39.9292° N, 75.2300° W

PHILADELPHIA

Most Famous People Born in Philadelphia, United States

Notable people
5,575
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1928
Most distinctive
Baseball 6.0×

The original American capital, then the capital of nothing in particular, then a sports town. Philadelphia's notables run thick through the 18th century — lawyers, philanthropists, financiers — and then settle into a long, steady output of baseball players, basketball players, jazz bandleaders, and character actors. The city has one of the highest shares of notables in organized labor of the early 20th century and one of the deepest benches of soul singers of the late 20th.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1940s with 556 notable births.

What Philadelphia Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Philadelphia's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (482).

Philadelphia over-indexes on baseball6.0× the global rate.

Philadelphia under-produces football — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politician482
  2. Actor414
  3. Baseball383
  4. Basket260
  5. Football251
  6. Music206
  7. Lawyer185
  8. Singer161
  1. Baseball3836.0×
  2. Basket2603.7×
  3. Boxer723.3×
  4. Rower572.8×
  5. Music2062.6×
  6. Officer842.3×
  7. Lawyer1851.9×
  8. Film1131.6×
  1. Football2510.4×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Other
All5,575
Sort By

5,575 notable people

1201 POLITICIAN

Ebenezer Hazard

1744 - 1817

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1202 BUSINESS

Merrill Cook

Born 1946

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1203 ROWER

John Exley

1867 - 1938

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1204 ACTOR

Elizabeth Russell (actress)

1916 - 2002

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1205 POLITICIAN

Michael Leib

1760 - 1822

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1206 HISTORIAN

Paul Murray Kendall

1911 - 1973

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1207 MUSIC

Walt Dickerson

1931 - 2008

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1208 POLITICIAN

Robert W. Edgar

1943 - 2013

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1209 BOXER

Gunboat Smith

1887 - 1974

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1210 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Alfred Irving Hallowell

1892 - 1974

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1211 COMPOSER

Lewis Redner

1831 - 1908

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1212 WRITER

Ethel Portnoy

1927 - 2004

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1213 ENGINEER

Harold Lawson

1937 - 2019

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1214 SINGER

Lorraine Ellison

1931 - 1983

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1215 MATHEMATICIAN

Melvyn B. Nathanson

Born 1944

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1216 FILM

Duke Worne

1888 - 1933

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1217 ACTOR

Philip Loeb

1891 - 1955

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1218 SINGER

Kevin Cossom

Born 1984

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1219 BOXER

David Reid (boxer)

Born 1973

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1220 ACTOR

Carmen Mathews

1911 - 1995

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1221 LAWYER

John Church Hamilton

1792 - 1882

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1222 ASTRONAUT

Christopher Ferguson

Born 1961

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1223 FILM

T. Hayes Hunter

1884 - 1944

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1224 MUSIC

Tommy Bryant

1930 - 1982

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1225 SURGEON

Dorothy Lavinia Brown

1919 - 2004

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1226 JUDGE

Edith Jones

Born 1949

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1227 BOXER

Jeff Chandler (boxer)

Born 1956

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1228 HISTORIAN

David Bushnell (historian)

1923 - 2010

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1229 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Walter B. Miller

1920 - 2004

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1230 ASTROPHYSICIST

Steven Balbus

Born 1953

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1231 HISTORIAN

Reuven Amitai

Born 1955

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1232 PRODUCER

Joni Sledge

1956 - 2017

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1233 ARCHITECT

Henry Roberts (architect)

1803 - 1876

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1234 POLITICIAN

William H. Meyer

1914 - 1983

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1235 ACTOR

Dorothy Short

1915 - 1963

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1236 ACTOR

Sydney Walker

1921 - 1994

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1237 PHYSICIST

William Duane (physicist)

1872 - 1935

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1238 BASKET

Wali Jones

Born 1942

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1239 GOLF

John McDermott (golfer)

1891 - 1971

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1240 POLITICIAN

Edwin Sydney Stuart

1853 - 1937

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1241 MUSIC

Raymond Louis Kennedy

1946 - 2014

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1242 BASKET

Omar Thomas

Born 1982

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1243 ACTOR

Vivian Rich

1893 - 1957

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1244 PROGRAMMER

Betty Holberton

1917 - 2001

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1245 SINGER

Ingrid Croce

Born 1947

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1246 MUSIC

Tim Story (composer)

Born 1957

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1247 ARCHAEOLOGIST

Jodi Magness

Born 1956

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1248 GOLF

A. W. Tillinghast

1874 - 1942

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1249 PRODUCER

Kara Vallow

Born 1967

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1250 MEDICAL

William P. C. Barton

1786 - 1856

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1251 BASKET

Ronald Moore (basketball)

Born 1988

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1252 OFFICER

Samuel Nicholas

1744 - 1790

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1253 MUSIC

Carson Parks

1936 - 2005

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1254 ILLUSTRATOR

F. O. C. Darley

1822 - 1888

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1255 ACTOR

Bill Gunn (writer)

1934 - 1989

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1256 BOXER

Eddie Chambers

Born 1982

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1257 ANIMATION

Chuck Sheetz

Born 1960

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1258 BASKET

Tony DiLeo

Born 1955

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1259 ECONOMIST

Carl Kaysen

1920 - 2010

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1260 METEOROLOGIST

Joshua Wurman

Born 1960

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1261 OFFICER

Charles Ferguson Smith

1807 - 1862

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1262 SWIMMER

Joe Verdeur

1926 - 1991

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1263 BASKET

Jason Lawson

Born 1974

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1264 EDUCATOR

Ida Craddock

1857 - 1902

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1265 JOURNALIST

Charlie O'Donnell

1932 - 2010

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1266 POLITICIAN

John Renshaw Thomson

1800 - 1862

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1267 LAW

Lisa Bloom

Born 1961

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1268 ROWER

John Geiger

1877 - 1956

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1269 FILM

Benjamin Stoloff

1895 - 1960

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1270 ROWER

James Juvenal

1874 - 1942

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1271 POLITICIAN

Michael Nutter

Born 1957

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1272 BASEBALL

Bucky Walters

1909 - 1991

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1273 SCREENWRITER

David Berenbaum

-

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1274 PHYSICIAN

George Henry Horn

1840 - 1897

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1275 WRITER

Nancy Kilpatrick

Born 1946

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1276 AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Peggy Shippen

1760 - 1804

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1277 DESIGNER

John C. Allen

1907 - 1979

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1278 CONSUL

Warder Cresson

1798 - 1860

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1279 BASKET

Doug Overton

Born 1969

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1280 JOURNALIST

Barbara Crossette

Born 1939

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1281 INVENTOR

Benjamin Chew Tilghman

1821 - 1901

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1282 WRITER

Anna Alcott Pratt

1831 - 1893

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1283 FILM

Harry Elfont

Born 1968

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1284 SOCIALITE

Elizabeth Wharton Drexel

1868 - 1944

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1285 ACTOR

Mark Matkevich

Born 1978

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1286 SCULPTOR

John Ernest

1922 - 1994

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1287 AUTHOR

Patrick Gass

1771 - 1870

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1288 ACTOR

William Welsh (actor)

1870 - 1946

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1289 LITERARY

Horace Howard Furness

1833 - 1912

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1290 ENGINEER

Amos E. Joel Jr.

1918 - 2008

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1291 ACTOR

Iggie Wolfington

1920 - 2004

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1292 MATHEMATICIAN

Michael Barr (mathematician)

Born 1937

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1293 DRUMMER

Eric Gravatt

Born 1947

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1294 FILM

Mark Rosenthal

Born 1950

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1295 TECHNIKER

Morris E. Leeds

1869 - 1952

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1296 PLAYER

John Hennigan (poker player)

Born 1970

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1297 PRIEST

James Frederick Wood

1813 - 1883

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1298 FOOTBALL

Shaun Phillips

Born 1981

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1299 ACTOR

Gideon Glick

Born 1988

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1300 PHYSICIAN

Joseph Barnes

1817 - 1883

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1301 SWIMMER

John Macionis

1916 - 2012

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1302 BASEBALL

Raffy Lopez

Born 1987

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1303 PRESENTER

Martin Agronsky

1915 - 1999

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1304 WRITER

Eve Merriam

1916 - 1992

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1305 BANDLEADER

Rodney Kendrick

Born 1960

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1306 FILM

Elinor Burkett

Born 1946

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1307 PRODUCER

Steve Berlin

Born 1955

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1308 COMPOSER

Richard Stone (composer)

1953 - 2001

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1309 WRITER

Cynthia DeFelice

Born 1951

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1310 BASKET

Joey Crawford

Born 1951

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1311 MUSIC

Steady B

Born 1969

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1312 BASKET

Randy Woods

Born 1970

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1313 BASKET

Matt Guokas Sr.

1915 - 1993

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1314 ATHLETIC

Ervin Hall

Born 1947

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1315 FOOTBALL

Jahri Evans

Born 1983

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1316 GENETICIST

Charles Epstein (geneticist)

1933 - 2011

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1317 WRITER

Steve Sansweet

Born 1945

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1318 POLITICIAN

Franklin Davenport

1755 - 1832

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1319 ACTOR

Dorothy Kelly

1894 - 1966

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1320 BASKET

Chubby Cox

Born 1955

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1321 FILM

Alex Zamm

-

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1322 FOOTBALL

Marcus Tracy

Born 1986

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1323 SINGER

Eric Owens (bass-baritone)

Born 1970

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1324 ACTOR

Judy Landers

Born 1958

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1325 ARCHITECT

John Nolen

1869 - 1937

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1326 NOVELIST

Joseph Auslander

1897 - 1965

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1327 BASKET

Ernie Beck

Born 1931

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1328 CHEMIST

Judith Klinman

Born 1941

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1329 ACTOR

Randi Ingerman

Born 1967

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1330 POLITICIAN

Edward Biddle

1738 - 1779

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1331 PSYCHIATRIST

Nathan S. Kline

1916 - 1983

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1332 ROWER

Michael Gleason

1876 - 1923

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1333 MODEL

Jade Cole

Born 1979

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1334 POLITICIAN

Joe Hoeffel

Born 1950

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1335 PAINTER

Karen Kilimnik

Born 1955

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1336 ART HISTORIAN

Eleanor Sayre

1916 - 2001

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1337 BASKET

Mark Tyndale

Born 1986

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1338 BASKET

Lari Ketner

1977 - 2014

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1339 ACTOR

Todd Komarnicki

Born 1965

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1340 OFFICER

William P. Biddle

1853 - 1923

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1341 BASKET

Edna Campbell

Born 1968

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1342 JOURNALIST

Kristie Lu Stout

Born 1974

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1343 SERIAL KILLER

Frank Geyer

1853 - 1918

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1344 MUSIC

Mary Ann McCall

1919 - 1994

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1345 BASKET

Rick Jackson

Born 1989

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1346 MATHEMATICIAN

Ted Harris (mathematician)

1919 - 2005

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1347 ROWER

Edward Marsh (rower)

1874 - 1932

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1348 ACTOR

Alexis Fawx

Born 1975

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1349 COMPOSER

Derrick Hodge

Born 1979

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1350 SPORT

Jack Whitaker

1924 - 2019

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1351 MUSIC

Clifford Thornton

1939 - 1989

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1352 WRITER

Carol Goodman

Born 1959

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1353 ARCHITECT

Edward Clark (architect)

1822 - 1902

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1354 PLAYWRIGHT

Langdon Elwyn Mitchell

1862 - 1935

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1355 ACTOR

Demetra Hampton

Born 1968

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1356 CARTOONIST

Ellen Forney

Born 1968

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1357 WORKER

James C. Greenwood

Born 1951

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1358 ACTOR

Edmund Burns

1892 - 1980

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1359 MUSIC

Nick Travis

1925 - 1964

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1360 ATHLETIC

Lesley Ashburner

1883 - 1950

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1361 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Dorothy Burr Thompson

1900 - 2001

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1362 SINGER

Richie Barrett

1933 - 2006

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1363 POET

Ellen Bass

Born 1947

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1364 CHOREOGRAPHER

Donya Feuer

1934 - 2011

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1365 PAINTER

Walter Elmer Schofield

1867 - 1944

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1366 BASKET

Lewis Lloyd

1959 - 2019

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1367 MUSIC

Arthur Fields

1888 - 1953

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1368 ARTIST

Sarai Sherman

1922 - 2013

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1369 PHOTOGRAPHER

Tana Hoban

1917 - 2006

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1370 LAWYER

James M. Beck

1861 - 1936

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1371 CHEMIST

George Kauffman

1930 - 2020

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1372 EXPLORER

Edwin De Haven

1816 - 1865

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1373 ATHLETIC

LaMont Smith

Born 1972

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1374 ART HISTORIAN

Mary Berenson

1864 - 1945

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1375 BANDLEADER

Warren Covington

1921 - 1999

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1376 DIPLOMAT

Warren Zimmermann

1934 - 2004

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1377 SKATEBOARD

Stevie Williams

Born 1979

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1378 SOCIOLOGIST

Paul DiMaggio

Born 1951

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1379 PRELATE

Edward Joseph Adams

Born 1944

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1380 DIPLOMAT

Richard Theodore Greener

1844 - 1922

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1381 POLITICIAN

William M. Bunn

1842 - 1923

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1382 HISTORIAN

Daniel Kevles

Born 1939

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1383 LINGUIST

Archer Taylor

1890 - 1973

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1384 ACTOR

Gail Kane

1887 - 1966

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1385 FILM

Jack Bernhard

1914 - 1997

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1386 GUITAR

Jay Mehler

Born 1981

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1387 ROWER

Charles Armstrong (rower)

1881 - 1952

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1388 ACTOR

Henny Backus

1911 - 2004

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1389 POLITICIAN

Jarvis Tyner

Born 1941

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1390 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Barbara J. Grosz

Born 1948

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1391 ECONOMIST

Donald Kohn

Born 1942

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1392 SOCIAL REFORMER

E. Haldeman-Julius

1889 - 1951

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1393 POLITICIAN

Richard T. Schulze

Born 1929

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1394 PIANIST

Calvin Jackson

1919 - 1985

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1395 WRITER

Jeanne Birdsall

Born 1951

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1396 AUTHOR

Virginia Ramey Mollenkott

1932 - 2020

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1397 LAWYER

John Cadwalader (jurist)

1805 - 1879

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1398 CONDUCTOR

Max Goberman

1911 - 1962

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1399 CLARINET

Gregory Herbert

1947 - 1978

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1400 POLITICIAN

Thomas Morris (New York politician)

1771 - 1849

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1401 POLITICIAN

Carolyn Goodman (politician)

Born 1938

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1402 AUTHOR

Gerald Early

Born 1952

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1403 ENGINEER

Lee Felsenstein

Born 1945

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1404 PRIEST

David M. O'Connell

Born 1955

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1405 VIOLIN

Berl Senofsky

1926 - 2002

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1406 ADVISOR

Howard Schmidt

1949 - 2017

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1407 MATHEMATICIAN

John Howard Van Amringe

1835 - 1915

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1408 PRELATE

James Green (bishop)

Born 1950

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1409 PLAYWRIGHT

James Nelson Barker

1784 - 1858

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1410 BASKET

Bob McNeill

Born 1938

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1411 ENTOMOLOGIST

Herman Strecker

1836 - 1901

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1412 ROWER

Joseph Dempsey

1875 - 1942

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1413 ECONOMIST

William A. Brock

Born 1941

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1414 MUSIC

Samuel Zygmuntowicz

Born 1956

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1415 FOOTBALL

Brandon McManus

Born 1991

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1416 HISTORIAN

Nancy F. Cott

Born 1945

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1417 FILM

Kirk Simon

1954 - 2018

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1418 OFFICER

George Cadwalader

1806 - 1879

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1419 FILM

J. C. Spink

1972 - 2017

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1420 BASKET

Bob Morse

Born 1951

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1421 SCREENWRITER

Robert Leslie Bellem

1902 - 1968

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1422 BASKET

Wayne Hightower

1940 - 2002

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1423 VIOLIST

Joseph de Pasquale

1919 - 2015

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1424 FILM

Bob Marcucci

1930 - 2011

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1425 LAWYER

Joseph Hopkinson

1770 - 1842

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1426 JOURNALIST

Murray Waas

Born 1961

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1427 PAINTER

Arthur Beecher Carles

1882 - 1952

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1428 PHILANTHROPIST

Elliott Cresson

1796 - 1854

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1429 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Herman Lukoff

1923 - 1979

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1430 JOURNALIST

William Gardner Smith

1927 - 1974

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1431 ACTOR

Vivienne Segal

1897 - 1992

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1432 SINGER

Lindsay Pagano

Born 1986

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1433 MATHEMATICIAN

Nathan Fine

1916 - 1994

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1434 BASKET

Maggie Lucas

Born 1991

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1435 FILM

Rob Hardy

Born 1971

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1436 OFFICER

Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Sr.

1874 - 1948

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1437 COMPOSER

Francis Johnson (composer)

1792 - 1844

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1438 BASKET

Angelo Musi

1918 - 2009

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1439 POLITICIAN

Charles W. Sandman Jr.

1921 - 1985

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1440 ARCHITECT

Ellen Biddle Shipman

1869 - 1950

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1441 FOOTBALL

Francis Ryan

1908 - 1977

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1442 LAWYER

William Lashner

Born 1956

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1443 BUSINESS

Kenneth Frazier

Born 1954

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1444 ACTOR

Barry Jenner

1941 - 2016

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1445 SINGER

Catherine Feeny

Born 1976

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1446 BOXER

Julian Williams (boxer)

Born 1990

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1447 BIBLICAL

Joseph Addison Alexander

1809 - 1860

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1448 PALAEONTOLOGIST

John W. Wells

1907 - 1994

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1449 GYMNAST

John Grieb

1879 - 1939

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1450 ENGINEER

Alan Needleman

Born 1944

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1451 BUSINESS

Hamilton Disston

1844 - 1896

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1452 NOVELIST

Stephen Goldin

Born 1947

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1453 CRICKET

Milton Work

1864 - 1934

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1454 BASKET

Emanual Davis

Born 1968

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1455 ROWER

Frank Shakespeare (rower)

Born 1930

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1456 LAWYER

James Kinsey

1731 - 1803

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1457 ROWER

Harry Lott

1880 - 1949

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1458 PLAYWRIGHT

Albert Innaurato

1947 - 2017

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1459 MUSIC

Lambert Orkis

Born 1946

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1460 FARMER

George Washington Bush

1779 - 1863

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1461 SINGER

Judi Silvano

Born 1951

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1462 NOVELIST

Robert Gover

1929 - 2015

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1463 WRESTLER

Johnny Hotbody

Born 1963

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1464 BASKET

Jackie Moore (basketball)

Born 1932

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1465 ARCHITECT

Herbert Muschamp

1947 - 2007

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1466 PSYCHOLOGIST

Eugene Galanter

1924 - 2016

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1467 MUSIC

Willie Dennis

1926 - 1965

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1468 MILITAR

Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)

1750 - 1778

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1469 ESSAYIST

Arthur Knight (film critic)

1916 - 1991

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1470 POLITICIAN

Thomas Forrest

1747 - 1825

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1471 JOURNALIST

George Rex Graham

1813 - 1894

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1472 MUSIC

Dwayne Burno

1970 - 2013

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1473 BASKET

Ramone Moore

Born 1989

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1474 BASKET

Terquin Mott

Born 1974

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1475 ILLUSTRATOR

Earle K. Bergey

1901 - 1952

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1476 MUSIC

Lawrence Zazzo

Born 1970

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1477 PIANIST

John Adriano Acea

1917 - 1963

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1478 POET

Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

Born 1978

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1479 MATHEMATICIAN

Dennis DeTurck

Born 1954

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1480 MUSICOLOGIST

Steven Feld

Born 1949

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1481 POLITICIAN

Jonathan Bayard Smith

1742 - 1812

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1482 LINGUIST

Samuel G. Armistead

1927 - 2013

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1483 ACTOR

Joe Burke (composer)

1884 - 1950

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1484 PAINTER

Matthew Pratt

1734 - 1805

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1485 ENGINEER

Bobak Ferdowsi

Born 1979

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1486 AUTHOR

Karen Abbott

Born 1973

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1487 WRITER

Wesley Morris

Born 1975

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1488 COMPOSER

Bill Barron (musician)

1927 - 1989

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1489 ARTIST

Charles Crumb

1942 - 1992

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1490 NOVELIST

Kate Braverman

1950 - 2019

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1491 COMPOSER

Hershy Kay

1919 - 1981

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1492 COMICS

Grace Drayton

1877 - 1936

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1493 PRIEST

Michael Francis Burbidge

Born 1957

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1494 ACTOR

John Sylvester White

1919 - 1988

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1495 BASKET

Laura Harper (basketball)

Born 1986

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1496 ECONOMIST

Steven Plaut

1951 - 2017

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1497 FILM

Walter Seltzer

1914 - 2011

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1498 THERAPIST

Sidney Blatt

1928 - 2014

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1499 BOTANIST

Henry Shoemaker Conard

1874 - 1971

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1500 BASKET

Rasheim Wright

Born 1981

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