Where the Game Lives On

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

10 hours ago

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.

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Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

12 hours ago

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.

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Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

13 hours ago

Spring Sports Luncheon - Adrian High School Boys Track & Field 1982-1997 Era:

When coaches and sports writers talk about the top eras in state history, regardless of the sport, the conversation has to include one that played out in a rural farming community southeast of Kansas City. Adrian High School’s boys track & field program was one of the most competitive from 1982 to 1997. The Blackhawks had 10 top 10 finishes in Class 1 in those seasons. That featured state championships in 1984 and 1992, a state runner-up in 1983, third-place finishes in 1989 and 1997, as well as fourth-place finishes in 1988 and 1991. It all began with a sixth-place finish in 1982 and included another sixth in 1990 and eighth in 1995. Individually, the program produced several state champions. Matt Still won the 800 meters in 1982 and 1984. Randy Reed won the triple jump in 1995. Adrian had four state champions in the pole vault during the era: Darren Morrow (183), Eric Bunch (1990) and Grant Bunch (1991, 1992). The program also thrived in the relays. The 1992 4×100, the 1983, 1990 and 1992 4×200 and the 1992 4×400 meter all won state titles. Adrian had five coaches in the era: Bill Thompson (1982-1984), Jim Hall (1985-1986), Bob Neely (1987-1994), Shannon Gepford (1995) and Carrie Martinez (1996-1997). They won seven conference championships (19888, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995) and eight district titles (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995).

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Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

15 hours ago

Spring Sports Luncheon - Springfield Thunder Softball Program:

From 1992 to 2010, the Springfield Thunder was one of the premier women’s slow-pitch softball teams in Missouri. In 19 seasons, the Thunder played in 18 state tournaments, placing in the top five in all of them. They were ASA state champions in 1992, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2008 and 2009. Additionally, the Thunder won the city league championship 13 times and placed second six times. They also played in four national tournaments, placing third in 2005 in Lawton, Okla., and fifth in 2009 in Springfield. The roster included Vicky McCracken, Mary Stratton, Shelley Evans, Donna Bruns, Lynda Nichols, Val Nichols, Phyllis Wolfram, Vicki Spivy, Pam Burney, Amy Smith, Sharon Latham, Amy Horst Strauss, Bev Dunlap, Carla Daniels, Patti Youngs, Chris Dicken, Susan Theroff, Wendy Hill, Jamie Dunn, Kelly Quigg, Gay McDonald, Deb Dry, Janet Moore, Tina Hansen, Tiffany Wilson, Allyson Bice, Patty Porter, Staci Wattie, Jessica Gorham, Morgan Hohenberger, Suzanne Powers, Stacy Beckley, Leslie Keeith and Susan Provance. Mary Stratton and Vicky McCracken were inducted into the Springfield Softball Hall of Fame. In 2012, Springfield Thunder was the first team to be inducted into the Springfield Softball Hall of Fame.

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Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

15 hours ago

Spring Sports Luncheon - Billings High School Baseball Era 1986-1995:

On Highway 60 in Christian County, not far from larger cities home to quality baseball programs, Billings High School showed that a Class 1 school could be a gem on the diamond, too. The Wildcats enjoyed quite a run from 1986 to 1995, earning seven playoff berths – including five top four finishes. The 1990 team won it all, finishing 21-0 in the spring, or 30-0 counting the fall season. That team beat Holcomb 8-7 in the state championship game after scoring six runs with two outs in the last inning. The 1994 team was a state runner-up, and the 1986, 1991 and 1995 teams all placed third. Joe Brewer coached the 1986 and 1987 teams, before Howard Quigley (MSHOF 2020) took over until 1993. George Lindsay followed as the coach. Overall, the teams were a combined 189-49-2 in spring seasons.

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Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

15 hours ago

Spring Sports Luncheon - Ed Bramer:

Bramer, who will be inducted posthumously, was an early giant on the Springfield and state softball scene from 1945 to 1960, coaching men’s and women’s teams, as well as Kiwanis and American Legion baseball teams. His 1946 Knights of Columbus team was the first Springfield team to win a state championship. They went on to win the Western Regionals, thereby qualifying to be the first Springfield team to play in the National Softball Tournament. His men’s team won 10 state championships, won two regionals, and played in two national tournaments, placing fourth in 1948. They were invited to and played in two World Championship tournaments. Bramer was selected best manager in the 1955 Western Regional. From 1955 to 1959, Bramer also managed a women’s team that won the state championship in each of those years. In 1955 he coached both men’s and women’s state champions. Seven players he coached in American Legion baseball later signed professional contracts. He was inducted into the Springfield ASA Hall of Fame in 1966, and a field at Meador Sports Complex in Springfield bears his name. The success of his teams was key to the explosive growth of fast-pitch softball in Missouri in the 1950s. This growth enabled Springfield to bid for and host state, regional and eventually national tournaments, always drawing overflow crowds and creating financials success for local organizers and the city. During this period the Springfield newspaper referred to him as “Mr. Softball.” He was later inducted into the Springfield Area (2021) and Missouri ASA Softball (2023) halls of fame.

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