So Cal's All-Time Roster: No. 15
No. 15
Our pick:
==Ann Meyers, UCLA basketball (1976-'79)
It almost seems ridiculous to think now that Meyers was the first woman ever signed to a four-year athletic scholarship. But that's what UCLA did for the Sonora High of La Habra standout who led her team to an 80-5 record and a member of the U.S. national team in 1974. She could have played softball, badminton, field hockey or tennis, but basketball was her love, and UCLA, which had her older brother David on scholarship, stepped it up for women's athletics. A four-time All-American, Meyers led her team to the AIAW national title over Maryland in 1978 and was awarded the Broderick Cup. In her UCLA career, she had 12 of the 13 records in women's basketball. She also competed in volleyball and won a national championship in track in 1975.
The first player drafted in the Women’s Professional Basketball League (WBL) in 1978, Meyers resumed her playing career for the New Jersey Gems, where she was named MVP after leading the league in steals and averaging 22.2 points.
It might have been just a publicity stunt, but Meyers signed a $50,000 no-cut contract with the NBA's Indiana Pacers in 1980. She didn't make the roster after a three-day tryout, but another barrier had been broken.
She was the first woman inductee into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame added her in 1993.
And she was half of what was probably the greatest sports power team in Southern California history when, in 1986, she married Dodgers Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale. They had three kids -- son Don Jr., daughter Drew and son Darren.
Meyers also broke ground in broadcasting for many national and Southern California sports channels and did that for 28 years. She's currently the vice president and general manager of the WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury, which won the title in her first year.
Runner-up:
==Tim Salmon, Angels ('92-'06)
==Davey Lopes, Dodgers ('72-'81)
Other No. 15s:
==Jack Kemp, Los Angeles Chargers (’60)
==Vince Ferragamo, Rams (’77-'84)
==John Sciarra, UCLA football ('72-'75)
==Craig Fertig, USC football ('62-'64)
==Juda Widing, Kings ('69-'77)
==Ted Kluszewski, Angels ('61)
==Elaine Youngs, UCLA women’s volleyball
==Darrick Martin, UCLA basketball (88-92)
==Fred Lynn, USC football
==Shawn Green, Dodgers ('00-'04)
==Bob Ctvrtlik, Pepperdine men's volleyball ('85 national player of the year, three-time Olympian)
==LaTunya Pollard, Long Beach State women's basketball ('80-'83, number retired by team)
Sports Illustrated's choice for the all-time No. 15: Bart Starr, over Thurman Munson.
Did we miss anyone?
You've got our vote, now let's see yours: