In the summers in Marshfield, about 25 minutes east of Springfield, Brent Thomas and his brother, Craig, would ride their bikes to the fairgrounds and offer to be fill-ins for summer league baseball teams. “We also organized our own baseball league with teams from the east side, west side and south side of Marshfield,” Brent… Read more »
News
Sport: Baseball
George Toma
At age 10, he went to work on a vegetable farm, but not by choice. The family needed the money after his dad, a coal miner in eastern Pennsylvania, passed away. Fortunately for George Toma, the minor leagues rescued him as a teenager in the 1940s. But not because he could hit or pitch. Instead,… Read more »
Warren Turner
Warren Turner is the winningest baseball coach in the history of Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. From 1977-2007, his Lions went to five NAIA or NCAA national tournaments, never finishing lower than seventh. His 852 wins rank him 15th all-time in NCAA history. Turner was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1978. … Read more »
2003 University of Central Missouri Baseball Team
All these years later, Brad Hill and his players still laugh about it. But somebody had to say something. Had to put their foot down. Early in the 2003 season, the University of Central Missouri baseball team delivered a lethargic performance. Unacceptable, Hill recalled, especially in a premier program. And so he gathered the team… Read more »
University of Central Missouri Baseball Program
Tucked into a hillside in Warrensburg sits one of the most impressive baseball facilities in the country – complete with synthetic turf, four rows of chair-back seats between the dugouts, a grandstand of chair-back seats and dugout heaters. Oh, and see that Morton building nearby? It houses indoor batting cages, a weight room and the… Read more »
1954 University of Missouri Tigers Baseball
Under the tutelage of legendary baseball coach John “Hi” Simmons, the 1954 University of Missouri Tiger baseball team won the eight-team NCAA College World Series National Championship in Omaha’s Municipal Stadium by defeating Michigan State University and then Rollins College of Florida in a three team championship round.
Andy Van Slyke
In mid-June 1983, a prospect outfielder on the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A Louisville club arrived to the ballpark, only to be told he didn’t have a job there. Andy Van Slyke enjoys telling the story. “I remember (Louisville manager) Jim Fregosi called me into his office and sat me down, and he was shaking his… Read more »
Trevor Vance
The original plan? Well, there were a few of them. In fact, at one point, Trevor Vance changed his college major for the fourth time. “I wanted to be the next Chris Berman,” he says now with a laugh, referring to the former ESPN personality. That was in the late 1980s, when Vance spent summers… Read more »
Dr. Ronald VanDam
Ronald Leonard VanDam was born January 22, 1937, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the son of Rev. Leonard and Marian Perkins VanDam. He married Jonell Willis on May 30, 1964. Dr. VanDam had a distinguished career as Head Athletic Trainer and Professor at the University of Central Missouri for 31 years. Following his arrival on campus in… Read more »
Bill Virdon
Bill Virdon was not just an accomplished baseball player, he was also a talented baseball manager. Virdon managed Pittsburgh (1972-73), the New York Yankees (1974-75), Houston (1975-82) and Montreal (1983-84). Bill Virdon has spent his entire life teaching the game of baseball. He began his playing days with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955 in… Read more »
Greg Vitello
For former De Smet soccer and baseball coach Greg Vitello, playing and coaching don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. That isn’t to say that good players can’t or won’t make good coaches, but success on the field doesn’t always equate to success in the dugout or on the bench. And Vitello, who enjoyed a hall of fame… Read more »
Adam Wainwright
In spring training of 2003, just a few months after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, a prospect right-hander walked in to an empty clubhouse. Adam Wainwright had his glove in hand but not much other baseball gear. Plus, he was wondering where his career was headed, as any young player would think. “And… Read more »
John Wathan
John Wathan returns for his 32nd year with the Kansas City Royals and will serve as the Assistant to Player Development in 2008. He played for 15 years in the Royals system, including 10 at the Major League level from 1976-1985. A manager in later years, Wathan was a member of the Royals World Series… Read more »
Dr. Harrison Weaver
Dr. Harrison Weaver originally played football as a college student at Ohio Wesleyan University. In 1927 he became a trainer and physician for the St. Louis Cardinals and was known for his unusual methods. For example, Weaver would employ a technique known as the “double whammy” which was supposed to jinx the person on whom… Read more »
2002 & 2015 Webb City Little League World Series Teams
In the display case of Webb City Junior High School, you’ll find an interesting display: memorabilia and jerseys of Little Leaguers. That’s by design. Walking those hallways, of course, are boys who could be the next to take the city’s youth team to a quaint hamlet in Pennsylvania called Williamsport. In other words, the 2002… Read more »
Keith Weber
Keith Weber graduated in 1964 with the University of Missouri’s lowest career ERA at 0.56. During his senior season, in which he posted an 0.50 ERA, Weber tallied a then school record 11 wins, while striking out 90 batters, leading Mizzou to a 26-5-1 overall record, all while helping his Tigers advance to the College… Read more »