The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame joins the family of Charlie Gallagher in mourning the passing of one of Springfield’s most successful business leaders who also cared deeply for sports across the state.
Gallagher, who passed away Monday at age 75, was a major supporter of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and was honored in 2013 as the Hall’s first President’s Award winner.
He became known as “The Ticket Man” for his ability to obtain tickets to almost any sporting event. In the past few months alone, Charlie helped the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in inducting former Mizzou and current Oklahoma Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione last November and longtime Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel in January. Charlie was a former member of the Hall of Fame board and played a leadership role in the naming of John Kadlec as a Missouri Sports Legend. He also helped guide the Hall in the Norm Stewart bronze statue campaign.
“He will be missed greatly by those of us who knew him,” said Jerald Andrews, President and Executive Director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. “Please remember his family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Charlie was born in Hawthorn, New Jersey and raised in Miami, Florida where he graduated from Archbishop Curley High School. He attended Louisiana Tech University and moved to Springfield in January of 1968. Charlie was successfully involved in the sportswear industry as a supplier to Nike, Champion, Starter and other companies providing sportswear for the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Championship and NCAA sporting events.
Charlie owned and operated “The Sports Page,” a sporting goods retail business in Springfield from 1980-1995. During his career, he became actively involved in fund-raising programs for Missouri State University, the University of Missouri, Springfield Catholic Schools, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. He also was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Mary Emma (Church); his brother, Thomas; and sisters, Estelle and Eileen.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Mary; sons Shawn Gallagher and Brian Gallagher and his wife, Megan, all of Springfield; two granddaughters, Roxy and Mary Beth Gallagher; sister, Mary Hutchison and husband, Bill, Indiatlantic, Fla.; mother-in-law, Lena Bremer, Monett; and many nieces, nephews and other family and friends.
A prayer service is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, July 14 with visitation to follow until 8 p.m. in the Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday, July 15 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with burial to follow in Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please honor Charlie with a donation to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, Springfield Catholic Schools or the charity of your choice.
