Longtime National Football League defensive coordinator Gregg Williams certainly hasn’t forgotten his roots. Over the years, his foundation has gifted millions of dollars to school and youth athletics in his hometown of Excelsior Springs. “I always wanted them to know they can do anything in life,” Williams said. Williams is a prime example, having parlayed… Read more »
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Sport: Football
“Red” Williams
Lorenz C. “Red” Williams was SEMO’s first full-time athletic trainer, serving from 1967 to 1983. Williams worked in that position for 16 years supporting nine men and women’s athletic teams. He mentored and supervised 63 athletic training students during his tenure and was awarded National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) honors for both 20 years and… Read more »
Larry Wilson
Larry Wilson was born and raised in Rigby, Utah and played college football at the University of Utah. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted the speedy running back in 1960 and converted him to a defensive back after he sustained several injuries. As part of this change, Wilson and Coach Drulis devised the safety blitz, which… Read more »
Kellen Winslow, Sr.
Born in East St. Louis, Illinois and playing college ball with the Missouri Tigers and professionally with the San Diego Chargers, Winslow is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. An All-American at Mizzou, Winslow went on to lead the NFL in receptions in 1980 and 1981,… Read more »
Grant Wistrom
A Webb City native, Grant became one of the most feared defenders in Nebraska Cornhusker history. During his college career, the Huskers compiled a 49-2 record from 1994 to 1997, winning three national titles. A first-round selection (Number 6 overall) by the St. Louis Rams in the 1998 NFL Draft, Wistrom played a reserve role… Read more »
Amadee Wohlschlaeger
Nationally, Amadee achieved stature as a sports cartoonist as he spent a half-century drawing St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s wisecracking Page One tradition, The Weatherbird. drawing skills and humor provided portrait likenesses and humorous sports-page editorials. For years, the artist drew first-page cartoons weekly for The Sporting News. For more than 30 years, he provided the color… Read more »
Dr. Marion Wolf
Born in Strafford, Missouri, Dr. Marion Wolf has played a key role in keeping Missouri athletes healthy. Wolf practiced in the Smtih Glynn Callaway Clinic in Springfield from 1975 to 1997. He has served as the Athletic Team Physician and Orthopedic Consultant for Southwest Missouri State University since 1975. He also served as the Athletic… Read more »
Pete Woods
The greatest upset in University of Missouri football history? For many, it remains Sept. 25 1976, a last-minute, 22-21 victory on the road against none other than Woody Hayes’ No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The man who engineered the offense that afternoon remembers it – and the night before – like it was yesterday. Who… Read more »
Ed Wray
Ed Wray was a sportswriter who was known for his column, “Wray’s Column” in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His career spanned 55 years. He focused mainly on horse racing, boxing, and football, particularly the history of the forward pass. The first legal forward pass was thrown by Bradbury Robinson of St. Louis University in 1906… Read more »
Dr. Rick Wright
There is one man in the state of Missouri who in the past 20-some years has pulled this trifecta – working as a pro in the National Hockey League, National Football League and Major League Baseball, too. Yes, the Sikeston kid who was an OK athlete – his own words – made it to the… Read more »
Ron Zetcher
Since 1968, Ron Zetcher has officiated baseball, basketball and football, becoming one of the nation’s top NCAA basketball officials. He has worked 17 NCAA Tournaments and 20 National Invitational Tournaments during his career. As an official at the collegiate level, Ron has worked the Big 12 Conference Tournament, the Big 8 Conference Tournament finals and… Read more »
Larry Zirbel
Larry Zirbel was born in Paris Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin on June 13, 1921. Spent his boyhood in Algoma, Wisconsin, and graduated from Algoma High School in June 1939. He was a World War II veteran, serving from 1942 to 1945. He received his BS degree from Northwest Missouri State in 1950 and his M.Ed.… Read more »