40.3596° N, 82.2875° W

SPRINGFIELD

Most Famous People Born in Springfield, United States

Notable people
936
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1933
Most distinctive
Baseball 9.5×

There are several Springfields in this dataset and they blur together statistically, which is the point - the 9.5× Baseball over-index is small-town America's pre-television obsession crystallized, the era when every Midwestern Springfield fielded a semi-pro team and a few of those kids made the Cardinals or Reds. The 2.6× Lawyer ratio is the Lincoln-era Springfield, IL signal still echoing through the data.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 90 notable births.

What Springfield Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Springfield's biggest profession — 13% of all notables (124).

Springfield over-indexes on baseball9.5× the global rate.

Springfield under-produces football — only 0.7× the global rate.

  1. Politician124
  2. Baseball101
  3. Football72
  4. Actor59
  5. Lawyer43
  6. Basket38
  7. Music26
  8. Writer23
  1. Baseball1019.5×
  2. Basket383.2×
  3. Lawyer432.6×
  4. Novelist92.4×
  5. Screenwriter92.2×
  6. Music261.9×
  7. Officer101.6×
  1. Football720.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

16501700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All936
Sort By

936 notable people

0601 BASEBALL

Eric Weaver

Born 1973

Preview
0602 FOOTBALL

Victor Heflin

Born 1960

Preview
0603 WRITER

Rami M. Shapiro

Born 1951

Preview
0604 BEAUTY PAGEANT

Tippe Emmott

Born 1990

Preview
0605 POLITICIAN

Jim Keet

Born 1949

Preview
0606 POLITICIAN

Arthur Barret

1836 - 1875

Preview
0607 POLITICIAN

Dennis Frederickson

Born 1939

Preview
0608 ACTOR

James Anderson (filmmaker)

1902 - 1960

Preview
0609 LAWYER

James Garfield Stewart

1880 - 1959

Preview
0610 FOOTBALL

Joe Scibelli

1939 - 1991

Preview
0611 FOOTBALL

P. J. Alexander

Born 1978

Preview
0612 BASEBALL

Bill Spanswick

Born 1938

Preview
0613 POLITICIAN

Jon G. Burns

Born 1952

Preview
0614 POLITICIAN

Gary Dahms

Born 1947

Preview
0615 FOOTBALL

Pat Carroll (soccer)

Born 1985

Preview
0616 PAINTER

Asahel Lynde Powers

1813 - 1843

Preview
0617 BASEBALL

Tyler Green (baseball)

Born 1970

Preview
0618 DRIVER

Larry Phillips (racing driver)

1942 - 2004

Preview
0619 JUDGE

Isaac F. Redfield

1804 - 1876

Preview
0620 FOOTBALL

L. C. Cole

Born 1956

Preview
0621 ENGINEER

C. Chapin Cutler

1914 - 2002

Preview
0622 LAWYER

Thomas Reilly

Born 1942

Preview
0623 BASEBALL

Sam Crane (second baseman)

1854 - 1925

Preview
0624 PAINTER

Dwinell Grant

1912 - 1991

Preview
0625 BASEBALL

Ryan O'Malley

Born 1980

Preview
0626 ADVOCATE

Jonathan Bydlak

Born 1983

Preview
0627 BASEBALL

Pat Donahue

1884 - 1966

Preview
0628 BASEBALL

Roger Erickson (baseball)

Born 1956

Preview
0629 FOOTBALL

Roger LeClerc (American football)

Born 1936

Preview
0630 BASEBALL

Allan Simpson

Born 1977

Preview
0631 BASEBALL

Tim Hulett

Born 1960

Preview
0632 BUSINESS

Jack Gordon (entertainment manager)

1939 - 2005

Preview
0633 POLITICIAN

Rich Brauer

Born 1954

Preview
0634 BASEBALL

Bob Gebhard

Born 1943

Preview
0635 ARMY

Claudius C. Wilson

1831 - 1863

Preview
0636 BASKET

Nate Miller (basketball)

Born 1987

Preview
0637 BASKET

Herb Scheffler

1917 - 2001

Preview
0638 BASEBALL

Tyler Bashlor

Born 1993

Preview
0639 COACH

Edward Jackson (American football)

Born 1907

Preview
0640 MUSIC

Porky Cohen

1924 - 2004

Preview
0641 ACTOR

Ruth Handforth

1882 - 1965

Preview
0642 BASEBALL

Keith Drumright

1954 - 2010

Preview
0643 THEOLOGIAN

Ángel Manuel Rodríguez

Born 1945

Preview
0644 CHEMIST

Jerry L. Atwood

Born 1942

Preview
0645 FOOTBALL

Ron Ferrari

Born 1959

Preview
0646 MILITAR

James R. Ward

1921 - 1941

Preview
0647 POLITICIAN

Thomas Petrolati

Born 1957

Preview
0648 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Donald W. Davis

1921 - 2010

Preview
0649 BASEBALL

Mike Mitchell (baseball)

1879 - 1961

Preview
0650 FOOTBALL

Jack Atchason

Born 1936

Preview
0651 FOOTBALL

Rick Chamberlin

Born 1952

Preview
0652 NOVELIST

Laura Bynum

Born 1968

Preview
0653 FOOTBALL

Fran O'Brien (American football)

1936 - 1999

Preview
0654 BASEBALL

Dick Teed

1926 - 2014

Preview
0655 BASEBALL

Phil Page

1905 - 1958

Preview
0656 BOTANIST

Robert Crichton Foster

1904 - 1986

Preview
0657 COMPOSER

Steven Schoenberg

Born 1952

Preview
0658 EDITOR

Sheila Williams

Born 1956

Preview
0659 BASEBALL

Mike Thompson (2000s pitcher)

Born 1980

Preview
0660 BASEBALL

Dave Patterson

Born 1956

Preview
0661 MILITAR

John A. Chapman

1965 - 2002

Preview
0662 FOOTBALL

Jason Whittle

Born 1975

Preview
0663 COACH

Tom Dowling (American football)

1940 - 2018

Preview
0664 BASKET

Obi Enechionyia

Born 1995

Preview
0665 LICHENOLOGIST

Carolyn Wilson Harris

1849 - 1910

Preview
0666 AUTHOR

Daniel Hitchcock

1739 - 1777

Preview
0667 POLITICIAN

Larry Bomke

Born 1950

Preview
0668 HISTORIAN

Charlotte Baker (historian)

1833 - 1909

Preview
0669 FOOTBALL

T. T. McConnell

1888 - 1970

Preview
0670 MILITAR

Otis B. Duncan

1873 - 1937

Preview
0671 SWIMMER

Bill Mettler

Born 1946

Preview
0672 BASKET

William C. Heiss

Born 1923

Preview
0673 PSYCHOLOGIST

Allan R. Wagner

1934 - 2018

Preview
0674 PRELATE

Talbert W. Swan II

Born 1965

Preview
0675 POLITICIAN

Lincoln Hough

Born 1982

Preview
0676 JUSTICE

Henry A. Melvin

1865 - 1920

Preview
0677 FOOTBALL

Rob Keefe

Born 1980

Preview
0678 POLITICIAN

Linda McCulloch

Born 1954

Preview
0679 LIBRARIAN

Frederick H. Wagman

1912 - 1994

Preview
0680 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Margaret Burnett

Born 1949

Preview
0681 POLITICIAN

Ben Kieckhefer

Born 1977

Preview
0682 POLITICIAN

Maria Pearson

1932 - 2003

Preview
0683 POLITICIAN

James T. Welch

Born 1975

Preview
0684 LAWYER

Michael Lamoureux

Born 1976

Preview
0685 STOCKBROKER

Byron Trott

Born 1958

Preview
0686 POLITICIAN

Robert C. Henry

1921 - 1981

Preview
0687 TELEVISION

John Forslund

Born 1962

Preview
0688 BANK

Asa Smith Bushnell III

1900 - 1975

Preview
0689 FOOTBALL

Bill Carpenter

Born 1937

Preview
0690 PROFESSOR

John A. Quinn

1932 - 2016

Preview
0691 JOURNALIST

Frank Peters Jr.

1930 - 2007

Preview
0692 POLITICIAN

Johnny Ellis

Born 1960

Preview
0693 FABRIKANT

James Beauregard Beam

1864 - 1947

Preview
0694 POLITICIAN

Linda Melconian

-

Preview
0695 BASEBALL

Kevin M. Gilbride

Born 1980

Preview
0696 COACH

Sunny Golloway

-

Preview
0697 BASEBALL

Bob Hegman

Born 1958

Preview
0698 OFFICER

John W. Rosa

Born 1951

Preview
0699 PUBLISHER

William Warder Norton

1891 - 1945

Preview
0700 POLITICIAN

Jay Wasson

Born 1956

Preview
0701 FOOTBALL

Jeff Korytoski

Born 1977

Preview
0702 SON

Theodore Foley

1913 - 1974

Preview
0703 COMPOSER

William Doppmann

1934 - 2013

Preview
0704 FOOTBALL

Skip Roderick

Born 1966

Preview
0705 GAME

Reed Waddell

1860 - 1895

Preview
0706 BASKET

Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir

Born 1990

Preview
0707 GOLF

Randy Erskine

Born 1948

Preview
0708 WRITER

Lián Amaris

Born 1980

Preview
0709 PAINTER

George W. Picknell

1864 - 1943

Preview
0710 ILLUSTRATOR

Elke Reva Sudin

Born 1987

Preview
0711 ARCHITECT

Charles B. Thomsen

Born 1932

Preview
0712 BASEBALL

Freddy Leach

1897 - 1981

Preview
0713 POLITICIAN

Tom Phillips (Kansas politician)

-

Preview
0714 BUSINESS

Daniel L. Ritchie

-

Preview
0715 BASKET

Jay Spoonhour

Born 1970

Preview
0716 BASEBALL

Fuzz White

1916 - 2003

Preview
0717 POLITICIAN

Ross McGregor

Born 1965

Preview
0718 BOTANIST

Charles Gardner Shaw

1917 - 1998

Preview
0719 GOVERNMENT

Wallace H. Kuralt. Sr.

1908 - 1994

Preview
0720 COACH

Floyd Reese

Born 1948

Preview
0721 MISSIONARY

Timothy Woodbridge

1709 - 1774

Preview
0722 BASEBALL

Don Erickson

1931 - 2012

Preview
0723 POLITICIAN

Mary McNally

Born 1955

Preview
0724 BASEBALL

Snooks Dowd

1897 - 1962

Preview
0725 BASEBALL

Chappie Snodgrass

1870 - 1951

Preview
0726 SWIMMER

Michael Prout

Born 1986

Preview
0727 MUSIC

Dennis Luxion

Born 1952

Preview
0728 FOOTBALL

Anthony Cioffi

Born 1994

Preview
0729 REPUBLICAN

William F. Cellini

Born 1934

Preview
0730 POLITICIAN

Jim Langfelder

Born 1960

Preview
0731 LIBRARIAN

William Rice (librarian)

1821 - 1897

Preview
0732 WRITER

John Sack (Schriftsteller, 1938)

Born 1938

Preview
0733 JUDGE

John Wesley Warrington

1844 - 1921

Preview
0734 ANIMATOR

Don Williams (animator)

-

Preview
0735 SPORT

Kristina Joder

Born 1978

Preview
0736 BASEBALL

Jordan Milbrath

Born 1991

Preview
0737 BASEBALL

Dan Mahoney (baseball)

1864 - 1904

Preview
0738 NOVELIST

Jack Henderson (author)

Born 1958

Preview
0739 MUSIC

Don Frye (Pianist)

1903 - 1981

Preview
0740 COACH

Arthur McFarland

1874 - 1959

Preview
0741 FOOTBALL

Ben Cregor

-

Preview
0742 LAWYER

James G. Johnson

1855 - 1936

Preview
0743 MUSIC

Ken Maiuri

Born 1971

Preview
0744 BASKET

Bob Barnwell

1916 - 1985

Preview
0745 SENATOR

Abel Nazario

Born 1970

Preview
0746 LAWYER

Kathleen Kerrigan

-

Preview
0747 ARMY

George Mason Lovering

1832 - 1919

Preview
0748 FARMER

Luke Day

1743 - 1801

Preview
0749 LIEUTENANT

Mark A. Ediger

-

Preview
0750 LAWYER

Max Bacon (politician)

Born 1941

Preview
0751 LACROSSE

Drew Adams

Born 1986

Preview
0752 DIPLOMAT

Frank E. Maestrone

1922 - 2007

Preview
0753 FOOTBALL

Eric Peterman

Born 1986

Preview
0754 FOOTBALL

Al Arndt

1911 - 1969

Preview
0755 BASKET

Ron Bradley

Born 1951

Preview
0756 JUDGE

Frank Harlan Freedman

1924 - 2003

Preview
0757 BASEBALL

Bob Detherage

Born 1954

Preview
0758 LAWYER

Jeanne E. Scott

Born 1948

Preview
0759 BASEBALL

Roy Wise (baseball)

1923 - 2008

Preview
0760 OFFICER

Deborah Loewer

-

Preview
0761 POLITICIAN

Jack Ford (politician)

1947 - 2015

Preview
0762 BASEBALL

Joe Dunn (baseball)

1885 - 1944

Preview
0763 LAWYER

Jewel Freeman Graham

1925 - 2015

Preview
0764 SPORT

Dan Daniel (sportswriter)

1890 - 1981

Preview
0765 BASEBALL

Alice Hohlmayer

1925 - 2017

Preview
0766 EXPLORER

Walter Trumbull

1846 - 1891

Preview
0767 OFFICER

Arthur H. Wilson

1881 - 1953

Preview
0768 BOXER

Jeri Sitzes

Born 1979

Preview
0769 PHOTOGRAPHER

Paul Henderson (photojournalist)

1899 - 1988

Preview
0770 POLITICIAN

Lyndall Fraker

Born 1959

Preview
0771 BASEBALL

Dick Harley (pitcher)

1874 - 1961

Preview
0772 POLITICIAN

Chuck Gatschenberger

Born 1956

Preview
0773 BASEBALL

Ozzie Osborn

Born 1946

Preview
0774 COLONEL

Everett Peabody

1830 - 1862

Preview
0775 BUSINESS

John Morris (businessman)

Born 1948

Preview
0776 MISSING

Marguerite Young Alexander

1889 - 1954

Preview
0777 NAVY

Henry C. Courtney

1856 - 1887

Preview
0778 VETERAN

Homer B. Roberts

1888 - 1952

Preview
0779 FOOTBALL

E. J. Nemeth

Born 1983

Preview
0780 POLITICIAN

Carolyn Conn Moore

1904 - 1986

Preview
0781 PHYSICIAN

Paul Busiek

1923 - 2016

Preview
0782 LAWYER

William Hercules Hays

1820 - 1880

Preview
0783 EDITOR

Matthew V. Storin

Born 1942

Preview
0784 POLITICIAN

Jeffrey Justus

Born 1954

Preview
0785 BASEBALL

Pete Wilson (baseball)

1885 - 1957

Preview
0786 DRIVER

Tim Wilkerson

Born 1960

Preview
0787 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Warren Staley

-

Preview
0788 MUSIC

Boots Faye

1923 - 1999

Preview
0789 PLAYER

Emily Thater

Born 1995

Preview
0790 BASEBALL

Jeanie Descombes

Born 1935

Preview
0791 POLITICIAN

Dave Winters

Born 1952

Preview
0792 EDITOR

Marcus McLaurin

-

Preview
0793 SINGER

Glen Carroll

Born 1960

Preview
0794 PLAYER

Hannah Werth

Born 1990

Preview
0795 ACTOR

Tre Manchester

Born 1992

Preview
0796 ARCHITECT

Arthur R. Nichols

1881 - 1970

Preview
0797 FOOTBALL

Peter Christofilakos

Born 1981

Preview
0798 MARTIAL ART

Justin Torrey

Born 1983

Preview
0799 BASEBALL

Otto Neu

1894 - 1932

Preview
0800 LAWYER

John C. Holstein

Born 1945

Preview
0801 OFFICER

Robert Harold Davidson

1919 - 1982

Preview
0802 FOOTBALL

Paul Kelly (soccer)

Born 1974

Preview
0803 BUSINESS

Hazen A. Brattain

1864 - 1930

Preview
0804 ATHLETIC

Malcolm Metcalf

1910 - 1993

Preview
0805 DIPLOMAT

Hugh Montgomery (diplomat)

1923 - 2017

Preview
0806 PRIEST

William H. Miles

1828 - 1892

Preview
0807 ARMY

Frances Gulick

1891 - 1936

Preview
0808 MISSING

William Barret Ridgely

1858 - 1920

Preview
0809 BASEBALL

Nancy Warren (baseball)

1921 - 2001

Preview
0810 ARMY

William W. Gullett

1922 - 2015

Preview
0811 BRIGADIER

George Paul Harrison Sr.

1813 - 1888

Preview
0812 POLITICIAN

Bennett Katz

1918 - 2007

Preview
0813 POLITICIAN

Ted Gray (politician)

Born 1927

Preview
0814 POLITICIAN

Phil Christofanelli

Born 1989

Preview
0815 BASEBALL

Steve Peek

1914 - 1991

Preview
0816 FOOTBALL

Ann Cook (soccer)

Born 1974

Preview
0817 POLITICIAN

Alice Langtry

1932 - 2017

Preview
0818 POLITICIAN

Candy Ruff

1951 - 2016

Preview
0819 LAWYER

Martin J. Oberman

Born 1945

Preview
0820 FOOTBALL

Jeff Cook (soccer coach)

-

Preview
0821 SECRET SERVICE AGENT

James F. Sloan

1947 - 2009

Preview
0822 POLITICIAN

Lewis J. Powers

1837 - 1915

Preview
0823 BASEBALL

John Malarkey

1872 - 1949

Preview
0824 ARTIST

Joe Peters

Born 1983

Preview
0825 BASKET

Harold Doyal

Born 1973

Preview
0826 ACTOR

Bud Ross

1868 - 1932

Preview
0827 BASEBALL

Lou Sylvester

1855 - 1936

Preview
0828 MISSING

William Ludwig Ullmann

1908 - 1993

Preview
0829 HISTORIAN

Margaret Hastings

1910 - 1979

Preview
0830 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Chip Rives

Born 1964

Preview
0831 BASKET

Rand Chappell

Born 1963

Preview
0832 BASEBALL

Helen Westerman

1926 - 2006

Preview
0833 THEATRE

George Kerasotes

1911 - 2001

Preview
0834 POLITICIAN

Charles Ryan (mayor)

-

Preview
0835 WRITER

Richard Williams Bell

1811 - 1857

Preview
0836 SUFFRAGETTE

Eliza Pickrell Routt

1839 - 1907

Preview
0837 LAWYER

Peter A. Velis

Born 1942

Preview
0838 POLITICIAN

Mark Carron

Born 1962

Preview
0839 NASCAR

James Ince

Born 1969

Preview
0840 VIROLOGIST

Philip I. Marcus

1927 - 2013

Preview
0841 FOOTBALL

Jay Turner

1914 - 1960

Preview
0842 BASEBALL

Rose Folder

1926 - 2014

Preview
0843 FOOTBALL

Tony Semple

Born 1970

Preview
0844 BULL RIDER

L.J. Jenkins

Born 1987

Preview
0845 POLITICIAN

Betty Ann Keegan

1920 - 1974

Preview
0846 BASEBALL

Bob Kinsella

1899 - 1951

Preview
0847 POLITICIAN

Edward Saunders Cheatham

1818 - 1878

Preview
0848 INVESTOR

Oliver S. Kelly

1824 - 1904

Preview
0849 FOOTBALL

Coye Dunn

1916 - 2000

Preview
0850 LAWYER

Anna Langford

1917 - 2008

Preview
0851 EARLY SETTLER

Joseph Parsons Jr.

1647 - 1729

Preview
0852 FOOTBALL

Maynard Street

1898 - 1993

Preview
0853 SINGER

John Batdorf

Born 1952

Preview
0854 ARMY

William Wright Harts

1866 - 1961

Preview
0855 ACADEMIC

Stanley Battle

Born 1951

Preview
0856 POLITICIAN

Rosemary Sandlin

Born 1946

Preview
0857 LAWYER

Gilbert H. Jertberg

1897 - 1973

Preview
0858 POLITICIAN

Harry R. Ramey Jr.

Born 1962

Preview
0859 COMPOSER

Amzi Chapin

1768 - 1835

Preview
0860 FOOTBALL

Milt Piepul

1918 - 1994

Preview
0861 POLITICIAN

John Mahoney (Ohio politician)

1949 - 2011

Preview
0862 POLITICIAN

Richard Boone Cheatham

1824 - 1877

Preview
0863 BASEBALL

Jimmy Journell

Born 1977

Preview
0864 SPORT

Jon Denning

Born 1987

Preview
0865 BASEBALL

Betty Wanless

1928 - 1995

Preview
0866 POLITICIAN

David R. Wright

1935 - 2016

Preview
0867 BASEBALL

Les Rock

1912 - 1991

Preview
0868 BASEBALL

Johnny Schaive

1934 - 2009

Preview
0869 SOLDIER

Eugene W. Ferris

1841 - 1907

Preview
0870 FOOTBALL

Jeff Deren

Born 1981

Preview
0871 BASEBALL

Frank Thompson (third baseman)

1895 - 1940

Preview
0872 BASEBALL

Art Sunday

1862 - 1926

Preview
0873 POLITICIAN

Agnes Scanlon

1923 - 2018

Preview
0874 POLITICIAN

P. S. Terry

1876 - 1936

Preview
0875 FOOTBALL

Nicholas Dinkel

1874 - 1919

Preview
0876 LAWYER

Frank S. Messersmith

Born 1942

Preview
0877 PIANIST

Bob Ricketts

1885 - 1936

Preview
0878 BASEBALL

Bob Speake

Born 1930

Preview
0879 WRITER

Mary Lynde Craig

1834 - 1921

Preview
0880 SONGWRITER

Dave Tough (record producer)

-

Preview
0881 JUDGE

Benjamin K. Miller (judge)

Born 1938

Preview
0882 ARTIST

Bert Grimm

1900 - 1985

Preview
0883 BASKET

Orvis Sigler

1922 - 2016

Preview
0884 LAWYER

James T. Londrigan

1925 - 2019

Preview
0885 MISSING

Charles Caldwell McChord

1859 - 1937

Preview
0886 BASEBALL

Frank Quinn (pitcher)

1927 - 1993

Preview
0887 POLITICIAN

Kerry Mazzoni

-

Preview
0888 POLITICIAN

Alex Charlton

Born 1980

Preview
0889 BASKET

Woody Pitzer

1910 - 2001

Preview
0890 ACTIVIST

Ellen M. Bozman

1925 - 2009

Preview
0891 SINGER

Jo Garsò

1938 - 2018

Preview
0892 POLITICIAN

Jose Tosado

Born 1953

Preview
0893 FOOTBALL

Albert Okwuegbunam

Born 1998

Preview
0894 NAVY

John Hugh Catherwood

1888 - 1930

Preview
0895 DIPLOMAT

James Howard Holmes

Born 1943

Preview
0896 GOLF

Leonard Dodson

1912 - 1997

Preview
0897 POLITICIAN

Thomas T. Crittenden Jr.

1863 - 1938

Preview
0898 SKATER

Toy Dorgan

Born 1946

Preview
0899 SOLDIER

Andrew S. Bryant

1841 - 1931

Preview
0900 BASEBALL

Bart Evans

Born 1970

Preview