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Nothing but smiles could be seen at Missouri Sports Hall of Fame induction day on Sunday.
15 individuals and four teams making up the class of 2022, joining the ranks of so many greats before them.
“It’s a great list of guys, some Hall of Famers, a lot of guys I played with,” said former Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Lineman, Willie Roaf.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer is among this year’s Missouri Sports Hall of Fame honorees.
Roaf played the final four seasons of his 13-year career for the Chiefs, being named all-pro in each one of those seasons.
He knows the passion of Chiefs Kingdom first hand.
“The Chiefs have a fanbase like a college, LSU and a lot of these colleges that have fanbases that have gone through generations and it’s special to see people that guy to a game every year, a lot of them,” Roaf said.
Click here to watch Willie Roaf’s full interview.
Also headlining this year’s class – former St. Louis Cardinals World Series Champion and seven-time MLB All-Star, Matt Holliday.
“Any time somebody mentions hall of fame, you feel a little bit old, one, and secondly you’re grateful and happy that you had the kind of career that people want to honor or talk about,” Holliday said.
The outfielder played parts of eight seasons in St. Louis, helping the Red Birds win it all in 2011.
“To be part of it is truly special,” he said. “Every day, the importance of it to the city and the importance of it to me to represent our team and this state, you do feel the significance of the Cardinal fanbase and the history of the Cardinals and the Cardinal way.”
Click here to watch Matt Holliday’s full interview.
Retired Missouri State soccer coach Jon Leamy receives the honor, having built the Bears soccer program into one of the nation’s best.
“I just feel honored, so honored,” Leamy said. “It’s just so neat to be connected with this, and it won’t make sense until it’s all over but this has just been the coolest thing.”
Leamy capped his three-decade run with the Bears with the program’s 6th NCAA tournament appearance.
But Leamy knows his love for MSU won’t end with his retirement.
“It’s been our home, it’s been my family’s home and Missouri State will forever be our school and it’s the coolest thing and there’s so much pride. We want them to win the national championship,” Leamy said. “That’s the next step, they’ve been close, we’ve gone to the NCAAs, we’re doing this, now can we take those next steps and take it all the way?”
Click here to watch Jon Leamy’s full interview.
Leamy is joined by another long-time coach who recently decided to call it a career.
Drury’s Steve Hesser coached at Glendale before taking over the Panthers program and leading them to a national championship in 2013.
“I wasn’t expecting it, but it kind of in some ways, it validates what you’ve done in your career to be associated with guys who’ve done a lot more than I’ve done, so it’s a special deal,” Hesser said.
It’s a special deal for a special career full of moments Hesser can reflect on, on the golf course with a little more free time.
“I don’t have the gameday stress I used to have. I still watch a lot of basketball, but it’s been good, just kind of hanging out and being with grandkids and playing a lot of golf in the summer, obviously not right now, but it’s been good,” he said.
Click here to watch Steve Hesser’s full interview.
Another guy who knows a bit about coaching basketball, Jay Osborne joins the inductees’ list.
The Nixa coach has led the Eagles for 30 years, winning a state title in 1999.
“This is such a big honor, and it’s a little bit overwhelming, very humbling but there’s just so many people to thank and I get three minutes in my speech today. There’s no way I can thank everybody, so I’m going to bullet point them and try to get some people in,” Osborne said.
Osborne will finish his Nixa career at the end of this season but says he’s not sure what comes next.
“Basketball is what I do, and it’s kind of scary, you’ve got me thinking about it now that, when I’m done coaching, I might try to get a job somewhere else as a coach, or I might, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said.
Click here to watch Jay Osborne’s full interview.
For now, Osborne can celebrate the well-earned honor with his peers as the newest Missouri Sports Hall of Famers.
Below is the full list of inductees.
- Willie Roaf, Kansas City Chiefs
- Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals
- Forrest Lucas, founder of Lucas Oil, the namesake for Lucas Oil Speedway & Lucas Oil Stadium
- Ken Morrow, a 1980 USA Hockey gold medalist and four-time Stanley Cup champion
- Rich Gould, a Branson native and the longest-serving TV sports director in St. Louis history
- Julie Dorn, a University of Missouri All-American gymnast
- Jay Osborne, the longtime Nixa High School boys basketball coach
- Tim Poe, coach of the University of Central Missouri men’s golf program
- Steve Hesser, former Glendale High School and Drury University basketball coach
- Jon Leamy, the recently retired coach of the Missouri State University men’s soccer program
- Mike Swanson, Kansas City Royals Communications Executive
- Don Peterson, a 55-year scuba diving coach based in Springfield
- Randy Magers, a Missouri State University baseball & basketball standout
- Larry Whiteley, Conservationist & Outdoor Journalist
- 1984-1991 West Plains High School Volleyball Era
- Rick Byers, former football coach of St. Pius X High School
- 1998-2002 St. Pius X High School Football Era
- Grain Valley High School Cheerleading Program
- Helias Catholic High School Boys Golf Program
- Bryan Properties – John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award
- Bonnie Keller – Ace Award
- Craig Curry – President’s Award
