It didn’t matter where he played. When 6-foot-8 center Mark Sparks played for Neosho High School and later for the Mizzou Tigers and Drury Panthers, he was a force in the paint.
Now his career will soon be recognized by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame during its upcoming Basketball Tipoff Luncheon presented by Mercy. Sparks has been named to the Hall’s Filbert Five, a group of former high school, college and professional basketball players. The Filbert Five is named in honor of the late Gary Filbert, who coached high school and college basketball teams and, in 2011, was bestowed the Missouri Sports Legend award by the Hall of Fame.
The luncheon is at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 at the University Plaza Convention Center in Springfield. For tickets, call 417-889-3100.
“I am deeply humbled by this recognition, what a wonderful honor,” Sparks said. “As I look back, I have been truly blessed to have some great mentors/teachers along the way. They all – coach Norm Stewart, Marvin Walker, Gary Stanfield and Tony Bussey – cared and helped me develop as a player, but more importantly, they played a bigger role into the success I enjoy today.”
Sparks was a 6-foot-8 standout at Neosho High School. Before graduating in 1981, he was a McDonald’s All-American honorable mention as a senior, All-State as a junior and senior as well as all-district, all-conference and All-Ozarks by the News-Leader.
Sparks played at Mizzou from the fall of 1981 to 1984, lettering on the team’s Big 8 Conference championship teams of ’82 and ’83. He finished his career at Drury, where he tied Jim Williams’ single-season rebounding record (347) in 1985. Sparks was an NAIA All-American honorable mention on the 1985 team that reached the NAIA Elite Eight.
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Want to go?
What: Basketball Tipoff Luncheon presented by Mercy
When: 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 10
Where: University Plaza Convention Center, Springfield
Inductees: Parkview High School’s “Jolly Green Giants” of 1964-1966; Missouri State’s 1952 and 1953 NAIA national championship men’s basketball teams; Jefferson City and Lady Bears standout Karen Rapier; and high school and college coach Gary Stanfield.
Filbert Five men’s team: Chris Harville (Rogersville/Missouri State), Steven Hill (Branson/Arkansas), Sam Singh (Ozark/Bradley), Mark Sparks (Neosho/Mizzou/Drury) and Kevin Williams (Nevada/Mizzou).
Filbert Five women’s team: Sara Bos Barnhart (Billings/Drury),Terianne Wolford Brown (Nixa/Mizzou), Laura Granzow Buetow (Kickapoo/Denver/Canisius), Alyson Young Hooten (Rogersville/Avila) and Anita Rank Oplotnik (Lincoln/Missouri Southern).
Tickets: Individual tickets are $40. Tables of eight are $400 and include associate sponsor recognition in the printed program. Call the Hall of Fame at 317-889-3100.