Hall of Famer Newsletter - May 2023

KANSAS CITY ENSHRINEMENT • APRIL 23

Coaches who touched lives for decades, dominant programs and teams, and some of the Kansas City area’s biggest sports stars were the focus of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s annual Kansas City Enshrinement on Sunday, April 23 at Municipal Auditorium’s The LEX.

Hall of Fame CEO & Executive Director Byron Shive presided over a ceremony that drew nearly 600 friends, family and special guests to downtown K.C., as 13 individuals and five teams/programs were inducted.

Carl Peterson, longtime Kansas City Chiefs executive and a 2005 MSHOF inductee, was presented with the President’s Award.

The 2023 Kansas City Class includes: Lorenzo Cain (Kansas City Royals); Matt Besler (Sporting KC); Muna Lee (Central HS/Track & Field); Vic Bonuchi (Excelsior Springs HS Football Coach); Charlie Burri (Missouri Western); Don Edwards (Jefferson HS Basketball Coach); Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star Sportswriter); Claude English (Park University Athletic Director); Tom O’Brien (Barstow School Tennis Coach); Karen Schull MacGee (Golf); Larry Lady (Commissioner, Heart of America Athletic Conf.); Michael Watson (UMKC Basketball); Karen Kornacki (Sports Broadcaster); Benton HS (2007 Girls Basketball Team); Northeast Nodaway HS Girls Basketball (1973-1979 & 1982); Archbishop O’Hara HS Volleyball Era (2002-2010); William Jewell College 2003 Women’s Soccer Team; Rockhurst High School Football program.

MSHOF NAMES SPRINGS SPORTS INDUCTEES, HONOREES

Missouri native Shaun Marcum, who spring-boarded from Missouri State to a near decade-long career in the big leagues, will headline the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s Spring Sports Luncheon presented by the Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company.

CEO & Executive Director Byron Shive on Friday announced the luncheon, set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 7 at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield.

In addition to Marcum, the Class of 2023 includes Missouri State softball standout Penny Clayton, Springfield Catholic girls soccer coach Ben Timson, Carthage native and longtime high school & college baseball coach John Burgi, Vienna softball coach Mick Byrd, and three eras: the 1990-1996 Era of Fatima Softball, and the Joplin High School Baseball Era of 2000-2003, plus the 2002 & 2015 Webb City Little League World Series Teams. Additionally, longtime Second Baptist Church minister Bob Roberts will receive the Ace Award for his work with the Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper.

“This is an exciting class,” Shive said. “Every one of these honorees made a tremendous impact in their respective sports, and it’s great

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Byron Shive ...................................CEO & Execu ve Director

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to be able to honor them and recognize their accomplishments.”

The Hall of Fame also announced the Diamond 9 Awards presented by BJS Trophy Shop. The awards recognize former high school, college and pro standouts who made positive contributions to either baseball or softball.

This year’s honorees are Josh Bade (Springfield Catholic HS/Saint Louis University), Bobby Bevel (West Plains HS/Three Rivers Community College/Xavier), Payton Appleberry Brown (Republic HS/Crowder College), Tony Lewis (Glendale HS/Missouri State/Drury), Jordan Payne (Bolivar HS/Crowder College/SE Missouri State), Anessa Alexander Roller (Strafford HS/ Crowder College), Denise Elson Tucker (Ash Grove HS/Southwest Baptist), Hailee Vigneaux (Ozark HS/Missouri State), and Ken Watkins (El Dorado Springs HS/Missouri State).

Sponsorship tables of eight are $450 and includes recognition in the printed program and at the table. A head table ticket is $100 and includes the same perks. Tickets are $60 in advance, $70 at the door. Numerous sponsorships are available, including associate sponsorships and congratulatory ads. Call 417-889-3100.

Upcoming Hall of Fame Events

MAY 4 • Tiger Ball presented by Rooney, McBride & Smith LLC, and Andy Stewart-Morgan Stanley Tower Club, Springfield

5 • Mizzou Alumni Golf Classic presented by Great Southern Bank Millwood Golf & Racquet Club

8 • Lake of the Ozarks Celebrity Golf Classic presented by Missouri Eagle Old Kinderhook Country Club

JUNE 4 • Springfield Beach Bingo Bash & Auc on Oasis Hotel & Conven on Center

5 • Springfield Celebrity Golf Classic presented by Great Southern Bank Highland Springs Country Club

7 • HOF Spring Sports Luncheon Ozark Empire Fairgrounds

20 • Sports Commission Awards Ozark Empire Fairgrounds

2023 PCCC EVENTS SCHEDULE

JUNE

12 • Cardinals Care Pro-Am

Milwood Golf & Racquet Club

27 • Sponsor’s Recep on BIGSHOTS Golf

28 • Pitch, Chip & Pu Qualifier presented by MGA

Oscar Blum Golf Course

JULY

10 • Golfing for Jus ce Pro-Am

Millwood Golf & Racquet Club

10 • Michele Kiser Women’s Golf Clinic & Fashion Show presented by Adver sing Plus

Highland Springs Country Club

11 • Discovery Center Women’s Pro-Am

Millwood Golf & Racquet Club

12 • Bryan Proper es Nigh me Golf Classic

Fremont Hills Country Club

13 • PCCC Golf Ball & Charity Auc on presented by Atrium & CPI Technologies

EXPO

14 • Bryan Proper es Junior Pro-Am

Rivercut Golf Course

14 • THE ULTIMATE Banquet presented by Ridewell Suspension Systems

Highland Springs Country Club

15 • Ozarks Teen Challenge Run of Hope McCauley Park (Nixa)

15 • Integrity Pro-Am

LedgeStone Country Club

17 • SRC Pro-Am

Highland Springs Country Club

17 • Pitch, Chip & Pu Finals presented by MGA

Highland Springs Country Club

18 • Silver Dollar City Pro-Am

Buffalo Ridge Golf Course

18 • FCA Game Day

Highland Springs Country Club

19 • Price Cu er Pro-Am (Morning & A ernoon)

Highland Springs Country Club

20 • Price Cu er Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper

Highland Springs Country Club

Hall of Fame Spotlight On....

GENE BESS

Missouri Sports Hall of Famer and college basketball’s all- me winngest coach Gene Bess was recently selected for induc on to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bess, the former head coach at Three Rivers Community College in Polar Bluff, joins Gary Blair, Pau Gasol, Dwayne Wade, Gregg Popovich, Dirk Nowitzki, Becky Hammon, Tony Parker, Jim Valvano, the 1976 USA Women’s Basketball Team, Gene Keady and David Hixon as part of the Class of 2023.

Bess, who was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and named a Missouri Sports Legend in 2016, won 1,300 games during his 50 seasons (1971-2000) as head coach at Three Rivers.

Bess won a pair of na onal championships at Three Rivers (1979, 1992) and was the first college coach to reach both the 1,000 and 1,200 victory plateaus.

Bess and the 11 others will be inducted during Enshrinement fes vi es August 11-12 in Springfield, Mass.

21 • Price Cu er Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper

Highland Springs Country Club

22 • Price Cu er Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper Sponsored by Ozarks Teen Challenge Highland Springs Country Club

23 • Price Cu er Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper GO BLUE FOR AUTISM presented by The Arc of the Ozarks Championship Sunday Highland Springs Country Club

In Memoriam...

Central Missouri Director of Athletics Jerry Hughes passed away on Jan. 21 following a brief illness.

Inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as a Missouri Sports Legend in 2016, Hughes dedicated more than 40 years to laying the foundation for successes that included regional and national championships, improved sports playing facilities, and the recruitment of thousands of outstanding student-athletes at the Central Missouri.

Hughes’s dedication to quality athletic teams resulted in many forms of recognition for the Mules and Jennies. Under his leadership, Central Missouri won 179 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) championships entering the fall 2022 semester, 10 national championships, had 50 other top-four NCAA finishes, and made more than 300 NCAA postseason appearances.

Former NFL offensive lineman Conrad Dobler passed away on Feb. 13. He was 72.

Dobler spent 10 seasons in the NFL, including his first six with the St. Louis Cardinals (1972-77). He also played for the New Orleans Saints (1978-79) and Buffalo Bills (1980-81).

Selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft out of Wyoming, Dobler was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Famous for admittedly being one of the dirtiest players in the NFL, Dobler kicked, punched, leg-whipped, spat and bit his way to three consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1975-77), helping lead his teams to four playoff appearances.

Former Missouri State men’s basketball head coach Bill Thomas passed away on Saturday, April 15. He was 91.

A 1990 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Thomas carved one of the notable records in the entire history of Missouri State athletics over nearly three decades.

A former player for SMS, Thomas became the head coach of the Bears in 1964 and, over the next 16 seasons, directed SMS to eight MIAA basketball titles.

Thomas compiled a 16-year coaching mark of 265 wins and 158 losses, twice was honored as a district Coach of the Year, and in 1974 was named the College Division national Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Mike Shannon, the longtime St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster and two-time World Series champion, died on April 29.

A 1999 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Shannon played nine season for the Cardinals (1962-70) before spending 50 seasons in the broadcast booth.

His career toured through three World Series (1964, 1967, 1968) as a player and, in the radio booth, he covered the club’s 1982, 1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2013 World Series teams.

Shannon was named a Missouri Sports Legend in 2013, and in 2021 received the MSHOF’s Pinnacle Award for lifetime service to the game of baseball.