She emerged years ago as one of southwest Missouri’s best tennis players, later competed on championship softball teams and, fortunately, never forgot. That is, Jodie Adams never forgot what it truly meant for her, as a child and then a high school and college student-athlete, to learn the valuable lessons that sports so often teaches.… Read more »
Aleah Hayes enjoyed a lot of winning during her playing days at Ozark High School and later at Columbia College. Even better, she took mental notes from her coaches in Ozark’s Becky Justis, Texas Tech’s Trish Knight and Columbia College’s Melinda Washington. “I learned a great deal about the game of volleyball but, more importantly,… Read more »
In the fall of 1974, two years after the passage of federal Title IX legislation, the door to Sallie Beard’s office swung open, as several women on the Missouri Southern State University campus sought to start a basketball team. Suddenly, the teacher who had a bias against athletics – those were her own words –… Read more »
Little Leaguers who collected baseball cards in the early 1960s might have traded for this one: It’s of West Plains’ own Bill Virdon, then the Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder, making a catch of a deep fly ball off the bat of New York Yankees great Yogi Berra. Atop the card, it reads “1960 World Series,”… Read more »
Tonya Choate McCall enjoys telling this story from her younger days on a golf course – long before she starred at Mount Vernon High School and Drury University. Even she cannot help but laugh about it. “I still remember to this day when my dad and I were practicing chipping and, on the fifth shot,… Read more »
Her home away from home was any tennis court in and around Joplin, with her grandparents, parents and sisters shaping her career. To Melissa Hoffmeister Sanders, they collectively put her in position to dominate for Joplin High School as she won 132 matches and a state title in the early 2000s. “Each of them played… Read more »
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is offering free admission to all students while they are on spring break this month. The Hall of Fame is located at 3861 E. Stan Musial Drive, or about a mile east of the U.S. 60-65 interchange in southeast Springfield. Adults are $5, seniors are $3 and a family… Read more »
Decades before a push to add women’s sports in colleges and high schools – and long before Title IX would pave the way for so many – an idea born in the southwest Missouri community of Cassville actually may have set the eventual stage. There, in 1936, businessman C.M. “Ole” Olson started a barnstorming women’s… Read more »
Join our Fan Club and assist us in our mission to build and add to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, a 501c-3 not-for-profit organization. The operation of the Hall of Fame is dependent upon attendance, gift shop sales, activities and events, contributions and donations. The Fan Club was established to allow all sports enthusiasts… Read more »
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame will soon induct the All American Red Heads Basketball Program, former Missouri Southern State University Athletic Director Sallie Beard as well as two women’s basketball coaches – Evangel University’s Leon Neal and the University of Missouri’s Joann Rutherford – along with former Lockwood High School volleyball coach Cheryl Shores.… Read more »
We can’t wait for spring’s arrival, either. And, if you enjoy playing golf, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame has lined up another great season of our popular Celebrity Golf Classics at some of the state’s finest courses. All of it is made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors – Hillyard, Inc., Missouri… Read more »
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame joins with Drury University in mourning the sudden passing of Ariel Wen Xu, one of the college’s standout swimmers. She was 22. According to the university, Xu passed away after a practice on Thursday. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame recognized Xu on Sunday night during the Enshrinement in… Read more »
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017, from the Enshrinement in Springfield presented by Killian Construction …
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday night inducted former St. Louis Cardinals speedster Vince Coleman, former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Bill Kenney, plus 13 other individuals as well as a college baseball program and a high school baseball program and its late coach. Jack Henry & Associates also were honored with the John… Read more »
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday night will induct former St. Louis Cardinals speedster Vince Coleman, former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Bill Kenney, plus 13 other individuals as well as a college baseball program and a high school baseball program and its late coach. Jack Henry & Associates will be honored with the… Read more »
Former Kansas City Royals outfielder Amos Otis has informed the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame that, due to an unforeseen personal matter, he will be unable to attend the Enshrinement in Springfield presented by Killian Construction on Sunday. President and Executive Director Jerald Andrews on Friday announced Otis’ absence and noted that the former big-leaguer… Read more »
