Maine's Famous People

Mike Bordick (1965 - Present)

University of Maine graduate and Winterport, Maine resident Mike Bordick has established himself as one of the better defensive infielders in Major League Baseball. Bordick began his career with the Oakland Athletics and hit a surprising .300 batting average in his first full season. Bordick then signed with the Baltimore Orioles where he played shortstop alongside baseball legend, Third Baseman Cal Ripken Jr. and is currently with the New York Mets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bordick

Ricky Craven (1966-Present)

Newburgh, Maine native Ricky Craven has become one of the top competitors in the NASCAR racing circuit. Craven began his career in the NASCAR Busch Series where he raced his first full season in 1990. He would go on to win the NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award and enjoyed great success at this level before moving up to the prestigious NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Since then, Craven has been competing with some of the top names in the NASCAR circuit. Despite a career threatening injury he sustained during a car wreck, Craven still managed to place a personal best 19th place finish in the 1997 Winston Cup standings.

http://www.rickycraven.com/

Joey Gamache (1967-Present)

Lewiston, Maine native Joey Gamache caught the attention of the world in 1992 when he defeated Chil Sung Chun to become the WBA Lightweight Champion of the world. Joey retired after his February 26, 2000 loss to Arturo Gatti, with an overall record of 55-4 (29 knockouts).

http://www.fightbeat.com/judgejake/gamache.php

Robert William Stanley (1954-Present)

Born in Portland, Maine, Bob Stanley had a very successful baseball career with the Boston Red Sox. Stanley Made his Major League Pitching debut for the Red Sox in April of 1977 where he continued to play until 1989. Stanley was an All-Star in 1979 and 1983 and went on to pitch in the 1986 World Series.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/stanlbo01.shtml

Bill Swift (1961-Present)

Born in South Portland, Maine, Billy Swift has achieved great success as a pitcher in Major League Baseball. A graduate of the University of Maine, Swift has played with the Seattle Mariners, the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies. His best years were in San Francisco where he won 21 games in 1993 and posted the National League's best Earned Run Average (2.08 ) in 1992.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Swift

Louis F. Sockalexis (1871-1913)

Sockalexis was the first Native American to play major league baseball, as well as the first minority player in the National League. A member of the Penobscot tribe of Maine, Sockalexis was a multitalented athlete who starred in baseball, football, and track at the College of the Holy Cross before he signed with the National League's Cleveland Spiders in early 1897. Unfortunately, his stardom did not last. He batted .338 in his rookie season, but alcoholism derailed the career of this amazing athlete. Sockalexis spent his final years on the Penobscot Indian reservation, teaching Native American boys how to play baseball. He died of heart failure at the age of 42 on October 24, 1913

Sockalexis was buried at the Old Town cemetery, with his name burned on a wood cross. In 1934, the State of Maine erected a stone marker on his grave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Sockalexis

L.L. Bean, Leon Leonwood Bean (1873 - 1967)

Leon Leonwood Bean known as "L.L.", was a true outdoorsman, who lived in Freeport, Maine. L.L. designed the original lightweight boot with leather tops and waterproof rubber bottoms, known today as the "Bean Boot." The first try at the boot was unsuccessful, of the first 100 pairs sold 90 pairs were returned due to poor stitching. Bean, true to his word refunded his customers' money and started over with an improved boot. This was the beginning of the legendary guarantee of 100% satisfaction. The company was founded in 1912 as just a mail order company. The first showroom was opened in Freeport in 1917. Over the years the company has added casual and sports apparel, gear and other footwear to his line. By 1951 people were dropping by day and night on their way to hunt and fish in Maine. L.L. announced he had "thrown away the key" and has been open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year ever since. L.L lived to the age of 94 and attributed his good health to an active outdoor life.

http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/golden_rule.html

Judd Asher Nelson (1959-Present)

Early life

Nelson was born in Portland, Maine to Jewish American parents Leonard Nelson (an attorney) and Merle (an attorney and Maine state legislator); he has two sisters, Eve and Julie. He went to school at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and studied at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, leaving part way through his sophomore year. He subsequently moved to Manhattan where he studied with Stella Adler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judd_Nelson

Patrick Galen Dempsey (1966-Present)

Dempsey, an Irish American, was born in Lewiston, Maine and grew up in Turner, Maine, the youngest of three children born to Amanda and William Dempsey. Dempsey attended St. Dominic Regional High School, where his mother worked as a secretary, but dropped out before he graduated. He was an adept juggler, tying for second in a national juggling competition.

Dempsey has received significant public attention for his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd in the drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to landing the role of Derek Shepherd, Dempsey auditioned for the role of Dr. Robert Chase on another medical show, House. Initially a midseason replacement, the show was very well received and has become a highly rated program. Media attention has been focused on Dempsey's character Derek, often referred to as "McDreamy", and the character's romance with intern Meredith Grey (played by Ellen Pompeo).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Dempsey

Bob Marley (1967-Present)

Bob Marley is a comedian from Portland, Maine. He delivers jokes mostly about life in New England with an exaggerated New England accent. Bob Marley's first television appearance was on Comedy Central. He also appeared as Detective Greenly in the movie Boondock Saints. He graduated from Deering High School in Portland, Maine in 1985.

As of 2007 he has performed on many television shows including:

Wiki-page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley_(comedian)