BOB TURNER -
Turner shined in a collegiate basketball and baseball career at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He lettered three years in both sports and was named to the All-Southwest Conference freshman basketball team.
He also signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and played with farm clubs in Winnipeg, Canada, and Keokuk, Iowa, in 1961. He played professional basketball with the Battle Creek, Michigan, Braves in the Northern Basketball League in 1967.
For his many accomplishments in golf, the Joplin Golf Foundation inducted Bob into its Hall of Fame in 2006.
GREG CARLTON -
A football and baseball standout at Joplin Parkwood High School, Greg lettered four years in baseball and three in football. The Bears football team coached by Dewey Combs lost only one game during Carlton’s three years, losing to Springfield Glendale on a two-point conversion.
After an outstanding high school and American Legion baseball career, Greg was recruited by Oklahoma University coach Enos Semore and lettered four years for the Sooners. He played left field as a freshman and Oklahoma won the Big Eight Conference title. He moved to third base as a sophomore, played second base as a junior and was shifted back to third for his senior year.
As a junior, Greg led the Sooners in hitting with a .397 average.
MARK TAYLOR -
Taylor was outstanding in track. He was a member of the 1978 memorial team that won the state team championship and ran on state champion mile relay teams as a junior and senior. The mile relay unit medaled during Mark’s sophomore year.
He finished second in the 800 as a senior, posting a time of 1:57.2. That stood as a Joplin record until it was broken by Wade Souza in 2002.
A 1982 graduate of Missouri Southern State University, Mark played football three years for the Lions.
RUSTY SHELLEY -
A graduate of Parkwood High School, Rusty played for two legendary coaches: Dewey Combs in football and Russ Kaminsky in basketball. He was an all-Ozark Conference and all-district selection in football in 1972 and 1973. The Bears won the Ozark Conference championship in 1972.
Shelley received an athletic scholarship to Iowa State University to play football, but transferred to Missouri Southern following his freshman year and played quarterback three years for the Lions of Jim Frazier. Rusty helped the Lions finish as co-champions of the CSIC Conference in 1976.
While at Southern, he earned first-team all-CSIC and first team all-district in 1976 and 1977. He was an honorable mention NAIA All-American in 1976. He currently ranks sixth on Southern’s all-time records for passing yards, total offense and pass completions.
SUSIE SHARP -
Susie Sharp won more than 40 singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tournament titles during her career, but more than all the victories, Susie Sharp was perhaps best recognized for her sportsmanship and kindness to everyone.
In a story by Jim Henry in the Joplin Globe dated July 17, 1986, the writer points out that the entry form for the first Susie Sharp Memorial Tennis Classic summed up Susie Sharp this way: “Players in the surrounding area always considered it a privilege to play with Susie as she not only was a champion but she was considerate and kind to players of all abilities.”