Inductees

Talk about a student-athlete who didn’t just enjoy sports but was proud to call himself a University of Missouri Tiger.

Kansas City native Phil Snowden not only declined offers to play for mighty Notre Dame and Army – despite West Point even dispatching Heisman Trophy winner Doc Blanchard for a recruiting pitch – but he also absolutely gutted out three years’ worth of injuries to be there for his teammates.

The result? Snowden quarterbacked Mizzou back to national prominence in the late 1950s, and it’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Snowden with the Class of 2017.

Snowden in 1959 led the Tigers past the rival Kansas Jayhawks to earn a trip to the Tigers’ first bowl game in 11 seasons (the 1960 Orange Bowl), kick-starting coach Dan Devine’s great run in Columbia.

And to think he could have gone on to South Bend or West Point or points elsewhere.

“I had offers from 15 schools,” Snowden said. “But, of course, I used to listen to the Tigers on the radio and always loved them. Frankly, it wasn’t much of a choice.”

Snowden was All-State in basketball, football and track at North Kansas City High School, even earning All-American as a high school quarterback.

When then-Mizzou coach Don Faurot visited Snowden’s house on a recruiting trip, the sales pitch was to the point: Because of NCAA rules prohibiting freshmen from playing on varsity, Snowden likely could start as early as his sophomore season.

And there were other perks.

“He said, ‘I don’t know what you think of Kansas City. But people you meet (connected with Mizzou) will be lifelong friends and, if you get some press, they’re going to be friends for life,’” Snowden recalled. “I thought that made sense.”

Snowden ultimately played under four Hall of Fame coaches from 1956 to 1959: Norm Stewart, who was his freshman basketball coach; and then football coaches Faurot, Frank Broyles and Dan Devine.

Even better, Snowden was eager to do anything for the team, even playing hurt.

In a 1958 game against Colorado, after missing two weeks because of a back injury, Snowden came off the bench to rally the Tigers to a 33-9 victory. He threw for a touchdown and ran for two more.

Despite playing only 11 minutes, Snowden he was named the Associated Press National Back of the Week.

“I remember in the third quarter, Devine came over and asked, ‘Do you want to do this?’” said Snowden, who of course nodded before being told not to over-do it. “I got in there and I’m running the option … I cut up field, got past the end, then the linebackers.”

Yes, Snowden was gone for a TD.

“In the heat of the moment,” Snowden said, “you felt like, ‘I’ve got to do this.’”

Back then, Snowden also was nursing a shoulder issue and, in a surprising twist, one of his doctors was Dr. Phog Allen, the basketball coach of rival Kansas.

“(KU football coach) Jack Mitchell was livid when he saw it in the paper,” Snowden said. “It was kind of funny.”

Turned out, Snowden led Mizzou to a 13-9 victory against Kansas in late 1959, sending the Tigers on to the Orange Bowl. While the Tigers fell to Georgia and future NFL QB Fran Tarkenton, Snowden was 11 of 17 passing for 152 yards and amassed more total yards than the Bulldogs.

It ended a career in which Snowden at one point held the team record for a punt (74 yards) and also played safety on defense.

“Frankly, if it wasn’t for Dr. Allen, I don’t know if I would have had a career at Mizzou,” Snowden said.

Since then, Snowden has practiced law in Kansas City and is part of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. He represented Clay County for 18 years in the Missouri General Assembly and was in the House when funds were approved for the Hearnes Center, the basketball arena at Mizzou.

Phil married his college sweetheart, Jane, 56 years ago.  She has been his solid rock, inspiration and confidante.  Together, they have built their life and family, as a team. They raised three beautiful daughters – Sharon, Kristin and Stephanie — and five incredible grandchildren. Phil and Jane enjoy making family, friends and their community a top priority.

“I tell you what, it was a great experience for me,” Snowden said of Mizzou. “When I walked on that campus in the fall of 1956, it was just the start of a 60-some-year love affair with the university.”