It’s the thrill of the game that has fans coming back for more. But it’s the love of the game that pushes athletes to get better. They get up before the sun rises to do football drills, they perfect their curveball pitch long after the sun goes down—and they never stop believing their dream can come true. It’s that dedication that has earned them a spot in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and for some a spot on our Legends Walk of Fame.
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame welcomes you to celebrate the careers of these sports role models and relive the greatest moments in Missouri sports history. Find your favorite player, coach or team on our site, or come to the museum where we have 4,000 items of sports memorabilia and hands-on exhibits. You can feel the speed as you race in the NASCAR simulator, hit your own home run in the batters box against a Major League Baseball pitcher or throw the winning touchdown pass in our football exhibit. Are you ready to play, the ball is in your court!
Learn more about the men and women who dedicated their careers to outstanding athletic achievements and advancements in Missouri. From the players that pulled us from our seats with their incredible sporting feats, to the coaches and coordinators whose visions of victory they turned to reality, come and see our monument to the athletes, coaches, administrators, and teams who made such long-lasting impacts on the world of Missouri sports.
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Diamond 9 Honoree - Bob Tuttle:
The baseball program at the University of Central Missouri has long been a NCAA Division II contender, and Tuttle was among those who helped plant the seeds to success. In 1973 and 1974, the Mules’ second baseman earned Honorable Mention and First Team NCAA All-American honors. Additionally, he was All-MIAA four times, including First Team twice. He helped the 1973 squad qualify for regionals and the 1974 team to the College Division World Series. In those seasons, Tuttle led the team in runs scored three times, hits twice and stolen bases twice. UCM can thank former Royals nemesis and Yankees manager Billy Martin, in part, for being in Missouri. His dad, Bill, was an 11-year big-leaguer who was part of a 13-player trade in 1957 between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Athletics, with Bill Tuttle coming to KC while Martin went to Detroit. Tuttle graduated from Raytown High School in 1970 and played three summers in the prestigious Ban Johnson League, winning the batting title and MVP in 1973 two years after earning the Hustle Award. In 2002, he was named to the Ban Johnson 75th Anniversary Team, and was later inducted into the Diamond Club and then the Hall of Fame at UCM. Tuttle joined the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in 1978, spending 42 years there before retiring as a captain in 2021. He served in road patrol, motorcycle, emergency response team and investigations.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game. ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - Mathias Miller:
Miller was a standout pitcher in the early 2000s for Conway, earning All-State, as well as three times landing on the all-conference team in addition to All-District and the News-Leader’s All-Ozarks lists. He also was on the cover of the 2002 Baseball Preview. He still holds several state records: career strikeouts (458), career innings pitched (320), innings pitched in a season (103) and season starts (15). Miller ranks third in games pitched in a career (53) and is second all-time in career wins (33). He continued his career at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, where he was a two-time All-Region selection and three-time Pitcher of the Week selection. He then finished his collegiate career at College of the Ozarks. These days, he owns Miller Excavating in Niangua.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game. ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - Alicia Mercer Wollard:
Wollard has given back to softball for years as a coach, first at Fair Play High School and then the past two seasons at Bolivar High School. In high school in Kirksville, she emerged as the area’s top pitcher as a freshman and received interest from the University of Missouri as a sophomore when she was throwing 72 mph. Unfortunately, a wrist injury during her junior season curtailed her softball career. In between, she played basketball, earning Class 3 All-State in 2000, in addition to all-conference and All-District. She was spotted in the Show-Me State Games by then-Southwest Baptist coach Jim Middleton (MSHOF 2021) and signed with SBU. She went on to play softball there and basketball, where her 124 blocked shots are second-most in program history – and stood as the record for 20 years. Her 111 games played there are tied with five others for fourth-most all-time.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game. ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - RJ Knese:
At St. Mary’s in St. Louis, Knese was a first team all-conference honoree for coach Marko Samardzic and earned All-Decade honors for the House Springs American Legion Post 783 team. He was named the Best Defensive Infielder his junior season and, as a senior, was the MVP, best relief pitcher and best offensive player. He went to a tryout camp at Missouri State and, afterward, met then-Drury coach Mark Stratton. That led to Knese signing with Drury, joining the Panthers in their second season in 2008. Career-wise, he now ranks fifth in batting average (.355), 12th in slugging percentage (.501), fourth in at-bats (775), third in hits (275), doubles (50) and triples (15) and runs scored (171), fourth in RBI (164), seventh in steals (45). Overall, he had 388 total bases and three times earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honors, as well as Midwest Region Gold Glove recognition and American Baseball Coaches Association All-Midwest Region as a senior. Knese lives in Springfield and works for the Larson Group.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game. ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - Beth McGill:
In high school softball, catchers have the most important but arguably the most thankless job. After all, they crouch behind the plate for 14 innings on doubleheader days and, in the summers, that can be over several games in just one day. And they aren’t just catching pitches, but helping the pitcher be creative and setting the defense. Republic had one of the top catchers in the state in the late 1990s, as McGill earned All-State honors in 1997 and 1998.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game. ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - Chase Blakey:
Blakey was a pitcher and infielder at Norwood in the early 2000s, earning All-State in 2002, in addition to being a two-time All-District and three-time all-conference selection. Playing for coach Kevin Drake, he made the Hartville All-Tournament team twice, was the News-Leader’s King of the Hill in 2002 and helped Norwood to a 94-29 record in his four seasons. The 2000 and 2001 teams won district titles, with the 2000 team reaching the state semifinals. Overall as a pitcher, he was 29-5 with a sub 2.50 earned run average, and averaged 12 strikeouts a game in 2002. He went on to Evangel University and then coached youth baseball for 10 seasons. He was with the Springfield Mavericks for three years, serving as a board member for two years, and also coached the Rogersville Cardinals for five years, assisted the Midwest Nationals two years and broadcast Logan-Rogersville High School baseball games for four seasons.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game.
Get Tickets!: mosportshalloffame.com/events/baseball-softball-luncheon-presented-by-ozarks-coca-cola-dr-pepper-... ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - Chris Curry:
A standout at Lebanon High School while playing for coach Dave Plassmeyer (MSHOF 2025), Curry was one of the top athletes in southwest Missouri in the mid-1990s. He was All-State in 1993 and 1994. During Curry’s junior year, he had a 0.99 ERA and a 7-0 record as LHS went 21-2. He was honorable mention his junior year on the USA Today high school baseball team. Additionally, Curry was All-State, all-district, all-conference, All-Ozarks and team MVP his junior and senior years. He hit .370 his junior year, .368 his senior year, and .450 in America Legion play his senior year. He also played basketball and football at Lebanon. At Missouri State, he was a four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection from 1995 to 1999, including First Team All-Valley as a second baseman as a senior. He was the Valley Rookie of the Year and an All-MBCA Regional selection as a senior, when he was co-captain. He now lives in Willard with his family.
Get Tickets!: mosportshalloffame.com/events/baseball-softball-luncheon-presented-by-ozarks-coca-cola-dr-pepper-... ... See MoreSee Less
Diamond 9 Honoree - Kelsey Schulte Chrisman:
Chrisman twice earned All-State softball honors for Eugene High School, in 2007 and 2008, in addition to being a four-time all-conference selection and a four-year letter winner in the sport. Her team won the Show-Me Conference, district and regionals in her senior year. She also was the Show-Me Conference MVP for softball and basketball, having earned four varsity basketball letters while helping those teams to two conference championships and a district title. At William Woods from 2009–2012, she was a two-way talent. Offensively, she batted .358, ranking among the program’s top performers with 223 hits, 165 RBIs (fifth all-time), 39 doubles, 30 triples (fifth all-time), and 28 home runs (third all-time), while appearing in 206 career games. In the circle, Chrisman compiled a 55–32 pitching record with 405 strikeouts, ranking fifth all-time in appearances, innings pitched, and strikeouts, while also ranking sixth in career wins and complete games (61). Her honors include AMC Player of the Year, AMC Freshman of the Year, four AMC First Team selections, three NFCA All-Region First Team honors, two NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards, and four NFCA Scholar-Athlete recognitions.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game.
Get Tickets!: mosportshalloffame.com/events/baseball-softball-luncheon-presented-by-ozarks-coca-cola-dr-pepper-... ... See MoreSee Less