Some of the biggest names in KC sports history are in 2023 Missouri Hall of Fame class
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday announced its Class of 2023, and it is laden with stars who thrived in Kansas City, at all levels of competition.
Enshrinement will take place on April 23 at Municipal Auditorium.
“During this enshrinement in Kansas City, we will induct 13 individuals from a wide range of sports, four exceptional sports teams and eras and one dominant program,” Byron Shive, executive director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, said at a news conference. “These inductees represent some of the best in Missouri sports history. “
To start, former Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson, who oversaw a resurgence of the NFL franchise, has won the Hall of Fame’s President’s Award. That is given to “individuals who champion the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and sports in general in the Show-Me State,” the museum said.
Peterson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
This year’s enshrinees also include Matt Besler, who attended Blue Valley West High School, helped Sporting Kansas City win an MLS Cup and represented the United States in the 2014 World Cup.
There’s an Olympian, too: Muna Lee, the former Central High School track star, who competed in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens and the 2008 Games in Beijing.
A World Series champion has been selected. Former Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain, the MVP of the 2014 American League Championship Series, is part of this year’s class.
The Missouri Hall of Fame also will pay tribute to athletes who may not receive national attention but have thrived in Kansas City.
William Jewell’s 2003 women’s soccer team is being inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Cardinals made the NAIA Tournament’s final four and won all 18 Heart of America Conference games.
The Rockhurst football program, which has appeared in 16 state championship games and won nine times, will be honored as well.
A legend on the links is in this year’s class: Karen Schull MacGee. She won a dozen amateur golf titles in Missouri and Kansas and is in the Kansas City Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Kansas City’s university will be represented in this year’s class, too. Former UMKC men’s basketball player Michael Watson is in this year’s class. He is the third-leading scorer in school history after playing from 2000–03.
“How cool is this?” Watson said at the news conference. “And it’s just so awesome. You know, I’m just Rose’s grandson from Puerto Rico. I’m Teresa’s son from right down the street. Just a kid from Kansas City. And so I was floored when I got the call that I was being inducted into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. It’s something you do not think about when you’re playing basketball.”
A pair of longtime journalists are being honored. The Star’s Blair Kerkhoff, who has covered Kansas City sports since 1989, will be part of another Hall of Fame. Kerkhoff is already enshrined in the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame and has been named the Football Writers Association of America’s Bert McGrane Award winner.
Kerkhoff will be joined by broadcaster Karen Kornacki, who has been covering sports for KMBC (Ch. 9) for 40 years.
Here are others who are part of this year’s class.
Vic Bonuchi, a former coach who won two state football and wrestling titles at Excelsior Springs High School
Legendary Barstow tennis coach Tom O’Brien
Heart of America Athletic Conference commissioner Larry Lady
Park University athletic director Claude English
Charlie Burri, the first athletic director at Missouri Western State University
Don Edwards, Jefferson (Conception) High School Basketball Coach
Archbishop O’Hara High School Volleyball Era 2002-2010
Benton High School 2007 Girls Basketball State Championship Team
“It is a very impressive class from top to bottom with each individual, team, era and program well deserving of induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame,” Shive noted.
