CHARLIE WILLIAMS -
Charlie Williams, a member of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, coached 28 years at the Bible College level, including 20 years at Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
Williams posted a record of 706 wins and 444 losses as a varsity men’s and women’s basketball coach. He coached the men’s varsity team at OCC for 16 years and was relieved of those duties at the end of the 2003-04 school year. He started his college coaching career at Midwest Christian College in Moore, Okla., and Moved to Joplin before the 1985-86 school year when Midwest merged with the former Ozark Bible College.
HIs basketball teams won three men’s national championships and one women’s national title. He also led the Lady Ambassadors to a volleyball championship. He is a three-time national basketball coach of the year (National Christian College Athletic Association), a seven-time regional coach of the year and a five-time conference coach of the year.
HAROLD THOMPSON -
Thompson was named principal at East Junior High School in 1971, a position he held until becoming athletic director of Joplin R-8 Public Schools in 1976. During his 10-year run as Joplin’s AD, Harold saw the emergence of girls’ athletics and consolidation of the Parkwood and Memorial High Schools in 1985.
In addition to his scholastic coaching duties, Harold spent his summers directing Joplin’s junior golf and tennis programs. Starting in 1955, Harold headed the junior programs for 20 years and helped develop many of the city’s young golfers and tennis players.
Harold also launched a city-sponsored youth basketball program and also served as a youth baseball coach.
JACK BELK -
In 19 years of competition at the Greentop and Ozark Speedway tracks in Joplin, Jack Belk finished out of the top 10 drivers points only once (1953). He had six first-place finishes (1951, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1966, and 1967) and was second four times (55, 56, 62, 64, and 65). He also finished third twice, fourth twice, sixth twice, and 10th once.
Jack won seven season championship races at the Ozark Speedway in 1955, 1960, 61, 63, 65, 66, and 67. He shared the title in 1966 with Dean Roper.
JACK HOLDEN -
During his lengthy tenure as a teacher in Joplin, Jack assisted the athletic department as a public address announcer and kept the basketball scorebook at countless games played by the Joplin Eagles and Parkwood bears.
Jack has been a loyal friend to many high school and college athletes and others in the field of athletics. When the Joplin Sports Authority launched the Hall of Fame, Jack was one of the persons named to the nominating committee because of his involvement in athletics for so many years.
STEVE PATCHIN -
Steve Patchin, a 1968 graduate of Joplin High School, received a scholarship to the University of Missouri after batting .457 his senior year in high school.
Steve was a member of the first freshman class eligible for varsity baseball. A catcher, he started every game except one as a freshman, batted .397 and led the Big Eight Conference in home runs and runs batted in.
He was named NCAA District 5 All-American as a freshman and sophomore. He started every game as a sophomore and junior and was named to Who’s Who in College Sports in 1969.