39.2868° N, 76.6201° W

BALTIMORE

Most Famous People Born in Baltimore, United States

Notable people
2,329
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1939
Most distinctive
Baseball 7.0×

A port city whose distinctive professions are baseball at seven times the global rate, basketball, and an unusually thick column of officers, novelists, and lawyers — the shape of a Mid-Atlantic city that has always sat at the meeting point of the Navy yard, the courts, and the literary establishment. Frank Zappa, Babe Ruth, Michael Phelps, and Edgar Allan Poe (who died here, not born) all belong to this bench, and the 19th-century tail is heavier than in most American cities its size.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Baltimore during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 245 notable births.

What Baltimore Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Baltimore's biggest profession — 11% of all notables (255).

Baltimore over-indexes on baseball7.0× the global rate.

Baltimore under-produces painter — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Politician255
  2. Actor189
  3. Baseball186
  4. Football149
  5. Basket102
  6. Lawyer88
  7. Writer66
  8. Music54
  1. Baseball1867.0×
  2. Basket1023.5×
  3. Officer422.7×
  4. Novelist232.5×
  5. Lawyer882.2×
  6. Music541.6×
  7. Actor1891.5×
  1. Painter350.6×
  2. Football1490.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Baltimore's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All2,329
Sort By

2,329 notable people

0901 SCIENTIST

Christopher Jencks

Born 1936

Preview
0902 MUSIC

Aaron LaCrate

-

Preview
0903 RABBI

Marc H. Tanenbaum

1925 - 1992

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0904 FOOTBALL

Keith Sims

Born 1967

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0905 NURSE

Esther Hasson

1867 - 1942

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0906 TRANSLATOR

Elizabeth Oehlkers Wright

Born 1966

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0907 BASKET

Keron DeShields

Born 1992

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0908 GUITAR

O'Donel Levy

1945 - 2016

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0909 OFFICER

Walter Fillmore

1933 - 2017

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0910 BOXER

Vincent Pettway

Born 1965

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0911 MUSIC

Debbie Jacobs

Born 1955

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0912 LAWYER

John Carter Rose

1861 - 1927

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0913 FENCER

Akhnaten Spencer-El

Born 1979

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0914 MUSIC

Douglas Purviance

Born 1952

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0915 BASEBALL

Chris Haney

Born 1968

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0916 PAINTER

Hilda Thorpe

1920 - 2000

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0917 ENGINEER

Ellis S. Chesbrough

1813 - 1886

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0918 WRITER

Phillip Sandifer

Born 1959

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0919 ARCHITECT

Warren Platner

1919 - 2006

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0920 FOOTBALL

Mike Shula

Born 1965

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0921 POLITICIAN

Kathy Szeliga

Born 1961

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0922 PRODUCER

DJ Fresh (producer)

Born 1981

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0923 POLITICIAN

Martin Emerich

1846 - 1922

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0924 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Henry Jones Ford

1851 - 1925

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0925 BASEBALL

Harry Wendelstedt

1938 - 2012

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0926 PHARMACIST

William Procter Jr.

1817 - 1874

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0927 FOOTBALL

Johnny Poe

1874 - 1915

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0928 ACTOR

Brandi Burkhardt

Born 1979

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0929 AUTHOR

Robert W. Faid

1929 - 2008

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0930 OFFICER

William Maxwell Wood

1809 - 1880

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0931 COMPOSER

Gordon Beecher

1904 - 1973

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0932 JOURNALIST

Elissa Silverman

Born 1973

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0933 PAINTER

Francis Blackwell Mayer

1827 - 1899

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0934 LAWYER

Gregg Costa

Born 1972

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0935 ARTIST

Arlene Raven

1944 - 2006

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0936 PIANIST

Joey Welz

Born 1940

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0937 NOVELIST

Steve Geppi

Born 1950

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0938 FILM

Jeremy Kasten

Born 1971

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0939 ACTOR

Jane Hamilton (actress)

1915 - 2004

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0940 BIOGRAPHER

Page Smith

1917 - 1995

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0941 WRITER

Tony Evans (radio)

Born 1949

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0942 SAILOR

Pierpont Davis

1884 - 1953

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0943 PLAYER

Steve Dannenmann

Born 1966

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0944 FILM

M. C. Levee

1891 - 1972

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0945 BASEBALL

Joe Klein (baseball executive)

1942 - 2017

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0946 ACTOR

John Sleeper Clarke

1833 - 1899

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0947 PHYSICIAN

Alan Frank Guttmacher

1898 - 1974

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0948 LOBBYIST

Clarence Mitchell Jr.

1911 - 1984

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0949 POLITICIAN

Mutulu Shakur

Born 1950

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0950 PRIEST

Herbert Bevard

Born 1946

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0951 SINGER

Corbin (musician)

Born 1998

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0952 PHOTOGRAPHER

Stanley Tretick

1921 - 1999

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0953 FOOTBALL

Donnell Woolford

Born 1966

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0954 PAINTER

Robert Richard Hieronimus

Born 1943

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0955 BASEBALL

Andy Cohen (baseball)

1904 - 1988

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0956 LINGUIST

Anna Granville Hatcher

1905 - 1978

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0957 BIOLOGIST

Sharon Matola

Born 1954

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0958 MATHEMATICIAN

Marguerite Lehr

1898 - 1987

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0959 DIPLOMAT

H. Freeman Matthews

1899 - 1986

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0960 FOOTBALL

Adrian Amos

Born 1993

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0961 BIOCHEMIST

W. Wallace Cleland

1930 - 2013

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0962 BASKET

Kisha Ford

Born 1975

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0963 WRITER

Ellen MacGregor

1906 - 1954

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0964 SINGER

Leah Kunkel

Born 1948

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0965 PRODUCER

Kevin Liles

Born 1968

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0966 PHOTOGRAPHER

Sara VanDerBeek

Born 1976

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0967 FOOTBALL

Andrew DePaola

Born 1987

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0968 ACTOR

Derek Waters

Born 1979

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0969 ACTOR

Mae Hotely

1872 - 1954

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0970 JUDGE

Neilson Poe

1809 - 1884

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0971 HISTORIAN

John Thomas Scharf

1843 - 1898

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0972 PSYCHIATRIST

Joseph D. Lichtenberg

Born 1925

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0973 FOOTBALL

Kiero Small

Born 1991

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0974 ACTOR

Nancy Novotny

-

Preview
0975 ARCHITECT

John M. Van Osdel

1811 - 1891

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0976 BASEBALL

Eddie Rommel

1897 - 1970

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0977 LAWYER

Benjamin Ignatius Hayes

1815 - 1877

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0978 ILLUSTRATOR

Helen Dryden

1887 - 1981

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0979 JOURNALIST

Frank Gervasi

1908 - 1992

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0980 NOVELIST

Bud Sparhawk

Born 1937

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0981 ACTOR

Arthur Simms

1953 - 1987

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0982 JOURNALIST

Anya Kamenetz

Born 1980

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0983 SINGER

Ella Shields

1879 - 1952

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0984 PHYSICIAN

Alexander Crever Abbott

1860 - 1935

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0985 ACTOR

Nancy St. Alban

Born 1970

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0986 SINGER

Earl Wrightson

1916 - 1993

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0987 ACTOR

Jennifer Hope Wills

Born 1973

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0988 LAWYER

Leo E. Strine Jr.

Born 1964

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0989 WRITER

Joseph Monninger

Born 1953

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0990 POLITICIAN

Melvin Steinberg

Born 1933

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0991 MILITAR

Robert C. Tyler

1833 - 1865

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0992 FOOTBALL

Mike Collier

Born 1953

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0993 POLITICIAN

George Proctor Kane

1820 - 1878

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0994 LAWYER

John Gill Jr.

1850 - 1918

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0995 ART HISTORIAN

Nancy Mowll Mathews

Born 1947

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0996 LINGUIST

William Lamb (professor)

Born 1950

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0997 BASEBALL

Mike Bielecki

Born 1959

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0998 PHILOSOPHER

Timothy Binkley

Born 1943

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0999 ACTOR

Melvin Williams (actor)

1941 - 2015

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1000 PRIEST

John Joyce Russell

1897 - 1993

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1001 PAINTER

Jeanne Patterson Miles

1908 - 1999

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1002 NEUROSCIENTIST

Louis R. Caplan

Born 1936

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1003 EISENBAHN

Victor Morawetz

1859 - 1938

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1004 LAWYER

Christopher Hughes (diplomat)

1786 - 1849

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1005 PAINTER

Maya Hayuk

Born 1969

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1006 POLITICIAN

Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson

1889 - 1975

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1007 SPORT

Mike Woicik

Born 1956

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1008 DIPLOMAT

Robert Walsh (diplomat)

1785 - 1859

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1009 JOURNALIST

Susan Crosland

1927 - 2011

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1010 MUSIC

Yusuf Salim

1929 - 2008

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1011 SINGER

Larry "Jazz" Anthony

Born 1977

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1012 POLITICIAN

Theodore J. Sophocleus

1939 - 2018

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1013 LAWYER

John Ries Bartels

1897 - 1997

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1014 ACTOR

H. L. Bateman

1812 - 1875

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1015 SWIMMER

Tommy Hannan

Born 1980

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1016 CEO

Loretta J. Mester

Born 1958

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1017 ACTOR

Webster Cullison

1880 - 1938

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1018 LOBBYIST

Joan Claybrook

Born 1937

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1019 FINANCIER

Victor Posner

1918 - 2002

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1020 ARTIST

Abby Portner

Born 1980

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1021 RABBI

David Samson (rabbi)

Born 1956

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1022 PRIEST

Aloysius Joseph Willinger

1886 - 1973

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1023 RABBI

Bernard Jacob Bamberger

1904 - 1980

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1024 WRITER

Sidney Offit

Born 1928

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1025 PROFESSOR

Brian Copenhaver

Born 1942

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1026 PHOTOGRAPHER

Roland Freeman

Born 1936

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1027 GOVERNMENT

Thomas J. Healey

Born 1942

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1028 JOURNALIST

Gus Russo

Born 1950

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1029 POLITICIAN

Carl Dix

-

Preview
1030 BASEBALL

Tom Phoebus

1942 - 2019

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1031 POET

Afaa M. Weaver

Born 1951

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1032 SINGER

Y-Love

Born 1978

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1033 BASKET

Aquille Carr

Born 1992

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1034 PAINTER

Lee Gatch

1902 - 1968

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1035 EDITOR

John Strausbaugh

Born 1951

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1036 ACTOR

Darmirra Brunson

Born 1986

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1037 SCIENTIST

Calvin Hooker Goddard

1891 - 1955

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1038 OFFICER

John Reese Kenly

1818 - 1891

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1039 ACTOR

McCaul Lombardi

-

Preview
1040 LIBRARIAN

Augusta Braxton Baker

1911 - 1998

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1041 LAWYER

Stephen H. Sachs

Born 1934

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1042 SPRINT

John Voight (athlete)

1926 - 1993

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1043 PHOTOGRAPHER

George T. Emmons

1852 - 1945

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1044 SINGER

Maggie Sajak

Born 1995

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1045 PAINTER

Francis Coates Jones

1857 - 1932

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1046 ACTOR

Vincent De Paul (actor)

Born 1968

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1047 BASKET

Rod Camphor

Born 1992

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1048 COMPOSER

Mark Orton

-

Preview
1049 FOOTBALL

Aaron Wheeler

Born 1988

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1050 PUBLISHER

Philip Merrill

1934 - 2006

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1051 MUSIC

Nana Simopoulos

Born 1958

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1052 MUSIC

Mark Gross

Born 1966

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1053 SOCIOLOGIST

Frank Furstenberg

Born 1940

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1054 PHYSICIST

William George Fastie

1916 - 2000

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1055 CINEMA

H. Lyman Broening

1882 - 1983

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1056 PRIEST

Richard Vincent Whelan

1809 - 1874

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1057 NOVELIST

John Beauchamp Jones

1810 - 1866

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1058 ARTIST

F. Scott Hess

Born 1955

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1059 POLITICIAN

Thomas D'Alesandro III

1929 - 2019

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1060 SPORT

Mel Kiper Jr.

Born 1960

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1061 FOOTBALL

Darius Jennings

Born 1992

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1062 RADIO

Jocko Henderson

1918 - 2000

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1063 SOCIOLOGIST

Anna Johnson Julian

1903 - 1994

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1064 BIBLIOGRAPHER

Daniel Alexander Payne Murray

1852 - 1925

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1065 BASEBALL

Cal Ermer

1923 - 2009

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1066 HISTORIAN

Lawrence C. Wroth

1884 - 1970

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1067 SOCIALITE

Henry Symes Lehr

1869 - 1929

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1068 DIPLOMAT

Eric S. Edelman

Born 1951

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1069 WRITER

Elizabeth Foreman Lewis

1892 - 1958

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1070 PIANIST

Harold Ivory Williams

1949 - 2010

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1071 JUDGE

Marvin J. Garbis

Born 1936

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1072 FOOTBALL

Lindsey Mason

Born 1955

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1073 LAWYER

Alexander Harvey II

1923 - 2017

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1074 FOOTBALL

Victor Abiamiri

Born 1986

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1075 BASKET

Tamir Goodman

Born 1982

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1076 ARTIST

Claire Pentecost

Born 1956

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1077 POLITICIAN

Christian Tarr

1765 - 1833

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1078 OPHTHALMOLOGIST

David Paton (ophthalmologist)

Born 1930

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1079 EXECUTIVE

S. Davies Warfield

1859 - 1927

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1080 PHYSICIAN

Richard Sprigg Steuart

1797 - 1876

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1081 BASSIST

Paul H. Brown

1934 - 2016

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1082 OFFICER

Herbert D. Riley

1904 - 1973

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1083 PSYCHIATRIST

Lawrence Kolb

1911 - 2006

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1084 WRESTLER

Lucifer (wrestler)

1960 - 2011

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1085 DIPLOMAT

Liliana Ayalde

Born 1956

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1086 SPRINT

Art Bragg

1930 - 2018

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1087 FOOTBALL

Jean Fugett

Born 1951

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1088 BASEBALL

John Miller (pitcher)

1941 - 2020

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1089 MANUFACTURER

Edgar S. Gorrell

1891 - 1945

Preview
1090 MILITAR

Ridgely Gaither

1903 - 1992

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1091 TRADE UNION

Isaac Myers

1835 - 1881

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1092 FOOTBALL

Seth Moses

Born 1989

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1093 WRITER

Nan Agle

1905 - 2006

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1094 JUDGE

Hugh Lennox Bond

1828 - 1893

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1095 MILITAR

Charles P. Murray Jr.

1921 - 2011

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1096 WRESTLER

Killer Karl Kox

1931 - 2011

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1097 PAINTER

Raoul Middleman

Born 1935

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1098 SCREENWRITER

Brandon M. Easton

-

Preview
1099 MUSIC

Rose Lee Maphis

Born 1922

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1100 COLLECTOR

George A. Lucas

1824 - 1909

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1101 PHOTOGRAPHER

Ted Croner

1922 - 2005

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1102 TRUMPET

Ken Hanna

1921 - 1982

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1103 EDUCATION

Daniel R. Porterfield

Born 1961

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1104 FOOTBALL

Ray Snell

Born 1958

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1105 ACTOR

Mariah Bonner

-

Preview
1106 PRIEST

William Hickley Gross

1837 - 1898

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1107 PAINTER

Elton Fax

1909 - 1993

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1108 ATHLETIC

Torrance Zellner

Born 1970

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1109 PRIEST

Bernard J. Nolker

1912 - 2000

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1110 JUDGE

Emily C. Hewitt

Born 1944

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1111 HISTORIAN

Adelyn Dohme Breeskin

1896 - 1986

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1112 POLITICIAN

Robert R. Neall

Born 1948

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1113 LAWYER

Harris Hartz

Born 1947

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1114 JOURNALIST

Joshua Kurlantzick

Born 1976

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1115 ART HISTORIAN

Craig Harbison

1944 - 2018

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1116 ENTREPRENEUR

Bob Parsons

Born 1950

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1117 LAWYER

Theodore Marburg

1862 - 1946

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1118 CHEMIST

Charles Lee Reese

1862 - 1940

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1119 MARTIAL ART

Crafton Wallace

Born 1972

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1120 SINGER

Amy Speace

Born 1968

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1121 POLITICIAN

Clarence H. Burns

1918 - 2003

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1122 ECOLOGIST

Georgeanna Seegar Jones

1912 - 2005

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1123 BASEBALL

Geoff Zahn

Born 1945

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1124 SINGER

Dawn Kotoski

Born 1966

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1125 MARTIAL ART

Sherman Pendergarst

1967 - 2012

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1126 SINGER

J. R. Bailey

1932 - 1980

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1127 ART HISTORIAN

Elyse Luray

Born 1967

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1128 BASEBALL

Phil Linz

Born 1939

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1129 FOOTBALL

Dick Bielski

Born 1932

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1130 SCULPTOR

Penelope Jencks

Born 1936

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1131 DIPLOMAT

William C. Harrop

Born 1929

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1132 LAWYER

Cecilia Altonaga

Born 1962

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1133 PSYCHOLOGIST

Jennifer Richeson

Born 1972

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1134 ACTOR

William Elliott (actor, born 1934)

1934 - 1983

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1135 OFFICER

Edward Orrick McDonnell

1891 - 1960

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1136 ACTOR

Lillian Zuckerman

1916 - 2004

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1137 ACTOR

Al Rosen (actor)

1910 - 1990

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1138 ACTOR

Bill Johnson (musical theatre actor)

1916 - 1957

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1139 FOOTBALL

Jim Ostendarp

1923 - 2005

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1140 FOOTBALL

Charlie Pittman

Born 1948

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1141 ECONOMIST

Bridget Terry Long

Born 1973

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1142 FOOTBALL

Nick Rassas

Born 1944

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1143 MUSIC

Ben Wolfe

Born 1962

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1144 ARCHITECT

Alfred Easton Poor

1899 - 1988

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1145 ENTREPRENEUR

Andrew Saks

1847 - 1912

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1146 PRODUCER

DJ Class

-

Preview
1147 ECONOMIST

Samuel L. Myers Sr.

Born 1919

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1148 RELIGIOUS

William Judge

1850 - 1899

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1149 POLITICIAN

Edward Johnson (mayor)

1767 - 1829

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1150 THEOLOGIAN

John Christian Keener

1819 - 1906

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1151 SWIMMER

Tanja Kylliäinen

Born 1993

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1152 BASEBALL

Dave Boswell (baseball)

1945 - 2012

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1153 FOOTBALL

Reggie White (defensive lineman, born 1970)

Born 1970

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1154 CONDUCTOR

Dwayne Steven Milburn

Born 1963

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1155 BIOLOGIST

Ethel Browne Harvey

1885 - 1965

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1156 WRITER

E. Merrill Root

1895 - 1973

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1157 LACROSSE

Diane Geppi-Aikens

1962 - 2003

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1158 ACTOR

Eleanor Phelps

1907 - 2001

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1159 FOOTBALL

Carlton Bailey

Born 1964

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1160 ACTOR

David W. Frank

1949 - 2017

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1161 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Gary Witherspoon

Born 1943

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1162 PAINTER

Thomas Cromwell Corner

1865 - 1938

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1163 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Frank Kent

1877 - 1958

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1164 LAWYER

Frederic N. Smalkin

Born 1946

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1165 MUSIC

Frank Minion

Born 1929

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1166 WRITER

Laurel Snyder

Born 1974

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1167 MILITAR

F. Clever Bald

1897 - 1970

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1168 ENTERTAINER

Karyl Norman

1897 - 1947

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1169 POLITICIAN

Ruth M. Kirk

1930 - 2011

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1170 PHYSICIAN

Stewart Wolf

1914 - 2005

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1171 BOTANIST

Charles Christian Plitt

1869 - 1933

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1172 TELEVISION

Tom Fenton

Born 1930

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1173 SONGWRITER

Dan Book

Born 1983

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1174 PSYCHIATRIST

Manfred Guttmacher

1898 - 1966

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1175 JOURNALIST

Victor Blackwell

Born 1981

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1176 NOVELIST

Arie Kaplan

-

Preview
1177 POLITICIAN

James N. Robey

Born 1941

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1178 POLITICIAN

Samuel I. Rosenberg

Born 1950

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1179 JOURNALIST

Richard Kindleberger

1943 - 2010

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1180 MILITAR

Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr.

1842 - 1920

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1181 BASEBALL

Lou Grasmick

1924 - 2016

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1182 PAINTER

Herman Maril

1908 - 1986

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1183 JOURNALIST

Carl J. Murphy

1889 - 1967

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1184 COMPOSER

Jeff Bowen

Born 1971

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1185 LAWYER

J. Frederick Motz

Born 1942

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1186 BASEBALL

Bryan Reynolds (baseball)

Born 1995

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1187 ACTOR

Paul Swift

1934 - 1994

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1188 AUTHOR

Merrill Skolnik

Born 1927

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1189 ACADEMIC

William Gibson Spiller

1863 - 1940

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1190 BASEBALL

Allen Russell

1893 - 1972

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1191 PHOTOGRAPHER

David Black (photographer)

Born 1980

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1192 POLITICIAN

H. Wayne Norman Jr.

1955 - 2018

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1193 HOCKEY

Jack Turnbull

1910 - 1944

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1194 ACTIVIST

Thomas Lewis (activist)

1940 - 2008

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1195 PAINTER

Sandra Meigs

Born 1953

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1196 CHEMIST

Charles E. Coates

1866 - 1939

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1197 BUSINESS

James Cabell Bruce

1892 - 1980

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1198 LAWYER

Robert Jefferson Breckinridge Jr.

1833 - 1915

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1199 COMPOSER

Emma Roberto Steiner

1856 - 1929

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1200 HISTORIAN

Hugh Ambrose

1966 - 2015

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