Reader Review: People

Sun., Nov. 15, 1998

Readers showed a lot of creativity in this area, picking many people from outside our region for top honors. Superman tied with Mark McGwire, though baseball fans may think they are one and the same person.

HERO

1. Jesus Christ

2. tie: Dad, Mark Rypien

Rypien walked away from a two-year, $1.8 million contract to quarterback the Atlanta Falcons to stay with his family while his 3-year-old son Andrew battled brain cancer. Andrew died in August. On her ballot, Barbara Busch wrote: “I admire Rypien for giving up a million-dollar playing season to spend time with his ill son and family. He has his priorities straight.”

Honorable mention: Superman, Mark McGwire

TV NEWS ANCHOR

1. Randy Shaw

2. Nadine Woodward

3. Charles Rowe

Honorable mention: Marianne Mishima, Mark Wright

TV WEATHER FORECASTER

1. Tom Sherry

KREM’s Tom Sherry successfully made the transition from DJ to weatherman, and now he’s on top of the pack. He’s knowledgable, affable, and his golden retriever Doppler the Weather Dog makes a lovable sidekick.

2. Mark Peterson

3. Tim Adams

Honorable mention: Bob Day, Dave Sweeney

SPORTS JOURNALIST (radio, TV or print)

1. Rick Lukens

2. Greg Heister

3. Dennis Patchin

Honorable mention: John Blanchette, Dan Kleckner

NEWS JOURNALIST (radio, TV or print)

1. Doug Clark

2. Kevin James

3. Tom Brokaw

Honorable mention: Randy Shaw, Debra Wilde

RADIO DJ OR TEAM

1. Jay & Kevin, KDRK-FM

2. Breakfast Boys, KZZU-FM

3. KKZX Radio Men

Honorable mention: Wise Guys, Jim Diamond

TEACHER

1. Jesus Christ

2. tie: Jerry Sittser, Maria Dibartolo, Cindy Simonson

MUSICIAN OR BAND

1. Garth Brooks

2. Men In The Making

3. Randy Shaw Band

Honorable mention: Kelly Hughes, Spokane Symphony

VISUAL ARTIST

1. Thomas Kinkade

2. Bev Doolittle

3. Steve Lyman

Honorable mention: Harold Balazs, Claude Monet

WRITER

1. Stephen King

2. Patrick McManus

3. Sherman Alexie

Honorable mention: John Grisham, Danielle Steele

ATHLETE, MALE

1. John Stockton

2. Ken Griffey Jr.

3. Michael Jordan

Honorable mention: Mark Rypien, Mark McGwire

ATHLETE, FEMALE

1. Kim Jones

2. Florence Griffith Joyner

3. Picabo Street

Honorable mention: Jackee Joyner Kersee, Michelle Kwan

COACH

1. Mike Price

Voters recalled the thrills of last year’s college football season and rewarded Price for leading the WSU Cougars to the Rose Bowl by making him No. 1 in our poll.

2. Dennis Erickson

3. Lou Piniella

Honorable mention: Mike Babcock, Dan Fitzgerald

INLAND NORTHWEST ECCENTRIC

1. Rick Miller

2. Willie Willey

3. Bill Gates

Honorable mention: Doug Clark, Jimmy Marks

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