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1980's Historic Connections

to Wyandotte High School

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Danny Manning *KU

Lawrence High School, Lawrence, Kansas, Class of 1984

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High School Career

  • Transferred to Lawrence High School for his senior year of high school from Walter Hines Page High School in Greensboro, North Carolina in the fall of 1983.
     

  • Led Lawrence to a 22-2 record (with both losses to the Wyandotte Bulldogs including in the 1984 5A State Championship game) in the 1983-84 season, his only season playing for the Lions.

College Career

  • Played 4 years for the Kansas Jayhawks (1984–1988) for Coach Larry Brown.
     

  • 2-time consensus All-American (1987 & 1988) & Consensus National College Player of the Year (1988).
     

  • Teamed with Calvin Thompson (Wyandotte Class of 1982) in the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons. See Bulldog Trailblazers.
     

  • Helped the Jayhawks to the 1986 Final Four where they fell to the Duke Blue Devils 71-67 in the Semifinals.
     

  • Earned Most Outstanding Player honors leading the Jayhawks to an 83-79 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 1988 National Championship game at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

Danny Manning, shooting, playing for Kansas Univeristy, 1984–1988.

Danny Manning (L), playing for the Kansas Jayhawks.

  • Drafted with the 1st overall pick in the 1st Round by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1988 NBA Draft

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Professional Playing Career

  • Played 15 seasons (1988-2003) in the NBA for seven NBA teams. (Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons)
     

  • Twice made the NBA All-Star Team (1993, 1994)

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Barry Sanders

Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas, Class of 1986

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High School Career

  • Basketball

    • On January 19, 1985, as a junior reserve guard on the Wichita North Redskins (now Redhawks) basketball team, Sanders scored two points in an 84-45 loss to the eventual 1985 State Champion Wyandotte Bulldogs in the final game of the “round robin format” Wichita North Tournament. William Davis led the Bulldogs with 29 points.

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  • Football

    • In his 1985 senior football season at Wichita North, Sanders was moved from wing-back to running back in the season’s fourth game against the Wichita South Titans. In the game against the Titans, Sanders rushed for 274 yards on 27 carries with 4 touchdowns.
       

    • In February 1986 signed with the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Coach Pat Jones over offers from the Iowa State Cyclones and Tulsa Hurricanes.

College Career

  • Played for Oklahoma State from 1986-1988
     

  • Served as backup in 1986 and 1987 for future NFL Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas.
     

  • Became a full-time starter in the 1988 season & rushed for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns earning 1st Team All-American and winning the 1988 Heisman Trophy.
     

  • Selected by the Detroit Lions as the 3rd overall pick in the 1st Round of the 1988 NFL Draft.

Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, 1988 Heisman Trophy winner.

Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, 1988 Heisman Trophy winner,

Professional Career

  • Detroit Lions from 1989-1998
     

  • Earned NFL Rookie of the Year (1988) & 1st Team NFL All-Pro (1989-1991, 1994, 1995, and 1997).
     

  • Earned NFL Rushing Champion (1990, 1994, 1996 and 1997) & is 2nd All-Time in NFL Rushing Yards.
     

  • Awarded NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1994 and 1997) & NFL Most Valuable Player (1997).
     

  • Inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004 as the second youngest player ever (36 years old).

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