Inductees

In the 1960s in Springfield, you wouldn’t have found Randy Magers in his parents’ home other than to eat dinner, study and for bedtime.

Instead, he and buddies rode bikes to Nichols Baseball Park on the city’s northwest side. Or, you could find Magers in his backyard, where his dad, Orville, had built a pitching machine.

“The goal was to hit 200 pitches a day after basketball season ended,” Magers said. “For basketball, I learned my dribbling skills on the concrete street on Warren Street in front of our house.”

In other words, good old-fashioned hard work created quite the athlete, whose eventual collegiate career – in both baseball and basketball – carved quite the paths to success. And the latest path is leading to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, which proudly inducted Magers with the Class of 2022.

Magers was a rare two-sport standout for Missouri State University, starring on Bears baseball and basketball teams following his 1970 graduation from Central High School in Springfield.

He was a four-year regular at shortstop from 1971 to 1974 and started in 127 consecutive games, setting a then-career mark for games played. At the time he graduated, he was the career record holder in doubles, walks, assists and total bases and was in the top five in runs scored, home runs, at-bats and hits.

He was the Bears’ Rookie of the Year and, in his final two seasons, was a team co-captain and a First Team All-MIAA selection. In 1974, he was an All-American and chosen for the Missouri Collegiate All-State Team.

In basketball, Magers was a regular in his final 2 ½ seasons. The Bears won consecutive MIAA titles in two 20-win seasons his junior and senior years. Magers led the Bears in assists as a junior and was the team captain his senior year, when they finished as the NCAA Division II runner-up – with Magers scoring 28 points in a tournament game.

“I knew I could play college ball. I always scored lots of points by perfecting a jumper and worked on dribbling skills in basketball,” said Magers, who finished with 791 career points, a then-record 346 assists and made the national All-Tournament team. “In baseball, I could switch hit, with quick hands, and had an accurate arm. Despite being small, I had good techniques.”

More than 60 colleges recruited Magers, who decided to stay in Springfield partly because it allowed his parents not to spend much on travel. After all, times were tight. Mom and Dad had five other mouths to feed at home.

Missouri State’s basketball and baseball teams in 1969 had placed second in NCAA Division II.

“I chose Missouri State because of baseball coach Bill Rowe (MSHOF Legend 2016) and basketball coach Bill Thomas (MSHOF 1990) – two outstanding Christian men,” Magers said. “They were men who had my values and were great coaches.”

Playing hard defined Magers, who grew up idolizing the style of play of the Cincinnati Reds’ Pete Rose and Boston Celtics swingman John “Hondo” Havlicek.

Interestingly, from March to the end of August every year, he concentrated only on baseball. From August to the next March 1, it was basketball.

“I never mixed either sport during these times,” Magers said. “If you throw a baseball and try to shoot basketballs, the basketball feels heavy and it’s not good for baseball accuracy. And the baseball feels smaller and faster when you try to hit it.”

Looking back, Magers cannot thank teammates and coaches enough for making his career so special.

Mentors in his high school years were American Legion baseball coach George Bradley, Nevada’s John Rotenberry, a minor league catcher, and Terry Greene, a catcher who played for Arizona State and Drury University.

Beyond Rowe and Thomas, college coaches Jay Kinser, Charlie Spoonhour (MSHOF Legend 2019) and Chuck Williams improved his game in both sports.

“Coach Rowe was instrumental in my growth as a player,” Magers said. “He believed in me from Day One, just as my dad had always done. I did not want to let them down. My dad was my main mentor. He taught me hard work, discipline, toughness and how to live godly.”

Magers has long had the support of his wife of 45 years, Diana. They dated during his final two years of college and are now parents to Brooke, Brett, Heather and Derek as well as 15 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

“I have been blessed greatly,” Magers said. “Missouri State was a great time in the journey of life.”