Wilt tops list of top pros from city leagues

FORMER Daily News high school sports writer Ted Silary has put together a nifty list of the top pros in basketball, football and baseball to come out of the city leagues.

Silary, creator of legendary website, tedsilary.com, considered athletes from the Public, Catholic and Inter-Ac leagues to come up with a list of 15 finalists. He then enlisted the help of 22 friends and colleagues - including Daily News staffers Aaron "Ace" Carter, Ed Barkowitz, Bill Fleischman, Mike Kern, Pat McLoone and Bob "Boop" Vetrone Jr. - to vote for the "Great Eight" and "Still-Special Seven."

Voters gave 15 points for first, 14 for second etc.

Not surprisingly, Wilt Chamberlain was No. 1 among all vote-getters.

GREAT EIGHT

1. Wilt Chamberlain (basketball, Overbrook), 345

2. Roy Campanella (baseball, Gratz), 284

3. Earl Monroe (basketball, Bartram), 259

4. Herb Adderley (basketball, Northeast), 240

5. (tie) Paul Arizin (basketball, La Salle), 236

5. (tie) Marvin Harrison (football, Roman Catholic), 236

7. Tom Gola (basketball, La Salle), 232

8. Leroy Kelly (football, Gratz), 193.

STILL-SPECIAL SEVEN

9. Del Ennis (baseball, Olney), 142

10. Erik Williams (football, Bartram), 119

11. Rich Gannon (football, St. Joseph's Prep), 113

12. Bucky Walters (baseball, Germantown), 108

13. Jahri Evans (football, Frankford), 95

14. Joe Klecko (football, St. James), 83

15. Larry Foust (basketball, South Catholic), 75

Very cool to see Giants great Michael Strahan give former Eagle Jon Runyan a shout-out at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction on Saturday.