41.8501° N, 87.6499° W

CHICAGO

Most Famous People Born in Chicago, United States

Notable people
7,467
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1940
Most distinctive
Baseball 5.2×

Big shoulders, broad bench. Chicago's notables spread evenly across actors, politicians, and four major-league sports — no inland American city produces more baseball and basketball players — alongside a deep screenwriter and novelist tradition that gave the world Saul Bellow, David Mamet, and Ben Hecht. No single category dominates the way film does in Los Angeles or Wall Street does in New York, and the music economy alone runs from blues and house to first-wave hip-hop.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 850 notable births.

What Chicago Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Chicago's biggest profession — 11% of all notables (813).

Chicago over-indexes on baseball5.2× the global rate.

Chicago under-produces politician — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Actor813
  2. Politician469
  3. Football462
  4. Baseball441
  5. Basket398
  6. Music312
  7. Writer220
  8. Singer207
  1. Baseball4415.2×
  2. Basket3984.2×
  3. Screenwriter1283.9×
  4. Novelist963.3×
  5. Music3122.9×
  6. Actor8132.0×
  7. Film1681.8×
  1. Politician4690.5×
  2. Football4620.6×
  3. Painter1160.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

18001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All7,467
Sort By

7,467 notable people

6301 ENGINEER

Gary Ridley (transport director)

Born 1945

Preview
6302 MISSING

Michael Sorrell

Born 1966

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6303 FOOTBALL

Darrell Campbell

Born 1981

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6304 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Michael G. Masters

Born 1978

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6305 COMPOSER

Ed Doemland

1938 - 2012

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6306 CELLIST

Felix Wurman

1958 - 2009

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6307 BASEBALL

Eleanor Dapkus

1923 - 2011

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6308 FILM

Tod Carter

-

Preview
6309 PAINTER

Dennis Wojtkiewicz

Born 1956

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6310 ARTIST

Adrian Wong

Born 1980

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6311 BASEBALL

Dennis O'Toole

Born 1949

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6312 JOURNALIST

Pete Pistone

Born 1964

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6313 BUSINESS

Oscar G. Mayer Jr.

1914 - 2009

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6314 MUSIC

Barbara Charone

-

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6315 BASEBALL

Morrie Schick

1892 - 1979

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6316 FILM

Frank Donner (film producer)

Born 1963

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6317 CHEF

Carrie Nahabedian

Born 1958

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6318 LAWYER

George Eighmey

Born 1941

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6319 FILMMAKER

John Block (filmmaker)

Born 1951

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6320 LYRICIST

Richard D. Trentlage

1928 - 2016

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6321 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Jeffrey Leiden

-

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6322 MILITAR

James Mukoyama

Born 1944

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6323 FOOTBALL

Jack Delveaux

1937 - 2020

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6324 TEACHER

David B. Wilkins

-

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6325 WRITER

Barbara Stcherbatcheff

Born 1981

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6326 LAWYER

Theodore Levin

1897 - 1970

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6327 BASEBALL

Mart McQuaid

1861 - 1928

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6328 FOOTBALL

Tanner Thompson

Born 1994

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6329 BIOCHEMIST

M. Daniel Lane

1930 - 2014

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6330 REPUBLICAN

Randy Stufflebeam

Born 1960

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6331 PLAYWRIGHT

Derek Ahonen

Born 1980

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6332 ACTOR

Amy Tolsky

Born 1961

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6333 HOCKEY

Manuel Guerra Jr.

Born 1967

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6334 BASEBALL

Ed Mars

1866 - 1941

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6335 SWIMMER

Robert Foster (swimmer)

1891 - 1960

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6336 BOTANIST

Philip Rodney White

1901 - 1968

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6337 GOLF

Lucia Mida

1890 - 1960

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6338 POLITICIAN

Sherman Block

1924 - 1998

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6339 HISTORIAN

Beryl Satter

Born 1959

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6340 BASEBALL

Herb Bremer

1913 - 1979

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6341 ACTIVIST

Robert Carter (priest)

1927 - 2010

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6342 BASEBALL

Jim Rushford

Born 1974

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6343 FOOTBALL

George Ceithaml

1921 - 2012

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6344 PAINTER

Dellamarie Parrilli

Born 1949

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6345 ENGINEER

Robert MacFarlan Cole III

1889 - 1986

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6346 BASEBALL

Joe Walsh (AA infielder)

1864 - 1911

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6347 PHYSICIST

Harvey S. Leff

Born 1937

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6348 JOURNALIST

Brooke Singer

Born 1972

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6349 BASEBALL

Al Carson

1882 - 1962

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6350 WRITER

Thomas Negovan

Born 1971

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6351 BUSINESS

Jack Nicholas Pritzker

1904 - 1979

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6352 LAWYER

Joseph Cari Jr.

Born 1952

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6353 RAPPER

Jasiri X

-

Preview
6354 BASEBALL

John Perkovich

1924 - 2000

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6355 FOOTBALL

Joe Krupa

1933 - 2011

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6356 RAPPER

Valee

Born 1989

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6357 BASKET

Anthony Harris

Born 1985

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6358 POLITICIAN

Paddy Bauler

1890 - 1977

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6359 CEO

Christopher Bouton

Born 1973

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6360 PHYSICIST

Fredrik Zachariasen

1931 - 1999

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6361 BASEBALL

Ken Polivka

1921 - 1988

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6362 BASEBALL

Lou Gertenrich

1875 - 1933

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6363 FOOTBALL

Leo Kulinczenko

Born 1954

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6364 FOOTBALL

Dave Shelton

Born 1956

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6365 COMPOSER

James Signorile

Born 1952

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6366 POLITICIAN

Kevin A. McCarthy

Born 1950

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6367 PRODUCER

Peter Mokran

-

Preview
6368 MUSIC

Walter Daniels

Born 1963

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6369 BASEBALL

Jim Suchecki

1927 - 2000

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6370 MUSIC

Matthew Lux

Born 1973

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6371 PSYCHOLOGIST

Norman Adler

Born 1941

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6372 ARTIST

Eugene Mackaben

1920 - 1984

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6373 PHYSIOLOGIST

John Wayne Mason

1924 - 2014

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6374 STATISTICIAN

Charles Ferris Gettemy

1868 - 1939

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6375 MUSIC

Steve Smooth

Born 1985

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6376 BASEBALL

Larry LeJeune

1885 - 1952

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6377 SECRETARY

John C. Stetson

1920 - 2007

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6378 FILM

James R. Rosenthal

1968 - 2011

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6379 BASKET

Ayo Dosunmu

Born 2000

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6380 CRIME

Timothy D. Murphy

Died 1928

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6381 BASEBALL

Tom Burr (baseball)

1893 - 1918

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6382 EDITOR

Stephen Christy

Born 1985

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6383 COMPOSER

Louis Lipstone

1892 - 1954

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6384 POLITICIAN

Lynne Leach

Born 1940

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6385 SPRINT

Ernestine Pollards

Born 1942

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6386 FOOTBALL

Chuck Logan (American football)

Born 1943

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6387 TRAVELER

Skip Novak

Born 1952

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6388 MUSIC

Octo Octa

-

Preview
6389 PHYSICIAN

William Tietz

1927 - 2020

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6390 BASKET

Chris Alexander

Born 1980

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6391 BASEBALL

Harry Croft

1875 - 1933

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6392 FOOTBALL

Thomas McGaughey

Born 1973

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6393 AUTHOR

Rick Lasky

-

Preview
6394 MUSIC

Angus Thomas

Born 1955

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6395 BASEBALL

Felix Chouinard

1887 - 1955

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6396 BASEBALL

Duke Reilley

1884 - 1968

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6397 BASEBALL

Ike Eichrodt

1903 - 1965

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6398 WRESTLER

Gene Stanlee

1917 - 2005

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6399 JUDGE

Louis B. Garippo

1931 - 2016

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6400 POLITICIAN

Thomas Dixon (politician)

Born 1951

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6401 POET

Heiko Julien

Born 1986

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6402 POLITICIAN

Kenneth A. Gewertz

1934 - 2006

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6403 POLICE

Renault Robinson

Born 1942

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6404 THEATRE

Marty Pottenger

Born 1952

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6405 BUSINESS

Herman C. Krannert

1887 - 1972

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6406 BASEBALL

Tony Smith (baseball)

1884 - 1964

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6407 WRITER

Jody Scott

1923 - 2007

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6408 PLAYER

Charles A. Chase

1864 - 1937

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6409 TELEVISION

Ulises Armand Sanabria

1906 - 1969

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6410 BASEBALL

Hank Miklos

1910 - 2000

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6411 BASEBALL

John Pickett (baseball)

1866 - 1922

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6412 CINEMA

George Greenbaum

1889 - 1929

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6413 PRODUCER

Omen (musician)

-

Preview
6414 SINGER

Andrew Mikhail

Born 1988

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6415 BASEBALL

Frank McCue

1898 - 1953

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6416 POLITICIAN

Joe Wiegand

Born 1965

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6417 BASEBALL

Joe Davenport

Born 1976

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6418 MUSIC

Stuart Curtis

1954 - 2012

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6419 FOOTBALL

Ed Hoerster

Born 1941

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6420 NEUROSCIENTIST

Pedro Antonio Valdes-Sosa

Born 1950

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6421 ACTOR

Jay Barney

1913 - 1985

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6422 MUSIC

Bill Ruppert

Born 1954

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6423 SPORT

A. G. Scanlon

1890 - 1945

Preview
6424 POLITICIAN

Kimberly du Buclet

Born 2011

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6425 MUSIC

Michael Day (guitarist)

-

Preview
6426 PHYSICIAN

Ashley Day Leavitt

1877 - 1959

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6427 MUSIC

Martin Brody

Born 1949

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6428 MUSIC

Jol Dantzig

Born 1952

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6429 RÄUBER

Jeffrey Erickson

1958 - 1992

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6430 POLITICIAN

Phillip Jackson

1950 - 2018

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6431 METEOROLOGIST

Richard Knabb

-

Preview
6432 PRESS

Charles Gossage Grey

1894 - 1987

Preview
6433 BASKET

Al Stewart (basketball)

Born 1983

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6434 MISSING

Richard L. Van Horn

Born 1932

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6435 BODYBUILDER

Jodi Leigh Miller

Born 1972

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6436 JOURNALIST

Phil Rosenthal

Born 1963

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6437 BASKET

Tom Schuberth

Born 1957

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6438 POLITICIAN

Kiah Morris

Born 1976

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6439 RABBI

Dovid Kaplan

-

Preview
6440 FILM

Richard Fantl

1903 - 1961

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6441 BASKET

Brandon Ewing

Born 1986

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6442 FOOTBALL

Kurt Kuykendall

Born 1952

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6443 FOOTBALL

Dick Tomlinson

Born 1928

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6444 POLITICIAN

Chester Reynolds

1902 - 1983

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6445 BASKET

Chris Eversley

Born 1991

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6446 SINGER

Margareth Måård

1913 - 2002

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6447 BUSINESS

Andrew Filipowski

Born 1950

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6448 BASEBALL

Fred Kommers

1886 - 1943

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6449 JOCKEY

Johnny Loftus

1895 - 1976

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6450 MILITAR

William J. Walker

-

Preview
6451 CHEMIST

Bruce E. Bursten

Born 1954

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6452 ENGINEER

Nikil Viswanathan

Born 1987

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6453 FOOTBALL

Mel Becket

1929 - 1956

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6454 RABBI

Dovid Barkin

Died 2006

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6455 BASKET

Lance Irvin

-

Preview
6456 BASEBALL

Ed Grimes

1905 - 1974

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6457 JOURNALIST

Larry Whiteside

1937 - 2007

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6458 WRITER

Jeff Goins

Born 1982

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6459 WRITER

Jack Lovejoy

1937 - 2014

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6460 BROTHER

Abraham Lincoln Neiman

1875 - 1970

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6461 LAWYER

George F. Barrett

1907 - 1980

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6462 FOOTBALL

Bob Sherlag

Born 1943

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6463 WRESTLER

Ed Francis

1926 - 2016

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6464 ACTOR

Marty Robinson (announcer)

Born 1932

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6465 ACTOR

Kyle Chavarria

Born 1995

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6466 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Brian Gallagher

-

Preview
6467 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Arvydas Petras Žygas

1958 - 2011

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6468 LAWYER

William R. Moser

1927 - 2003

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6469 BUSINESS

Don Soderquist

1934 - 2016

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6470 FOOTBALL

Greg Dubinetz

1954 - 1982

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6471 OFFICER

Peter H. Daly (U.S. Navy)

Born 1955

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6472 BASEBALL

Rick Huckabay

1946 - 2006

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6473 PLAYWRIGHT

Alex Horn

1929 - 2007

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6474 MUSIC

Markus Johansson

Born 1984

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6475 AKTIVIST

Patty Crowley

1914 - 2006

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6476 PLAYER

Mike Smolen

1940 - 1992

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6477 PHARMACOLOGIST

Lewis Seiden

1934 - 2007

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6478 EXECUTIVE

Cappriccieo Scates

Born 1969

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6479 BASEBALL

Tommy Mee

1890 - 1981

Preview
6480 BASEBALL

Moe Franklin

1914 - 1978

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6481 FOOTBALL

Tom Lemming

-

Preview
6482 FOOTBALL

Harry Wunsch

1910 - 1954

Preview
6483 FOOTBALL

Jayson Swain

Born 1984

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6484 MUSIC

Evelyn Pollock

Born 1977

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6485 MARINE

Thomas L. Ridge

1915 - 1999

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6486 POLITICIAN

George E. McNally

1923 - 1988

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6487 ACTIVIST

Madeleine Lemoyne Ellicott

1856 - 1945

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6488 ARTIST

Kate Levant

Born 1983

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6489 MUSIC

Dani Deahl

-

Preview
6490 PHYSICIAN

Robert R. Odén

1922 - 2008

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6491 BASEBALL

Jerry Standaert

1901 - 1964

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6492 PLAYER

Verneda Thomas

Born 1936

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6493 HOLLYWOOD

Carmen Nigro

1905 - 1990

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6494 BOXER

Andre Anderson (boxer)

1890 - 1926

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6495 ACTOR

Jacob Melton

Born 2001

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6496 MUSIC

Jim Cooper (Jazzmusiker)

Born 1951

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6497 COMPOSER

Mark Panick

Born 1956

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6498 MUSIC

Matt Ulery

-

Preview
6499 MISSING

Logan Archbold Vilas

1891 - 1976

Preview
6500 RACECAR

Arthur Greiner

1884 - 1916

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6501 ATHLETIC

Lacey O'Neal

Born 1944

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6502 FOOTBALL

Dave Finzer

Born 1959

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6503 EDITOR

Robert Wilson Patterson

1850 - 1910

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6504 BASEBALL

Red Torkelson

1894 - 1964

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6505 INVENTION

Cheryl Hyman

-

Preview
6506 MUSIC

Al Ciner

Born 1947

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6507 BASEBALL

Jack Krol

1936 - 1994

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6508 POLITICIAN

Brian K. Hopkins

Born 1961

Preview
6509 BASEBALL

Andy Varga

1930 - 1992

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6510 BASEBALL

Frank Naleway

1902 - 1949

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6511 PAINTER

Carol Heifetz Neiman

1937 - 1990

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6512 SCREENWRITER

Peter S. Seaman

Born 1951

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6513 ENGINEER

Mark Randel

-

Preview
6514 FOOTBALL

Nate Lyles

Born 1985

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6515 COMPOSER

Dagmar Nordstrom

1903 - 1976

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6516 BASKET

Justin Bowen

Born 1983

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6517 POLITICIAN

Bob Bolen

1926 - 2014

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6518 FOOTBALL

Chuck Winfrey

Born 1949

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6519 RESTAURATEUR

Adrianne Calvo

Born 1984

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6520 FOOTBALL

Fred Lowenthal

1878 - 1931

Preview
6521 BASEBALL

Paddy Quinn (baseball)

1849 - 1909

Preview
6522 POLITICIAN

Chuck Nergard

1929 - 2017

Preview
6523 BASEBALL

Tom O'Meara

1872 - 1902

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6524 MILITAR

Stormy Rottman

1918 - 1993

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6525 POET

Tina DeRosa

1944 - 2007

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6526 POLITICIAN

Harber H. Hall

1920 - 2020

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6527 SECRETARY

Vance Thomas

-

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6528 DIPLOMAT

Christine A. Elder

-

Preview
6529 POLITICIAN

Anna Wilmarth Ickes

1873 - 1935

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6530 FOOTBALL

Carl Cronin

-

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6531 COACH

Alton Johnson

Born 1877

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6532 MUSIC

Art Turk Burton

Born 1949

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6533 COMPOSER

Cecil Steffen

1919 - 2009

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6534 POLITICIAN

Suzanne Deuchler

Born 1929

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6535 STOCKBROKER

Robert M. Fomon

1925 - 2000

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6536 SPORT

Patrick J. Gallagher

Born 1949

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6537 BASEBALL

Pete O'Brien (1890s second baseman)

1867 - 1937

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6538 FOOTBALL

Larry Onesti

1938 - 2018

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6539 BASEBALL

John Doran (baseball)

Born 1867

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6540 BASEBALL

Al McLean (baseball)

1912 - 1990

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6541 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

John Lynch (radio)

-

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6542 SINGER

Marcus Singletary

-

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6543 POLITICIAN

Dena M. Carli

-

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6544 DRIVER

Philip Collin

Born 1963

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6545 FOOTBALL

Bob Motl

1920 - 2007

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6546 RAPPER

Bump J

Born 1980

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6547 SINGER

Biscuit Miller

Born 1961

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6548 FOOTBALL

Ron Weissenhofer

Born 1964

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6549 POLITICIAN

Ralph C. Capparelli

Born 1924

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6550 TELEVISION

Betty Lou Varnum

Born 1931

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6551 SINGER

Supa Bwe

Born 1989

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6552 LAWYER

George Euripides Tragos

Born 1949

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6553 SPORT

Alvin H. Culver

1873 - 1955

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6554 BASEBALL

Jake Kafora

1888 - 1928

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6555 POLITICIAN

Marlow H. Colvin

Born 1964

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6556 BASEBALL

Herb Harris

1913 - 1991

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6557 PUBLISHER

Louis A. Lerner

1935 - 1984

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6558 CHOREOGRAPHER

Sharon Savoy

-

Preview
6559 WRITER

Robert Lieber

Born 1941

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6560 ARCHITECT

Howard Lane

1922 - 1988

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6561 MAFIA

Willie Messino

1917 - 2002

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6562 ARTIST

Christopher Csíkszentmihályi

Born 1968

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6563 RAPPER

Qwazaar

-

Preview
6564 POLITICIAN

Dave Sullivan (Illinois politician)

Born 1964

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6565 BANK

William Broeksmit

1955 - 2014

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6566 BASEBALL

Eddie Malone (baseball)

1920 - 2006

Preview
6567 BOTANIST

Jerold L. Grashoff

1945 - 1976

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6568 FOOTBALL

John Wiatrak

1913 - 2000

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6569 FOOTBALL

Frank Rydzewski

1892 - 1979

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6570 WRESTLER

Steve Stanlee

1920 - 2010

Preview
6571 SINGER

Maggie Brown (singer)

-

Preview
6572 BASKET

James Peters

Born 1981

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6573 LAWYER

Albert E. Jenner Jr.

1907 - 1988

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6574 BASEBALL

Mike Hechinger

1890 - 1967

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6575 CORONER

Ronald Kornblum

1933 - 2008

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6576 POLITICIAN

Antonio R. Riley

Born 1963

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6577 BASEBALL

Jim Stroner

1901 - 1975

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6578 JUMPER

Katie Monahan-Prudent

Born 1954

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6579 COACH

Volney Ashford

1907 - 1973

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6580 POLITICIAN

James Laski

Born 1954

Preview
6581 TRUMPET

Melvin Moore

1923 - 1989

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6582 DANCER

Edna L. McRae

1902 - 1990

Preview
6583 WRITER

Judy Balaban

Born 1932

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6584 SINGER

Tiny Topsy

1930 - 1964

Preview
6585 DIPLOMAT

David C. Jordan

Born 1935

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6586 MILITAR

Malcolm Ross O'Neill

Born 1940

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6587 ACTOR

Marge Kotlisky

1927 - 1997

Preview
6588 CALLIGRAPHER

Mickie Caspi

Born 1961

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6589 ACTOR

Lynette Griffin

Born 1905

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6590 PSYCHIATRIST

Irwin Marcus

-

Preview
6591 ACTOR

Kellie Madison

-

Preview
6592 SONGWRITER

Darius Brooks

Born 1963

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6593 POLICE

Jack Muller

1923 - 2005

Preview
6594 FOOTBALL

John Trask (soccer)

-

Preview
6595 ARTIST

Tim Baar

1912 - 1977

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6596 WRITER

Brian Bagnall

Born 1981

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6597 BASKET

Ronald Coleman (basketball)

-

Preview
6598 FOOTBALL

Johnny Bryan

1897 - 1966

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6599 CAMPAIGN

Will E. Jackson

Born 1945

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6600 PRODUCER

Rodney Jackson

Born 1967

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