Inductees

He spent his childhood idolizing the St. Louis Baseball Cardinals and, naturally, David Gibbs always tried to emulate them.

That is, he played baseball whenever he could, learning valuable lessons. And, at the same time, he never forgot what he saw in the work ethic of his parents.

“My father taught me and my brother at an early age the value of hard work, always do your best, and treat everyone with respect,” Gibbs said. “My parents have lived that example every day of their life.”

Wanting to help spread their good work – and also knowing the way sports positively influences youths — Gibbs emerged years later as a quiet but important contributor in the Ozarks.

And it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to bestow its President’s Award on Gibbs in 2021.

The award is presented to individuals who champion the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and sports across the state. As Dr Pepper’s Regional Sales Manager from 1997 until retiring in 2020, he ensured that Dr Pepper supported Hall of Fame events. He also threw its support behind the PGA Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper.

Specifically, Dr Pepper was a five-year sponsor of the Stan Musial Hall of Fame Championship. Other events included Celebrity Golf Classics, Enshrinements and luncheons.

Additionally, Dr Pepper – along with the support of Ozarks Coca-Cola — became a presenting sponsor nearly 20 years ago for the PCCC, which has gifted more than $17.4 million to children’s charities since 1990 – with roughly 90 percent donated during Dr Pepper’s involvement.

Regarding the Hall of Fame, he said, “The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame has a rich tradition of promoting sports in the state of Missouri, and I believe playing sports makes better people.”

“The Hall of Fame tells the stories of those athletes who have excelled in their respective sports,” Gibbs added. “These people and their stories have certainly provided inspiration for the next generation while raising awareness of these great athletes and their specific sports.

And then there is the PCCC. Letters from appreciative charities landed on his desk.

“Children are our greatest resource,” Gibbs said. “We must do everything possible to see that every child has the basic necessities growing up. Our area will only be as strong as our children. The way we treat our children says a lot about the kind of community we want to live in.”

His hope is that other kids, especially developmentally disabled children and others from challenging backgrounds, can experience the positive environment like his childhood.

“Playing any sport requires that you learn teamwork, sportsmanship, setting and achieving goals, hard work, practice, how to lose with humility, and win graciously,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs is a 1976 graduate of Ritenour High School in St. Louis, where he played baseball and was selected to the All-Suburban North Team and All-St. Louis Metro Team. He played baseball at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Drury University.

He eventually worked for the Kroger Company in Cincinnati and, when recruited by Dr Pepper for its Springfield office, he jumped at the chance.

In Springfield, Gibbs served on the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and worked with or sponsored events of the Boy Scouts of America, United Way, Boys and Girls Club and Cattle Barons Ball of Southwest Missouri-American Cancer Society. That was no surprise. In addition, he supported the FedEx St. Jude PGA Invitational.

The PCCC’s Celebrations of Sharing presented by The McQueary Family – when charities receive their funds – have been moving experiences.

“To hear the heartfelt stories of those receiving the money from the tournament is overwhelming,” Gibbs said. “While we have a great golf tournament for one week, the money that is raised helps children across our community for the whole year.”

Overall, he has appreciated the overwhelming support of his wife of 40 years, Sandra, and their children Stephanie and Ryan. He’s also proud of son-in-law Drew and daughter-in-law Natalie and grandchildren Sophia, Nolan, Maxwell and Anna.

Dr Pepper and many others deserve a thank-you, too, he said.

“My time working with Dr Pepper and the Coca-Cola Bottlers across the Midwest has been both enjoyable and rewarding,” Gibbs said. “Giving back is one way to say ‘thank you’ for everything you have been blessed with. Working for a company that subscribes to the mission of making the communities where we operate a better place, just makes it that much easier.”