Phyllis George

The Texas beauty queen transformed the look of sportscasting during her run on TV in the 1970s. She then ignited the Kentucky government as the state’s first lady. Phyllis George made her debut after winning Miss America’s crown in front of an unprecedented 80 million viewers on TV. On her way to stardom, she was also prepping for sitcoms, shooting toothpaste advertisements, and hosting The New Candid Camera.

She hit her stride, interviewing top male players. Six months later, she joined sports icons Brent Musburger and Irv Cross as co-hosts of The NFL Today. Their synergy was instantaneous, and the program was a massive success. Ms. George, to some degree, used her position as the first lady to collect private funds for the restoration of an unfinished governor’s mansion and to sell the state’s crafts and quilts. She indeed paved the way for other women.