Inductees

Stewart grew up the son of a station owner around the small farming community of Shelbyville, and graduated from high school there in 1952. After high school Stewart enrolled at the University of Missouri, becoming a standout in both basketball and baseball for the Tigers. Stewart was a two-time team captain, and all-Big Seven selection in basketball. His 24.1 scoring average per-game in 1956 ranks 4th in school history and earned him a spot on the 1956 Helms Foundation All-American team. Following graduation from Mizzou, Stewart was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA in 1956, playing one season at forward. He also signed a contract with Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles, but never played at the big-league level.

Following his brief career as a professional athlete, Norm Stewart returned to the University of Missouri in 1957 to earn his master’s degree. He also served as an assistant basketball coach under Sparky Stalcup and an assistant baseball coach under Hi Simmons. In 1961 Stewart and his family made the move to Cedar Falls, Iowa as Norm took over as head basketball coach at the State College Of Iowa (now University of Northern Iowa). In six seasons Stewarts’ Panthers compiled a record of 97 wins, 42 losses, and two conference championships. Stewart was named head coach of the Mizzou Tigers on March 10, 1967.  Here are some of the highlights of his 32-year tenure as the “Top Tiger”:

•           8 Big Eight Conference regular-season championships.

•           6 Big Eight Conference post-season tournament titles.

•           16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including two elite eights.

•           5 NIT post-season tournament appearances.

•           1 CCA post-season tournament appearance.

•           1982 UPI National Coach Of The Year and 1994 Associated Press Coach of the Year

•           Won 634 games at Missouri—far and away the most in school history, and more than MU had won in its entire 60-year basketball history prior to Stewart’s arrival.

•           Lifetime record of 728-374 (22nd best mark in NCAA history)

•           Seventeen seasons with 20 wins or more.

•           Coached 9 All-American players and 21 First-Team All-Conference players

Another interesting note on Stewart and the Missouri Tigers is how he treated their rivalry with the Kansas Jayhawks. During away games in which the Tigers played against a Kansas team, Coach Stewart would refuse to have his team lodge, dine, or fill their gas tanks because of the taxes that would support the rival school. Stewart’s intensity on the sidelines earned him the nickname “Stormin’ Norman.”

Stewart was previously inducted into the MSHOF in 1989 as a coach.