hoger (born in Eagle River in 1980)

Hoger is a mixed martial artist, and is most famous for appearing on the first season of Ultimate Fighter in 2005. Hoger lost to Forrest Griffin in a semi-final match on the show as Griffin went on to be one of the winners. In the season finale, Hoger did rebound to beat Bobby Southworth by unanimous decision. He has fought in 14 MMA matches, and won 10 of them in his career. Hoger has his own MMA training center in Houston, Texas.

9. John Baker (born in Kotzebue in 1960 or 1961)

Baker started dog mushing at a very early age, and made his first Iditarod appearance in 1996. Though he has competed in every Iditarod race between 1996-2009, he didn't win it in those years. He has been a consistent contender finishing as high as third at the 2002 and 2009 event. He did win the 1998 Dorothy G. Page halfway award and Regal Alaskan's First Musher to the Yukon Award that same year. He has had four top 5 finishes at the Iditarod event.

8. Rosey Fletcher( born in Anchorage in 1975)

Fletcher began her skiing career in 1996 finishing third at the World Cup in the Giant Slalom event in Italy. She won a World Cup race the following year in Italy and both the Slalom and Giant Slalom events at the World Cup in Mammoth Mountain later in 1997. She made the U.S. Olympic team in 1992 at the games held in Nagano, Japan. She competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. She made the Olympic team in 2006 at the games in Turin, Italy where she finally won a bronze medal in the Giant Slalom event which was her only medal in her Olympic career. At the 2006 Artic Winter Games in her home state of Alaska, she was picked to light the cauldron. She has also won two silver medals at the FIS Snowboarding Championships in 1999 and 2001 in the Giant Slalom events.

7. Matt Carle (born in Anchorage in 1984)

Carle played college hockey for the University of Denver as he became the first junior defenseman to win the Hobey Baker Award in 2006 given to the nation's top collegiate player. He forfeited his senior after being drafted in 2003 NFL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. He made the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2006-07, but would only play one more season with the Sharks before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Carle only played in 12 games for Tampa Bay before being traded to Philadelphia Flyers. Carle was on that Flyers team that made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010 during which they overcame a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

6. Hilary Lindh (born in Juneau in 1969)

Lindh's career in alpine skiing began at the early age of 14 when she made the women's U.S. Ski team. Two years later, she became the first American to win the World Junior Championships downhill title. She made her Olympic debut in 1992 at the games in France as she took home the silver medal in the downhill event. In 1994, Lindh won three World Cup events in the downhill. Her first gold medal in the downhill event came at the 1997 World Championship in Italy as she became the only American at the event win a medal. She retired from competing in 1997 after eleven years of World Cup racing. She received induction to the National Ski Hall of Fame in 2005 for her accomplishments.

5. Scott Gomez (born in Anchorage in 1979)

Playing for the Tri-City Americans, Gomez was named to the Western Hockey League(WHL) All-Rookie team in 1998 as he was just selected in the NHL Entry Draft at No. 27 overall by the New Jersey Devils. He was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team the following season before being brought to New Jersey as he became the first Alaskan native to play in the NHL. His first year with the Devils was a great one as he won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie and he also scored 10 goals in helping the team win the Stanley Cup. He helped them win another Stanley Cup in 2002-03. During the NHL lockout in 2004-05, Gomez played in the ECHL as he won the MVP award that season. In 2005-06, Gomez set career highs in total points with 84, and later scored the last goal at Continental Airlines Arean the following season. Gomez signed with the New York Rangers in 2007, and played there until being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in July 2009. Gomez is a two-time NHL All-Star center and two-time Stanley Cup champion.

4. Mario Chalmers (born in Anchorage in 1986)

Chalmers is arguably the greatest high school player in Alaska state history after becoming just the second person to win the 4A State Player of the Year honors three times(Trajan Langdon is the other). He led Bartlett High School to two state championships and three final game appearances. He was a highly recruited point guard as schools such as North Carolina, Arizona, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech showed interest. Ultimately, he chose the Kansas Jayhawks where he had a great three-year career and made what many consider the greatest shot in the long storied history of the program. It was during his junior year in 2007-08 that Kansas made it to the NCAA Championship Game against Memphis. With 2.1 seconds, Chalmers hit a three point shot to tie the game as Kansas went on to win it in overtime. It is often referred to as "Mario's Miracle". He was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He was drafted originally by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2008 in the 2nd Round, but was traded away to the Miami Heat. He was named to the NBA All Rookie Second Team in 2008-09.

3. Lance Mackey (born in Anchorage in 1970)

Mackey has had quite the successful career as a dog musher and dog sled racer. His dad Dick was one of the original founders of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and won the event in 1978. He won his first Yukon Quest(a 1,000 mile race) in 2005, and that was only the beginning. Mackey became the first person ever to win the Iditarod and Yukon Quest in the same year in 2007 in which the feat was at the time thought to be impossible to accomplish. He accomplished the same feat the following year, and also won the Tustumena 200, too. He is a four-time winner of both the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. His accomplishments are more impressive considering he survived throat cancer in 2001 and an amputated left index finger. He was voted No. 2 on Sports Illustrated's list of the toughest athletes in 2008.

2. Mark Schlereth (born in Anchorage in 1966)

Schlereth did grow up in Alaska and struggled as a kid as a result of dyslexia. He played football at Robert Service High School, and it hurt his chances of garnering attention from other colleges as an offensive line prospect. He ended up playing guard for Idaho, and they were a Division 1-AA school at the time. He was a teammate of College Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Friesz, who later played for the San Diego Chargers as well as future head coach Scott Linehan. Schlereth wasn't selected until the 10th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. But he played 12 seasons earning Pro Bowl status on two occasions in 1991 and 1998. He helped the Redskins win a Super Bowl in 1991, and later helped the Denver Broncos win their first Super Bowls with back-to-back titles in 1997-98. Schlereth was one of the toughest players in league history having endured 29 surgeries including 20 on his knees. Overcoming adversity was what defined Schlereth throughout his playing days from his youth to professional career. After his career, he landed a job as an NFL analyst for ESPN.

1. Curt Schilling (born in Anchorage in 1966)

Though Schilling was born in Alaska, he moved to Arizona where he graduated high school and later went to college. The Boston Red Sox selected Schilling in the 1986 Draft, but wound up being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1988 where he played until 1991 moving on to the Houston Astros. In 1992, Schilling ended up with the Philadelphia Phillies where he played a huge role in helping them make it to the 1993 World Series as he won the NLCS MVP Award. He won Game 5 of that World Series against the Toronto Bluejays after losing Game 1. Schilling spent the rest of the decade with the Phillies before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. With Arizona, he helped the team to their first World Series title by winning co-MVP with teammate Randy Johnson. He was traded to Boston before the 2004 season where he had his most memorable moment winning Game 6 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees with an injured ankle as the Red Sox became the first team with a 3-0 series to deficit to win a series. The Red Sox won the World Series that year as well as in 2007 where he won Game 2 against the Colorado Rockies. Schilling retired after the 2008 season. He was 11-2 in the playoffs which is the best winning percentage of any pitcher that has had ten decisions.

Others I considered: Josh Phelps and Shawn Chacon of MLB, Brandon Dubinsky of NHL

Alaska has produced a World Series and NCAA Tournament hero as well as a three-time Super Bowl champion that overcame a lot to make in the NFL. One of the toughest athletes you'll ever meet has made a name for himself while dominating the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. A former collegiate hockey player of the year came from Alaska, and the first Alaskan-born NHL player has won two Stanley Cups. Plus, two women have made it to the Olympics and won medals in skiing. Alaska may not have the quantity of successful athletes like other states, but the ones listed have respresented their home state well.

Sources:
List of athletes from Alaska
wikipedia.org
Curt Schilling's 38 pitches blog
Mark Schlereth site