Speak to anyone who runs a successful business, especially in Springfield, and they make one thing clear right away: If you don’t give back to your community, you’re not truly successful. A prime example is Bryan Properties. Not long after it launched in 1985, it began sponsoring a number of sporting events and organizations in… Read more »
News
Sport: Basketball
Jerry Buescher
Jerry Buescher began his journey to the 800-win mark during the 1960’s in Vandalia, Mo. Before that, he played basketball in college for northeast Missouri native Cotton Fitzsimmons at Moberly Area Community College. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University and earned a master’s at the University of Missouri. Buescher has won 12… Read more »
1965 & 1966 Buffalo High School Boys Basketball State Championship Teams
Dallas County’s Buffalo High School has a strong tradition of success in boys basketball. That tradition goes all the way back to 1949, when the Bison won the final “all class” state championship in Missouri history. The tradition also includes back-to-back Class M state championships in 1964 and 1965. Those teams accomplished something no Buffalo… Read more »
Herb Bunker
A native of Nevada, Mo., Herb Bunker is one of only two four-sport letter-winners in University of Missouri athletic history. He lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field, between 1920-23. In basketball, Bunker earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors as a guard in 1921 and 1922 and was an All-American in 1921 and 1923.… Read more »
Bob Burchard
Usually, newspaper photos of basketball coaches show them barking at the refs, hollering at players or drawing up Xs and Os in a huddle. Yet arguably one of the most memorable photos of Bob Burchard is of the iconic Columbia College men’s basketball in a tucked-away locker room of Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium on March… Read more »
Bob Burnes
Robert Liston “The Benchwarmer” Burnes was a sportswriter for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat for over 50 years. After attending St. Louis University, he started writing for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in 1936, then became sports editor in 1943, a position he held until the newspaper closed in 1986. During this time he was best known… Read more »
Cheryl Burnett
Cheryl Burnett smiles and shakes her head when folks want to give her all the credit. Yes, her name will forever be associated with Lady Bears basketball. See the two Final Four banners hanging from the rafters at JQH Arena? And spot two of the retired jerseys hanging nearby of stars Melody Howard and Jackie… Read more »
Charlie Burri
Sometimes, even the grandest plans can turn out to be bigger than you anticipated. That’s part of the legacy of Charlie Burri, the “Godfather” of Missouri Western State University athletics. A former coach, Burri was tapped to start the Missouri Western program back in 1967. He had little more to work with other than his… Read more »
Denny Burrows
Denny Burrows accepted his first coaching position at Van Buren High School in 1941. In 1946, he took his team to the state tournament in St. Louis. Burrows was then hired to coach at Ozark High School in 1947. Just two years after taking over as coach, the took them to the state tournament. In… Read more »
Jack Bush
Before his retirement from the high school basketball coaching ranks in 2001, Jack Bush was referred to by many in the Kansas City area as the “dean of high school basketball.” In 1949, he began his 52-year high school coaching career at Washington High School in Caruthersville, MO. Three years later, he made his coaching… Read more »
Ray Bob Carey
Ray Bob Carey came to Mizzou from Cameron, Missouri, beginning his career under coach Sparky Stalcup and finishing it under the eye of Bob Vanatta. A gifted 6-foot-6 forward, Carey earned All-Big Eight honors in 1964 as he averaged 18.9 points and 9.9 rebounds, and helped the Tigers to their first winning season in eight years.… Read more »
Robert Carlson
Robert Carlson was born in Fairfield, Iowa. After graduating from Fairfield High School in 1942, he attended Parsons College, also in Fairfield. Later he attended Kansas City Central Radio and TV School before joining the staff of KIRX Radio in 1949. It was there that he became known as the “Voice of the Bulldogs” for… Read more »
Chris Carr
He grew up in the southeast Missouri town of Ironton – population of roughly 1,400 – and, yet one year after graduating high school, there Chris Carr was … playing against none other than the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA Tournament. That is, the Duke of 1993 whose roster featured seven future NBA players… Read more »
Kerensa Barr Cassis
She still remembers it like yesterday: A basketball in her hand, dribbling and shooting baskets, and competing in summer camps. And this was years before she starred for West Plains High School and the University of Missouri basketball teams. Yes, Kerensa Barr Cassis breaks into a smile just reminiscing about it all. “I was probably… Read more »
Central High School Girls Basketball 1984 State Championship Team
Trina Osborne Williams remembers the team’s loyal supporters, who turned out even on the road. Others point to the 19-point comeback in the state semifinals as showing the team’s heart. And nobody will never forget hoisting the state championship trophy around midnight in Columbia. After all, the 1984 Central High School Lady Bulldogs became the… Read more »
1984 Central Missouri State University Mules and Jennies Basketball
The 1983-84 SMCU Jennies roster included: Head Coach Jorja Hoehn; Assistants Ginny Sutton, Leanna Bordner, Kathy Hagerstrom, Jonathon Pye; Players Jackie Harris, Alesia Prince, Fawna Harrison, Shara Sherman, Karen Reese, Tammy Noah, Rosie Jones, Carla Eades, Sheri Hartenberger, Faith Zimmerman, Pat Staszak; Managers Carol Burnham, Janet Wolf, Michelle Calder. NCAA Division II National Champions –… Read more »