BILL GRIGSBY – He was born in Wellsville, Kansas, his father moved the family to Joplin and took a job in the lead and zinc mines. Bill attended Joplin Junior College. While attending school in Joplin, Bill worked as a copy boy for the Joplin Globe. After a stint in the Air Force during World War II, he returned to Joplin and was an obituary writer for the Globe while attending Joplin Junior College. Believing there was more money in broadcasting, he went to work for WMBH, a radio station owned by the Globe. Bill was the voice of the Joplin Miners until leaving Joplin for a broadcasting job in Kansas City. When the Athletics moved to Kansas City in 1955, he got a job airing the A’s games. He left the A’s five years later to join the Kansas City Chiefs broadcast team.
CHARLES E. (GABBY) STREET - Gabby started his career in baseball in 1903 as a catcher for Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound catcher played at Terre Haute and Cincinnati in 1904, then played for Cincinnati and Boston of the National League in 1905. He also played for the Washington Senators and New York Yankees in the American League and was manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1930 through 1934 and managed the St. Louis Browns in 1938. He piloted the Cardinals to National League titles in 1930 and 1931, and won the World Series by defeating the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931. Gabby joined Harry Caray as the color commentator for the St. Louis Cardinal games in 1940, a position that continued until his health failed in 1950.
KENNY COCHRAN - One of the highlights of Cochran’s career was in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia, where he was the starting catcher on the US Olympic Baseball Team. There were 125,000 spectators which, at that time, was the largest crowd ever to witness a baseball game held anywhere in the world.
From 1957 to 1959, he was the head baseball coach, as well as the assistant football coach at Joplin High School. Kenny led Joplin to a state baseball title in 1959.
From 1970 to 1981, he coached basketball at Marymount College in Salina, Kansas, winning five NAIA district 10 Championships and playing in five NAIA National Tournaments in Kansas City and one AAU National Championship Tournament. Marymount averaged 25 wins per season for 10 years, including a 31-1 record in 1971-72. During Cochran’s tenure, Marymount held an NAIA record, at one time, with 106 consecutive victories at home.
NOTIE PATE - Notie Pate was a three-sport standout at Memorial High School. He played basketball for Ken Hayes at New Mexico State, then a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, and battled such collegiate stars as Larry Bird of Indiana Sate and Maurice Cheeks of West Texas State.
He played tight end and flanker for the Memorial Eagles under head coach Phil Collins. Notie caught 32 passes for 557 yards and five touchdowns as a senior, and rushed 13 times for 59 yards and completed his only pass attempt for 35 yards and a touchdown. He was invited to try out as a wide receiver by the Dallas Cowboys after his senior season at New Mexico State.
Pate also excelled in track, winning the state triple jump championship as a senior. He also competed in the hurdles, high jump, and mile relay events.
SALLIE BEARD - Sallie Beard has had a long and distinguished association with Missouri Southern State University. Sallie received her bachelor’s degree in 1972, and was hired that year as an instructor in the college’s physical education department.
During her stint as track coach, Sallie was twice named NAIA District 16 Coach of the Year and led Southern to the outdoor title in 1983. She also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Team in the 1981 World Games in Romania and for the North squad at the 1983 National Sports Festival in Colorado Springs. She also served on the games committee for the NAIA indoor and outdoor track championships.
She presently serves on the NCAA Women’s Athletic Committee and is a past president of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association. She served as tournament director for the 1992 and 1993 NCAA Division II Softball Championships.