Vote now for the greatest Polk County professional and Olympic athletes

For generations, Polk County has doled out talent that has landed in professional and Olympic sports. And those athletes from around the way have gone on to represent Polk County to the best of their ability.

Below is a poll of 45 Polk County athletes who have gone on to play in the professional or Olympic ranks. The poll will be open until July 15 to determine who are the top 20 athletes from Polk County who have gone on to the professional sports and the Olympics.

Football

Ray Lewis, a linebacker from Kathleen High, is arguably the greatest linebacker ever, winning two Super Bowls, while racking up a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven time first-team All Pro and a 13-time Pro Bowl selection.

Derwin James, a safety out of Haines City High School alumni, was drafted by the Chargers, achieving a three-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection so far.

Rod Smart, a running back out of Lakeland high School, was drafted by the San Diego Chargers before playing for the Eagles, Panthers and Raiders.

Freddie Mitchell, a former Kathleen High School wide receiver, was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles before making a miraculous catch against the Green Bay Packers in the 2003 NFC Divisional game.

Travis Henry, a running back out of Frostproof High School, was drafted by the Buffalo Bills before becoming a Pro Bowl selection.

Ken Riley, a Bartow alum, was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals and became a first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro.

Wayne Peace of Lakeland was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the USFL Supplemental Draft as a quarterback.

Lakeland native Mike Pouncey was a four-time Pro Bowler for the Miami Dolphins as a center.

Lakeland native Markice Pouncy was a nine-time Pro Bowler, a two-time first-team player and a member of the 2010s all-decade team for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a center.

David Williams of Mulberry played in the NFL as an offensive tackle for eight seasons with the Houston Oilers and the New York Jets.

Buford Long of Lake Wales was drafted by the New York Giants as a defensive back and end, playing three seasons with the Giants.

Desmond Clark of Bartow lasted 12 seasons in the NFL, catching 27 touchdowns as a tight end.

Jason Odom of Winter Haven lasted five seasons in the NFL as an offensive tackle for Tampa Bay.

Wayne Gandy of Haines City was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round, playing professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons as an offensive tackle.

Alvin Harper of Lake Wales was drafted by the Cowboys, and in his eight seasons he had 191 receptions for 3,473 yards and 21 touchdowns as a wide receiver.

Basketball

Amare Stoudemire, a power forward who went to Lake Wales High School, was drafted by the Phoenix Suns before becoming a six-time NBA All-Star, a one-time All-NBA selection and the NBA Rookie of the Year.

Tracy McGrady out of Auburndale High School was drafted by the Orlando Magic, becoming a shooting guard that went on to become a seven-time all-star, two-time All-NBA player, a two-time NBA scoring champ and an NBA Most Improved Player.

Otis Birdsong of Winter Haven was drafted by the Boston Celtics before earning the all-star nod four times as a shooting guard.

Chris Richard of Lakeland played four seasons in the NBA as a power forward.

Baseball

Matt Diaz, a current Lakeland Christian coach, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before batting .290 for his career as an outfielder in the field.

Fort Meade alumni Andrew McCutchen was drafted by the Pirates before becoming a five-time all-star selection, a NL MVP, a gold glove award winner as a right fielder and a four-time Silver Slugger award recipient.

Lake Wales alumni Justin Schafer was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and ended his career with a 4.17 ERA.

Larry Parrish of Winter Haven hit .263 with 256 home runs and 992 RBI over a 15-year career with Montreal, Texas and Boston, while also earning a National League All-Star for the Expos as a third baseman.

John Boog Powel of Lakeland was drafted by the Orioles and went on to be a four-time All-Star selection, two-time World Series Champion, 1970 American League MVP, and two-time American League Comeback Player of the Year recipient as a first baseman.

Pat Borders of Lake Wales was drafted by the Blue Jays, becoming a two-time World Series Champion with the Toronto Blue Jays, the 1992 World Series MVP, while also winning a Gold Medal competing with the United States in baseball at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics as a catcher.

Steven Pearce of Lakeland posted a 13-season MLB career that included a World Series title and a World Series MVP in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox as a left fielder.

Drew Hutchinson of Lakeland spent 11 seasons in the MLB as a pitcher.

Lance Niekro of Winter Haven played four seasons in the MLB as the San Francisco Giant's first baseman.

Keon Braxton of Lakeland competed in the MLB as an outfielder for five seasons for the Pirates, Brewers, Mets, Orioles and Mariners.

Alan Mills was drafted by the Orioles, and the Lakeland native had a 12-season career, posting a 39–32 record with 456 strikeouts and a 4.12 ERA in 474 games.

Andy McGaffigan, also a Florida Southern alumnus, lasted 10 seasons in the majors as a pitcher.

Golf

Herbert Dixon of Bartow won 63 tournaments in the United Golf Association Tour in the 1950s, while also earning over 200 trophies, eventually becoming the first Black golfer to cross over to the PGA Tour in a Jacksonville professional tournament.

Charlie Owens, a Winter-Haven-native-turned-PGA-golfer, had major wins during his career with the Senior PGA Tour, the Treasure Coast Classic and the Del. E. Webb Senior PGA Tour Roundup.

Andy Bean of Lakeland won 18 career professional matches, including 11 PGA Tour tournament victories.

Marco Dawson, a Florida Southern golfer, went on to be with the PGA and Nationwide Tours since 1985, compiling over $4 million in winnings, while also having one victory on the Nationwide Tour, capturing the LaSalle Bank Open.

Florida Southern alumni Lee Janzen racked up eight PGA Tour wins, two U.S. Golf Tour wins and two PGA Tour championships.

Racing

Rick Wilson, a Bartow High School alumnus, made it to NASCAR, winning two races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and racking up 23 top ten finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Joe Nemechek of Lakeland has four wins in his NASCAR career.

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Other Sports

Dick Pope, a skier out of Winter Haven, won national overall titles four straight years, capturing the world overall championship in the second world tournament ever held.

Barbara Heddon, a water skier from Lakeland, won the women's national overall title, and two years later she won all three events, capturing the Masters Cup, an unprecedented feat at the time.

Jennifer Calleri, a skier who went to Florida Southern, won four consecutive overall gold medals at the Barefoot Water Ski World Championships, serving as a member of five U.S. Elite Barefoot Water Ski Teams.

Rowdy Gaines, a swimmer from Winter Haven, racked up three gold medals in the 100M freestyle, the 4x100M freestyle and medley relays in the Olympics.

Arthur Blake of Bartow was world ranked five times as a hurdler, from 1987-90 and 1992, with a high ranking of No. 44 in 1987.

Keith Brantley of Winter Haven won various US titles, including the 10K, the 25K and the marathon, repeating as US marathon champion.

Rey Robinson of Fort Meade was runner-up in the 1972 Olympic Trial 100 meters, and his time equaled the world record.