2001:
Gene “Mr. Softball” Bassman -
Gene Bassman earned the title of “Mr. Softball” in the City of Joplin because he directed the Joplin Softball Association from its inception in 1952 until his death in 1987. As a volunteer he did just about everything in the operation of the JSA, from making schedules and preparing the fields for play to cleaning up the park after the games.
At the time of his death, the city’s three softball facilities – Ewert Park, Redden Field, and Bassman Field (named in honor of Bassman) were developed and financed by Bassman. He mortgaged his home to raise $5,000 for the construction of Ewert Park. The facility opened on June 25, 1962.
The Joplin City Council approved funds to construct Bassman Field in 1970. City softball membership reached a record high of 107 teams in May of 1979 when the Joplin Softball Association opened Redden Field.
Alan Cockrell -
Alan Cockrell was an outstanding football and baseball player. For three years Cockrell successfully quarterbacked the Parkwood Bears wishbone attack and led the Bears to a 31-3 record culminating in an undefeated (14-0) state championship season in 1980. He was named twice to first-team all state.
Cockrell’s career statistics included 1,541 yards rushing with 36 touchdowns and 3,499 yards passing with 44 touchdowns. He also converted on 154 of 172 extra point kicks and booted 8 field goals. Overall, he finished with a total of 396 points scored.
He originally received a scholarship to Oklahoma State but later transferred to Tennessee University. Cockrell was a record-setting quarterback at Tennessee and starred in the outfield for the Vols’ baseball team. Cockrell was a first-round draft pick by the San Francisco Giants.
Dewey Combs -
For 14 years at Parkwood High School, Combs and his coaching staff produced the finest high school football program in Missouri which included 133 victories with only 19 losses and 2 ties. That run also included 13 Ozark Conference titles and 3 state championships in 1975, 1980, and 1983.
Overall with stops at Golden City, Gallatin and Trenton, Combs compiled a coaching record of 213-68-14. He had undefeated teams, at Trenton in 1962 and 1966, and at Parkwood in 1975, 1976, 1980, and 1983.
In recognition of his coaching achievements, the Missouri High School Football Coaches Association inducted Combs into their Hall of Fame.
Don Gross -
For more than 50 years, Four-State area sports fans were treated to the dulcet tones of Don Gross and his signature sign-off line: “This is Don Gross reminding all to be good sports.”
Gross came to Joplin in 1950 when he was hired to broadcast sports at the radio station KFSB. During the next 12 years, Gross narrated the play by play action for at least 95 games a year in addition to other duties at the station. When KSFB changed owners and format in 1971, he took a job at KODE Radio which led him to his debut as a television sportscaster. Later Gross worked doing sports news for KSNF and was eventually promoted to news director. In addition to his duties as KSNF, Gross continued to broadcast Missouri Southern State College sports events. The “Voice of the Lions” was inducted into the Missouri Southern Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
Gary “Cat” Johnson -
Gary (Cat) Johnson was an electrifying point guard who directed Memorial High School to two state championships in 1977 and 1978. In 1978 he led Memorial by scoring a school-record 50 points in the quarterfinals. In high school, Johnson averaged 20 points per game while leading his team in assists and steals. He held school records in scoring, assists, and steals.
He was selected to the United States High School All-Star team. United States coach Johnny Egan honored Cat by naming him the captain.
Johnson received a scholarship to Oral Roberts University. During the 1981-82 season he averaged 15 points and 8 assists per game.
The New Jersey Nets drafted Johnson in the ninth round. He eventually went to Europe and was a player/coach in the professional league in England.
Russ Kaminsky -
Russ Kaminsky ranks as one of the winningest high school basketball coaches in the nation. Kaminsky compiled a basketball coaching record of 591-222. His coaching career began in 1942 in Mountain View, Missouri. Moving to Joplin in 1943, Kaminsky coached 33 years at Joplin High School and later at Parkwood High.
Kaminsky was a Little All-American nominee during Southwest Missouri State University’s 10-0 season in 1940. As a high school football coach he posted a 99-56-9 record at Joplin High School from 1944 to 1961.
However it was as a basketball coach that Kaminsky received state and national acclaim. He won state championships in 1950, 1955, and 1967 with teams that finished 21-3, 24-6, and 25-1. His 1959 team won 32 games in a row before losing to St. Louis Christian Brothers in the championship game.
Wendell Redden -
Dan Tewell, an English teacher at Pittsburgh High School, encouraged Wendell Redden to try his hand at writing and that suggestion blossomed into a 45-year career as a sports writer. As a junior in high school Redden joined the sports staff of the Joplin Globe in 1950 providing sports stories on Joplin High School football and basketball games away from home. In 1951 he took a full-time position on the Globe’s sports staff. Trained by veteran Globe wordsmith Porter Wittich, Redden soon advanced to the position of sports editor. For over 40 years, Redden would witness sporting history as the sports editor of the Globe. He interviewed sporting world’s legends like Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Warren Spahn, and Paul “Bear” Bryant. Locally he covered Missouri Southern’s NAIA national championship football season of 1972 and recorded the Joplin High School state basketball championships in 1955 and 1967. He was inducted into the Missouri Southern Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and became a member of both the Joplin and Missouri Bowling Hall of Fame.
Tina Robbins -
Tina Robbins was a multi-talented athlete who excelled in volleyball and basketball at Joplin High School. She led the Lady Eagles to state runner-up finishes in basketball as a junior and senior. As a starter in her final three years at JHS, Robbins scored 1,925 points. She averaged 22.4 points her senior year and 21.2 points for her career. During her final two years at JHS, her team’s record was 52 wins and 10 losses.
After graduating from Joplin in 1990, Robbins received a scholarship from Southwest Missouri State University and started at point guard for the Lady Bears. She helped the Bears to four post season tournament appearances. During her sophomore season Robbins was named most valuable player in the NCAA Central Regional as the Lady Bears advance to the Final Four.
Horton Smith -
Born in Springfield, Missouri, Horton Smith became one of the greatest golfers of the 20th Century. On January 7, 1928, Smith accepted the head professional position at Joplin Oak Hill Golf Club (now Twin Hills). While at Oak Hill his best year was in 1929, when he won eight golf tournaments on the P.G.A. tour and $15,000.
Smith will always be remembered for his two Master wins at Augusta National Golf Club (1934 & 1936). Later in his career Smith became the President of both the P.G.A. and P.G.A. Seniors. Through the years, Smith received many prestigious golf awards including the Ben Hogan Award (1951), the Bob Jones Award (1962), Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (1960), Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (1964), Professional Golfers Hall of Fame (1958), World Golf Hall of Fame (1990) and Honorary Life Member of the Professional Golfers Association of Great Britain (1959).
Thorpe Weber -
Thorpe Weber helped rewrite local high school basketball history when he and his family moved to Joplin in 1965 from New Hampshire.
Weber was selected to the Missouri all-state first team twice. The 6’7” left-hander set a single-game scoring record of 43 points and a single season record of 683 points in 1966-67. He led Joplin to a state championship in 1967 and topped off his prep career by being named to the Scholastic Coach Magazine’s All-America team.
Weber received a scholarship from Vanderbilt. He moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and eventually earned lineup as a sophomore and eventually earned all Southeast Conference accolades.
After completing his college eligibility he was drafted by the Boston Celtics of the NBA in the fourth round and by the Memphis Pros of the ABA in the third round.