Greatest Oregon Native

1.

Steve Prefontaine

By: katie     3 votes

Steve Roland "Pre" Prefontaine (January 25, 1951 - May 30, 1975) was an American middle and long-distance runner. Prefontaine helped inspire the "running boom" in the 1970s along with contemporaries Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. Born and raised in Coos Bay, Oregon, Prefontaine was primarily a long-distance runner who once held the American record in the seven distance track events from the 2000 meters to the 10,000 meters. Prefontaine died at the age of 24 in a car accident.

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2.

River Phoenix

By: katie     1 votes

River Jude Phoenix (August 23, 1970 - October 31, 1993) was an American film actor. He was listed on John Willis's Screen World, Vol. 38 as one of twelve "promising new actors of 1986", and was hailed as highly talented by such critics as Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. He was also well known for his animal rights activism. His career was cut short when he died of a drug overdose on Halloween morning 1993 at age 23. He was the older brother of actors and actresses Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Liberty Phoenix, and Summer Phoenix.

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3.

Raymond Carver

By: katie     2 votes

Raymond Clevie Carver, Jr. (May 25, 1938 - August 2, 1988) was an American short story writer and poet. Carver is considered a major American writer of the late 20th century and also a major force in the revitalization of the short story in the 1980s.

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4.

Ahmad Rashad

By: katie     3 votes

Ahmad Rashad (born Robert Earl Moore November 19, 1949 in Portland, Oregon) is an Emmy award-winning sportscaster (mostly with NBC Sports) and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was the first skill-position player taken, following three linemen.

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5.

Tonya Harding

By: katie     2 votes

Tonya Maxene Harding (born November 12, 1970) is a former American figure skating champion. In 1991 she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and placed second in the World Championships. She was the second woman, and the first American woman, to complete a triple axel jump in competition.

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