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Hall inducts Class of 2016, honors UCM’s Hughes as a Legend

Longtime Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel with MSHOF President and Executive Director Jerald Andrews.
Longtime Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel with MSHOF President and Executive Director Jerald Andrews. (Photo by Jessica Rosa)

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame honored longtime University of Central Missouri athletic director Jerry Hughes as a Missouri Sports Legend and inducted the Class of 2016, including longtime Missouri Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel, on Sunday night in Springfield.

The 2016 Enshrinement Ceremonies presented by Killian Construction were led by Missouri Sports Hall of Fame President and Executive Director Jerald Andrews in front of a crowd of 1,500 at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. Associate sponsors were Advertising Plus; Hiland Dairy; Hillyard, Inc.; and White River Valley Electric Cooperative.

More than 100 high school, college and professional athletes from Missouri teams – those who won national awards in 2015 – were recognized in the printed program. The day began with a morning reception presented by Meek’s The Builder’s Choice at the Hall of Fame, where honorees and guests mingled as they toured the museum.

Jerry Hughes – Missouri Sports Legend

Longtime Central Missouri athletic director Jerry Hughes next to the bronze bust that will line the Legends Walkway.
Longtime Central Missouri athletic director Jerry Hughes next to the bronze bust that will line the Legends Walkway. (Photo by Jessica Rosa)

University of Central Missouri athletic director Jerry Hughes was named a Missouri Sports Legend, meaning a specially commissioned bust of Hughes, cast in bronze, is on display along the Hall’s Legends Walkway. Under Hughes’ leadership since January 1983, UCM has won eight NCAA Division II national titles: men’s basketball (1984, 2014), women’s basketball (1984), baseball (1994, 2003), women’s bowling (2003) and women’s Indoor & Outdoor track and field (2015). Entering the 2015 fall semester, UCM had won 151 MIAA championships, had 45 other top four NCAA finishes and made more than 260 NCAA postseason appearances. His tireless work also has led to millions of dollars in donations toward athletic facility upgrades. Hughes, the first three-time winner of the Central Region Athletic Director of the Year award at any NCAA level, has been a Division II member of the NCAA Executive Committee and chairman of the D-II Championships Committee. He also served a term as NCAA Vice President for Division II and has been a member of the NCAA Council, making him the only person to twice hold the highest-ranking office available to athletic administrators in D-II. Hughes, a UCM alum, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Gary Pinkel, Mizzou Tigers football coach

Gary Pinkel became the winningest football coach in Mizzou Tigers history, compiling a 118-73 record from 2001 to 2015. The Tigers enjoyed five 10-win seasons since 2007 and played in 10 bowl games (6-4 record), including wins in the 2008 and 2014 Cotton Bowl and the 2015 Citrus Bowl. Mizzou played for the Big 12 Championship in 2007, when the Tigers reached a No. 1 national ranking, and won Southeastern Conference East Division titles in 2013 and 2014. Along with his school-record 73 wins at the University of Toledo, Pinkel was college football’s third-winningest active coach and retired as the 20th winningest coach in the game. Pinkel is one of only three coaches who hold the wins record at two schools, joining Bear Bryant (Kentucky, Alabama) and Steve Spurrier (Florida, South Carolina).

Jerry Reuss, MLB left-handed pitcher

A graduate of Ritenour High School in St. Louis, Jerry Reuss pitched 22 seasons in the big leagues from 1969 to 1990, compiling a 220-191 record in 547 starts, including a no-hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980. The left-hander helped the Dodgers win the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees, starting in Games 1 and 5. Reuss won the pivotal Game 5 by throwing a complete-game five-hitter to outduel Ron Guidry in a 2-1 victory. Reuss was a second-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 after leading Ritenour to back-to-back state championships and debuted with the Cardinals on Sept. 27, 1969. He also pitched for the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, California Angels, Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.

Gregg Williams, NFL coach

An Excelsior Springs native who later quarterbacked Truman State University, Gregg Williams completed his 25th season as a coach in the National Football League in 2015. His time in the NFL includes three years as the Buffalo Bills head coach and 14 seasons as a defensive coordinator, including the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the St. Louis Rams. Williams presided over great defenses: the Tennessee Titans (No. 1 in total defense in 2000); Buffalo Bills (No. 3 in 2011, No. 2 in 2003), Washington Redskins (No. 3 in 2005), and the New Orleans Saints (No. 4 in 2010). Williams coached in New Orleans from 2009-2011, helping the Saints win the Super Bowl in January 2010 and was a coach on the Titans’ Super Bowl team in January 2000.

L.J. Jenkins, professional bull rider

Springfield native L.J. Jenkins retired from bull riding in 2015, at which time he ranked 12th on the all-time money list with more than $1.8 million earned in 11 seasons (2005-2015). He also was the 24th-ranked bull rider in the world standings. Jenkins won the World Finals on the Professional Bull Riders circuit in 2006, three months after his first winning ride. The distinction is the sport’s second-highest after winning the World Championships in overall season points. Overall, Jenkins qualified for the finals 10 times, collected 42 top five finishes, 19 90-point rides and won seven Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) events. Jenkins boasted a 44.26 career riding percentage, covering 320 of the 723 bulls he faced in 243 events on the BFTS.

Tim Grunhard, Kansas City Chiefs center

Tim Grunhard played 11 seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs (1990-2000) after being the 40th overall selection in the 1990 draft and moving to center, a position he had never played. He was voted to the All-Rookie team in 1990 and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2000. His 169 games played rank 13th all-time in team history, and he is fourth in games started (164) and consecutive starts (120). His 10 postseason career games played are tied for first in team history, as Grunhard helped the Chiefs reach the playoffs seven times in the 1990s, including the AFC Championship game in January 1994. Previously, Grunhard starred at Notre Dame, where the team was 24-1 in his final two seasons, including the 1988 national championship.

Terin Humphrey, U.S. Olympic silver medalist

A St. Joseph native and Odessa High School graduate, Terin Humphrey was a two-time Olympic silver medalist in Athens, Greece and a two-time NCAA uneven bars champion. She was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic gymnastics team that won a silver medal, as Terin competed on bars and beam in the team finals and contributed scores of 9.587 and 9.487. She also won silver individually in the uneven bars. She was a member of the U.S. National Gymnastics Team for six seasons beginning in 1999 and competed in nine international meets. Humphrey was an 11-time NCAA All-American, including the 2005 and 2007 NCAA uneven bars national championships for the University of Alabama. Humphrey also is an inductee of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Eric Williams, St. Louis Cardinals football

A Kansas City native, Eric Williams graduated from Central High School and played eight seasons in the National Football League, including five with the St. Louis Cardinals. The linebacker played for Southern Cal and, as a senior, helped the Trojans win the 1977 Rose Bowl by stopping Michigan on a key drive late in the game. Williams’ 126 tackles led the team that season. An eighth-round draft pick in 1977, Williams played 70 games overall for St. Louis on teams that included Dan Dierdorf, Jim Hart, Mel Gray and Roger Wehrli. He joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1982 and 1983 and played with the 1984 San Diego Chargers. Williams retired after playing the 1985 season for the USFL’s Arizona Outlaws.

Art Stewart, Kansas City Royals

Longtime scout Art Stewart has been part of baseball for more than 60 years, including the Kansas City Royals since their inception in 1969. As Special Assistant to the General Manager, he was a key figure in Kansas City winning the 2015 World Series and American League pennants in 2014 and 2015. Before joining the front office, he spent 17 years with the New York Yankees and then 16 years covering the Midwest for the Royals. Stewart was the Royals scouting director from 1984 to 1997 and drafted more than 70 players who reached the big leagues, including Bo Jackson, Kevin Appier, Mike Macfarlane, Mike Sweeney, Johnny Damon and Carlos Beltran. In 2008, Stewart was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame and the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame. He also authored an autobiography titled, “The Art of Scouting: Seven Decades of Chasing Hopes and Dreams in Major League Baseball.”

Steve Jenkins, Evangel University basketball coach

A 1974 graduate of Evangel University, Steve Jenkins began his 34th year as the Evangel University men’s basketball coach in November 2015. Jenkins is Evangel’s all-time leader in coaching wins and entered the 2015-2016 season at No. 5 among NAIA coaches in wins. Before this season, he was 631-428 (.596) overall and 340-158 (.683) within the Heart of America Athletic Conference. His program has won seven Heart of America Athletic Conference championships, enjoyed 10 consecutive 20-win seasons and made 13 NAIA Tournament appearances. Jenkins’ 2001-2002 team won the NAIA Division II national championship, going wire to wire as the No. 1-ranked team. Jenkins, who lettered three years in both basketball and baseball at Evangel, was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2014.

Lance Brown, Texas Christian baseball coach

A 1960 graduate of West Plains High School, Brown became the winningest coach in Texas Christian University baseball, with a 517-471 record from 1986 to 2003. He guided his alma mater to the 1994 conference title, making Brown one of only two men to win both the Southwest Conference Player and Coach of the Year honors. Brown was twice the conference Coach of the Year (1991, 1994) and is an inductee of the SWC Hall of Fame. As a pitcher, Brown was an NCAA All-American as a junior, when he was 11-1 overall, 8-1 in the SWC, leading the team to the conference title. He previously won 622 games as a Texas high school and American Legion coach and served as pitching coach at Rice University.

Natasha Kaiser-Brown, Mizzou track

Natasha Kaiser-Brown was a star in track in the late 1980s while at the University of Missouri, dominating in the 400 meters in both NCAA and eventually in Olympic competition. She was a six-time NCAA All-American, setting a national collegiate record of 51.92 seconds in the 400 at the 1989 NCAA Indoor Championships. She was a five-time Big Eight Conference champion and was named the 1989 Big Eight Female Athlete of the Year. Kaiser-Brown holds five individual records at Mizzou and also ran on eight record-setting relay teams. She represented the United States on 16 national teams, highlighted by running a leg on the U.S. silver medal women’s 4×400 relay at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Robert Corn, Missouri Southern men’s basketball coach

Robert Corn coached the Missouri Southern men’s basketball program for 25 seasons, compiling a 413-305 record before retiring in March 2014. His 413 wins are the most in school history and third-most in the history of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Corn led the Lions to 16 consecutive trips to the MIAA Tournament, 21 overall, and in 2014 earned his fourth MIAA Coach of the Year award following his ninth 20-win season. Overall, Corn has guided five teams to the NCAA Division II Tournament. One of his best seasons was 1999-2000, when the Lions reached the national semifinals and finished 30-3. That team cut down the nets three times – after the MIAA regular-season, the MIAA Tournament and the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament.

Joe Koestner, St. Louis University High School racquetball coach

Joe Koestner has served as the coach of the St. Louis University High School racquetball program since 1985 and turned it into one of the best programs in the nation. The team has not had a losing season since 1990 and has won nine national championships since 1998, including its fifth consecutive in 2015. No other program has more than five national titles. Koestner’s program has won 15 state titles in school history. The most recent national and state titles showed its dominance – the Junior Billikens won the national title by 40 points over the second-place finisher and the state title by 210 points. Koestner was a first-year choir teacher when the school sought a coach in 1985, and is still coaching after retiring from teaching.

 

 

 

 

Mark Stillwell, MSU sports information director

A Springfield native, 1967 Drury University graduate and Navy veteran, Mark Stillwell was Drury sports information director from 1970 to 1972 and was the SID at Missouri State University from 1972 through 2008. Stillwell guided the information, publications and electronic media efforts during the Bears’ time in four conferences and as they moved to NCAA Division I status. He was primarily responsible for football and men’s basketball information, and was a basketball radio analyst for 20 years. Stillwell was honored with more than 60 awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. In 2008, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from CoSIDA and was an inductee into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame.

Jim Lemen, The John Burroughs School football coach

Jim Lemen spent 44 years at The John Burroughs School, including 35 seasons as the head football coach (1970-2004) and 25 years as athletic director. As a football coach, Lemen compiled a 238-123-4 record (.658). His teams won eight state championships (1975, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2001) and placed second twice. His wins are 16th all-time in Missouri high school football history. He also was the head baseball coach on two different occasions, first from 1973-1974 and then from 1987-1999. He reached the baseball state semifinals four times and won a state championship in 1991. He also coached the girls and boys basketball teams, the softball team and seventh- and eighth-grade athletics.

The John Burroughs School football program

The John Burroughs School football is one of the most respected programs in the state. The Bombers have had only five head coaches dating back to the 1953 season – Tom McConnell (1953-1969), Jim Lemen (1970-2004), Todd Small (2005-2010), Gus Frerotte (2011, 2012) and John Merritt (2013-current). The program began in 1923 and enjoyed tremendous success for decades, including a 63-18-2 record from 1960 to 1969, part of 17 seasons under McConnell. Overall, they have won nine state championships (1975, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2015). John Burroughs also placed second in 1976, 1988, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. Since 1975, when the school began participating in playoff competition, the Bombers are 61-11-2 in the postseason.

Mizzou Tigers football, 1966 Sugar Bowl team

The Mizzou Tigers football program will always celebrate coach Dan Devine’s team that won the 1966 New Year’s Day Sugar Bowl, beating the Florida Gators and their junior quarterback, Steve Spurrier. The Tigers finished 8-2-1 and No. 6 in the national rankings after winning 20-18. The team weathered Florida’s late rally after building an early 20-0 advantage thanks to Charlie Brown’s 10-yard touchdown run, Earl Denny’s 11-yard TD catch on a pass from halfback Johnny Roland and two Bill Bates field goals. Each time the Gators scored, they went for two points. However, Mizzou’s defense, which ranked eighth nationally that season in fewest points allowed, stopped Florida to hold off the comeback attempt. Future Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee Skip Grossnickle had the game-sealing interception.

 

 

 

John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award – Med-Pay, Inc.

The 2016 John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award recipient is Med-Pay, Inc., owned by Gordon Kinne of Springfield. His son, Marshall Kinne, is the Director of Compliance. The Founder’s Award is presented to those who play a significant role in the advancement of sports in the state of Missouri and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. The Kinne family supports Hall of Fame events and the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper. Gordon has served on the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame for almost 20 years. Med-Pay, Inc., which Gordon launched in 1984, is the state’s longest-running third-party administrator and full-service employee benefits brokerage company. Med-Pay, Inc., handles both self-insured and fully-insured group benefit plans and is a member of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

President’s Award – Ken Meyer

The 2016 recipient of the Hall of Fame’s President’s Award is Ken Meyer, owner of Meyer Communications since 1962. Meyer’s radio stations have served sports fans throughout the Ozarks by carrying the St. Louis Cardinals for more than 35 years. Meyercom also broadcasts Missouri State University football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball; Mizzou football and basketball; the Kansas City Royals; the Springfield Cardinals; and local colleges and high school sporting events. A Mount Vernon native and 1950 Missouri State University graduate, Mr. Meyer and his late wife, Jane, ran the stations for decades. Meyer has continuously supported the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in addition to the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, among numerous other charities in the Ozarks. The Meyer family received the John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award in 2005.

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Contact: Kary Booher, Media Relations, 417-241-1551

Email: booher@mosportshalloffame.com

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