Inductees

Alex George was a Kansas City sports and civic leader. As the president of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission, he led efforts in both professional and amateur sports. His work and support helped keep the Chiefs in Kansas City and secured an expansion of the Royals franchise. He also headed up the bond drive to build the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex, which served as a home for the Chiefs and the Royals.

George also worked with the Special Olympics in the Kansas City area, the Ban Johnson amateur league, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

George was a football and basketball official in the Big Eight Conference for 25 years, working four NCAA basketball finals and 10 postseason football bowl games. He was the referee in Kansas’ 12th-man loss to Penn State in the Orange Bowl game on January 1, 1969. Kansas had stopped a two-point conversion attempt by Penn State, but the play was nullified by a penalty against Kansas for having an extra player on the field. Given the reprieve, Penn State scored the two-point conversion on a run with 15 seconds left, winning 15-14. He retired as an official in 1972.