If You Build It, They Will Come

     NBA Draft Iowa Connections I'll be filling these in as I post in the blog.  I'll link to the players as they each get a post.  Currently, there eight years out of the 73 years that do not have a relevant Iowa basketball player (1950, 1954, 1955, 1972, 1994, 2005, 2009, 2011). Pre-Draft Era Hal Crisler, ISU 1947 Dick Ives, Iowa Herb Wilkinson, Iowa 1948 Ray Wehde, ISU Murray Wier, Iowa Gordon Flick, Drake 1949 John Pritchard, 7th, Drake Bill Evans, Drake 1951 John Rennicke, 6th, Drake Frank Clasbeek, 6th, Iowa 1952 Chuck Darling, 1st, Iowa Bob Clifton, Iowa 1953 Delmer Diercks, ISU 1956 Bill Logan, 5th, Iowa Carl Cain, Iowa 1957 Gary Thompson, 5th, ISU Phil Murrell, 6th, Drake 1958 Phil Murrell, 4th, Drake John Crawford, 6th, ISU Don Medsker, 12th, ISU 1959 Dave Gunther, 8th, Iowa 1960 Americas John-Lewis, 10th, Iowa 1961 Hank Whitney, 4th, ISU Gus Guydon, 4th, Drake Stacey Arceneaux, UDFA, ISU 1962 Don Nelson , 3rd, Iowa Jerry Foster, 6th, Drake Vince Brewe...

Profile Kevin Ritz was a MLB pitcher for the Colorado Rockies and Detroit Tigers who spent 12 years in the majors.  He posted a 17-11 record with the Rockies in 1996 in the hey day of Coors Field baseballs flying everywhere.  Kevin was raised Bloomfield, and went to school both at William Penn* and Indian Hills**.   * Jerry Kutzler was the only other MLBer from William Penn. Damon "Snacks" Harrison and Wilber Young made the NFL from here. ** 14 MLB players from here, including Eric Rasmussen, Shane Rawley, Jeff Zimmerman, Ramon Vazquez and Duane Kuiper Personal Notes Kevin Ritz was one of the earliest additions to my Iowa Expanded Universe collection.  Most lists of famous Iowans back in the day went exclusively on who was born in Iowa, or attended Iowa or Iowa State.  Ritz went to two smaller schools and was born outside Iowa, even though he was raised in Iowa.  That's the great thing about the internet.  I can find players based off my wants sup...

    CBA Draft Iowa Connections I'll be filling these in as I post in the blog.  I'll link to the players as they each get a post.  For full draft list visit NBA Hoops Online . 1985 None 1986 None 1987 None 1988 Lafester Rhodes, 1st, ISU Bill Jones , 1st, Iowa Gary Thompkins, 5th, ISU Al Lorenzen, 7th, Iowa Kevin Van Veldhuizen, 7th, Northwestern 1989 Bart Friedrick, 9th, Drake 1990 Matt Bullard, 3rd, Iowa Jason Reese, 4th, UNI Alessandro Donaldson, 6th, Drake 1991 Doug Collins, 8th, ISU 1992 James Moses, 5th, Iowa 1993 Justis Thigpen, 2nd, ISU 1994 James Winters, 6th, Iowa Randy Blocker , 6th, UNI 1995 Fred Hoiberg, 1st, ISU Loren Meyer, 7th, ISU 1996 Russ Millard, 4th, Iowa Chris Kingsbury, 6th, Iowa Kenyon Murray, 6th, Iowa 1997 Andre Woolridge, 2nd, Iowa Kenny Pratt, 6th, ISU C.J. Bruton, 6th, Indian Hills Dedric Willoughby, 7th, ISU 1998 Ryan Bowen, 2nd, Iowa Jess Settles, 10th, Iowa 1999 J.R. Koch, 4th, Iowa 2000 Cory Hightower, 5ht, Indian Hills Ernest Bro...