Hope falls eternal

For some, it’s the blooming redbuds and pitchers and catchers reporting, but for me, the world springs to life when the trees shed their leaves and basketball practice begins. You may find paradise in the left field bleachers on a sunny day. For me, heaven is a warm gym on a cold winter night.

It was with that sense of anticipation that I walked into Mizzou Arena on Friday night for the Black and Gold Scrimmage. I was only able to stay for the first half, so I won’t offer a full report (and anyway, you can find recaps here, here, here and here), but the first thing I noticed was how fast everything moved on both ends of the court. On defense, we saw pressure all over the floor, including an extended, trapping zone in the half-court. Offensively, it was a far cry from the ponderous pitch-it-around-the-perimeter game we’ve seen so much of in recent years. The theme was attack, attack, attack. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was consistently entertaining, and it suits a roster that isn’t exactly teeming with players known for their skills in traditional offensive sets.

There’s little point in judging players based on such a small sampling, but a few things stood out. First, as widely reported, point guard Stefhon Hannah, a junior college transfer, looks like a complete player, and the telepathy that he and Marshall Brown seemed to share in the opening minutes called to mind the chemistry Wesley Stokes and Rickey Paulding knew during their brief time as teammates. Freshman guard Keon Lawrence also turned heads with his ability to get inside the lane, draw contact, and still finish despite his spindly, spidery frame (though Monday’s news that he’ll be lost for several weeks with a stress fracture to his foot is a kick in the gut). When Lawrence first committed to Mizzou a year ago, someone close to the process told me that he was a little like former Iowa State star Curtis Stinson, with a knack for getting past defenders and scoring in unorthodox ways. Keon certainly showed that on Friday night. Mizzou’s other Lawrence, sophomore guard Matt, made impressive use of the most elegant three-point stroke seen around here since Kareem Rush left for the NBA. And finally, junior forward/center Kalen Grimes looks to have dropped several pounds without losing his ability to dunk the ball very hard.

While the conventional wisdom says that this group will struggle in coach Mike Anderson’s first season, for optimists like me, hope springs eternal. The non-con schedule is hardly a murderer’s row, and real opportunity exists for any team in the Big 12’s north. While Kansas should run away with the league – they have more talent than the division’s other five teams combined – there’s hope for any team that can establish itself as the north’s next best squad. In essence, Missouri, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State and Nebraska are going to play a round-robin tournament, and if any of those clubs can go 6-2 or better against the other four, it could win 20+ games and/or sneak into the NCAA Tournament. Kansas State seems to be the consensus pick to finish second in the north, especially with Cartier Martin back from suspension (and with super prospect Bill Walker potentially joining the team in December), but the Cats have a new (if accomplished) coach and an unproven roster. Nebraska and Iowa State also break in new coaches, and neither boasts a wealth of talent (Iowa State was stung by the early departures of Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock), and Colorado will go through the season with a coach who has already announced his resignation. And though the Buffs return Richard Roby, one of the league’s top players, they lose six of the top nine players from last year’s team. If Mike Anderson’s Tigers can get it together more quickly than the other members of the topsy-turvy north, this season could surpass the guarded expectations of most of Missouri’s faithful.

Random notes: John Cooper was on campus over the weekend, and was honored at the annual Alumni-Faculty Awards dinner. Dr. Cooper, who is 94, won the Big Six scoring title in 1932, and made college basketball history by being the first player to employ a jump shot. After graduating from Mizzou, Dr. Cooper went on to a distinguished career in academia, where he was a pioneering force in the field of kinesiology. . . . I bumped into Gary Link at Faurot Field on Saturday, and though he graduated thirty-two years ago, Link looks like he could still play ball. I bet he hasn’t gained a pound in the past three decades. Gary, who gave me a fantastic interview for my book, is one of the most loyal and enthusiastic supporters of the University I have ever met. . . . I also saw Jim Dinsdale at the stadium, but that’s not unusual; I see him everywhere. Dinsdale, who played for Sparky Stalcup and Bob Vanatta in the early 1960’s, is an ardent supporter of Mizzou, and he shows up at countless events in Columbia and Kansas City. . . . By now, you’ve heard that Red Auerbach died this past week at 89. During his legendary career, Auerbach succeeded at almost everything he tried. One of the few things he couldn’t do was to convince former Missouri star Bill Stauffer to play in the NBA. The Celtics drafted Stauffer in 1952, but military service beckoned. Upon Stauffer’s discharge, Auerbach met with the Tiger legend to try to entice him to Boston. But at a time when NBA paychecks were just a tiny fraction of what they are today, Stauffer was eager to begin his career in the newspaper business, and he politely declined the offer.

Two toes left

A sure touchdown pass dropped. Blam! Interception. Blam! Fumble. Blam! Defensive holding extends a drive. Blam! Punt blocked for safety. Blam! Roughing the kicker. Failure to convert four chances inside the two. Personal foul after a third down stop. Blam! Blam! Blam!

Over the past twenty years, I’ve seen a lot of bad Missouri football teams self-destruct, but I grew numb to it. Watching a good one repeatedly shoot itself in the feet in a winnable game is much more agonizing. I’m making my first trip to Lincoln, Nebraska in a quarter century next week. A victory there would surely ease the pain.

Time to fire this thing back up

Sorry for the long dormancy here. The flu has gone through my house like lightning and I've had some other projects to keep me busy (I've achieved a certain minor fame in Philadelphia, but that's a story for another time). I promise to do better in the coming weeks.

For those interested in getting a signed copy of True Sons, we'll be in the Hearnes Center fieldhouse before the Missouri-Oklahoma football game, at an MU Alumni Association event. Feel free to stop by (and buy).

If I can get to Columbia in time tonight, I'll be at the Black and Gold Scrimmage, and I'll have thoughts about it in the coming days. I'd also be ridiculously remiss not to write some ode to this remarkable football season.

This date in Mizzou history

September 20, 1969: After Air Force takes a 17-16 lead with just 33 seconds remaining in the game, the Tigers scream down the field -- thanks mostly to a 56-yard pass from Terry McMillan to John Henley -- and Henry Brown kicks a field goal to give Missouri a 19-17 victory in the season opener. The Tigers go on to capture a share of the Big Eight title, earning a trip to the Orange Bowl.

This and other stories can be found in Todd Donoho and Dan O'Brien's MizzouRah! As I understand, only a few copies are left, so get yours soon.

So the guy says “I’ll sell you my talking dog for fifty bucks” . . .

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of dining at a table that included, among others, Norm Stewart and ESPN SportsCenter anchor John Anderson. Many stories were told, and up to one-third of them may have been true. We heard what Abe Lemons said to Howard Cosell at Madison Square Garden, the psychology behind Henry Iba’s bed checks, and how Johnny Orr can tell vulgar stories in mixed company with impunity. It was the first time I had met Anderson, who is a terrific guy and a proud and active Mizzou alum. And given that you’re reading this page, I probably don’t have to tell you how cool Coach Stewart is.

The next day, I had the similarly pleasurable experience of seeing the football Tigers demolish Ole Miss. I like this team.

Chuck Denny, 1934 – 2006

The Missouri basketball program lost one of its own this past Thursday when Chuck Denny succumbed to ALS at the age of 71. More details can be found here.

Denny arrived at the University of Missouri from Fayette, Mo., as an ungainly six-foot-six center, and he bided his time on the bench behind the great Bob Reiter until his senior year of 1955-56. By then, he had blossomed into a rugged inside presence who would anchor the middle for a team built around perimeter stars Norm Stewart and Lionel Smith. Denny’s career highlights included a 23-point performance in an 85-78 victory at Kansas on February 6, 1956 (the Jayhawks’ first-ever loss at Allen Field House), and a 20-rebound effort four weeks later in a triumph over Kansas State. He closed his career with 23 points in a victory over Nebraska as Mizzou took second place in the Big Seven standings.

The condolences, thoughts and prayers of many Tiger fans are with the family of one of Mizzou’s true sons.

Meet Mike Anderson (and me) in KC

The Kansas City Chapter of the MU Alumni Association holds its annual picnic and auction this Friday, August 25, at the Pavilion at John Knox Village in Lee's Summit. Mizzou head basketball coach Mike Anderson will be among the honored guests, and I'll be there signing copies of True Sons. Always a great event, this year's auction includes several autographed pieces of Missouri basketball, Missouri football and Kansas City Chiefs memorabilia, plus a wide array of other items, from a one-week stay at a Hilton Head condo to the entire sixth season of MacGyver on DVD (and who wouldn't want that?).

If this guy likes the book . . .

"When I was reading this account that has been well documented, it became apparent to me – that even with my age, historical knowledge, and close contact with the Missouri program for 53 years – that the book brings out historical facts, individual situations, and games that I found interesting, amusing, and educational. For instance, did you know that Missouri was judged to be the best team in the country in the days before the national championship was decided by a tournament? . . . The first twenty years gave me more insight into the history of Missouri basketball. From the ’26 period on, it was a renewal of names that I had the good fortune to know. Not just at Missouri, but at the other institutions. Some of those faces I still see and am fortunate enough to have a cup of coffee with on a regular basis. I must admit that with all the enjoyment and appreciation I left a tear on some of the pages."

Norm Stewart, from the foreword to True Sons, A Century of Missouri Tigers Basketball.

True Sons in Borders Bookstores

I'm pleased to announce that True Sons will be available at Borders Bookstores in Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield within the next few days. Central Missouri Tiger fans can already find the book in Columbia at University Bookstore, the Tiger Team Store, the Ninth Street Bookstore and the Missouri Shirt Company, and at the Downtown Book and Toy Store in Jefferson City.

For Kansas City-area Tigers, we'll have the book for sale on Friday, August 25 at the annual picnic and auction of the Kansas City Chapter of the MU Alumni Association. As always, the Master of Ceremonies will by KMBC-TV's Larry Moore, and Tigers head coach Mike Anderson will be there, too. I'll be signing books, and I hope to meet some of you there.

Or you can buy online.

It’s S against the world

After wandering through the alpha-numeric maze of the top 100 players and Mizzou A to Z, I began contemplating how dominant the letter S has been in Missouri’s basketball history. Coaches Stewart (634 wins), Stalcup (195) and Snyder (126) have combined for 76% of the program’s 1,392 total victories, and the Tigers’ six retired jerseys – Stauffer, Stewart, Smith, Stipanovich, Sundvold and Smith – make for an alliterative alliance of All-Americans. Number nineteen in the alphabet, number one in your hearts.

So here’s the unanswerable theoretical question of the day: If I form a team of Mizzou’s past players whose surnames start with S (at the peaks of their careers), and I give you everyone else, who wins a mythical game?

Here’s my starting five: Willie Smith and Jon Sundvold (guards), Norm Stewart and Doug Smith (forwards), and Steve Stipanovich (center). Here’s yours: Melvin Booker and Anthony Peeler (guards), Derrick Chievous and John Brown (forwards), and Arthur Johnson (center). My team’s starters were ever-so-slightly more decorated during their playing days, but your team has the advantage off the bench, with the likes of Ricky Frazier, Al Eberhard, Kim Anderson and Larry Drew. We’re playing one game for all of history’s marbles. Who wins?

True Sons is out!

It’s my pleasure to report that True Sons, A Century of Missouri Tigers Basketball is out and available for purchase. True Sons recounts the full history of the program, from the formation of the first team in 1906, to the hiring of coach Mike Anderson 100 years later.

Visually, the book is spectacular, which I can say without a trace of immodesty. The credit goes to the editorial and design team of Kathy Sheridan, Lynn Parrott and Scott Rule, who laid out and beautifully reproduced over 300 photos spanning the full century of Mizzou hoops. In the course of writing the book, I collected similar histories of some of the top programs in the country, and none can compare with the look of True Sons.

For those who preordered the book, shipping should start immediately (for those who ordered copies signed by Norm Stewart, those will be shipped as soon as the coach can sign them). It will also be available in the coming days (if not already) at the University Bookstore, the Tiger Team Store and the Ninth Street Bookstore in Columbia, and the Downtown Book and Toy Store in Jefferson City. We anticipate having the book in selected stores around the state in the coming weeks, and I’ll have details as they’re available. We’ll also sell the book at special events (like the alumni association Kansas City chapter’s annual picnic and auction on August 25) and at home football and basketball games throughout the year. For now, though, the easiest way to order is to buy online.

Deadline extended

The deadline for MUAA members to order a copy of True Sons signed by Norm Stewart has been extended to August 9.

Time is running out . . .

MU Alumni Association members who would like a copy of True Sons signed by Norm Stewart need to order before August 1. A great Christmas gift for the discerning Tiger fan.

Tigers A to Z

After the full-out assault to finish the book (it’s at the printer now, thank you very much), I find myself momentarily mentally drained, spent, creatively bankrupt. But regular readers of this page demand content, and so let’s reach into the vault for something I wrote a couple of years back for Tigerboard. Tweaked ever-so-slightly to bring the previous piece up to date, I give you the tops in Missouri Tigers sports history, from A to Z.

A is for Accomplishment, and it’s also for Alternatives. On one hand, we have Ben Askren, an All-American and absolute animal, the reigning national wrestler of the year and the top mat-man in Tiger history. On the other, we have Al Abram, who led the basketball team in scoring and rebounding in 1959, and led a revolution when he broke the color barrier in Mizzou athletics. Askren and Abram share the A for their historic efforts.

Some killer B’s have buzzed about in black and gold, from John Brown and Phil Bradley to Herb Bunker, Melvin Booker, and Chester Brewer, none of whom rate as our next letter carrier. Who could better Booker, Bunker and Brewer? Tom Botts. In 26 years as head coach, Botts led the track and field and cross country squads to ten conference titles and the 1965 NCAA indoor track and field national championship.

Though shot putter extraordinaire Christian Cantwell could chuck him a country mile, C belongs to Derrick Chievous, who scored 18% more points than any other Tiger hoopster. D, on the other hand, demands no debate. D is simply Devine.

E stands for Everything, which is what George Edwards was to Mizzou over parts of five decades. After playing basketball, football and baseball for the Tigers before World War I, he returned to Columbia in the Roaring Twenties and served at various times over 30-plus years as basketball coach, golf coach, tennis coach, assistant football coach, athletics director, sports information director, and professor and chair of the physical education department. That might be enough to warrant two letters but for the immovable object in the next spot. F is reserved for the father, the founder, the favorite son of Ol’ Mizzou. F is for Faurot.

Bruce Geiger merits consideration for our next letter by virtue of playing on the 1961 Orange Bowl champs, and he gains bonus points for allowing me to marry his daughter. But a major deduction for routinely schooling me on my own pool table opens the door for Mel Gray, Missouri’s all-time G-man, a champion sprinter and brilliant wide receiver who starred for years in the NFL.

For anyone who ever witnessed her fluid, explosive grace, there’s no doubtin’ Mary Houghton, one H of a gymnast. Late 1980’s basketball hero Byron Irvin was cool personified, but nothing’s cooler than Ice – Harry Ice – the 155-pound halfback formerly famous for gaining 240 yards on eight carries against Kansas in 1941, but now known as the preeminent I of the Tigers. Keeping up with the Joneses is a popular pastime, but keeping up with quarterback Corby Jones proved nearly impossible. For leading Mizzou’s late 1990’s football mini-renaissance, Jones earns the J.

K is for Natasha Kaiser, a two-time Olympian and six-time All-American sprinter, while L is a toss-up between Kaiser’s teammate Teri LeBlanc, a record-setting heptathlete-pentathlete-sprinter, and Ed Lampitt. We’ll let them wrestle for it, which gives the decisive edge to Lampitt, the grappler who captained Mizzou’s squad to an undefeated 1968 season and later earned a place in the national Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Though he belongs more to Wisconsin than to us, Walter Meanwell – Missouri’s M – won 94% of his games in two championship seasons as Tiger basketball coach, a brief detour on his way to becoming a charter member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. In Mizzou’s sporting history, N might as well stand for Next-to-Nothing. Not a single N in the MU Hall of Fame, nor among all-conference performers in football or men’s basketball. So let’s celebrate the post-graduate achievement of Martin Nash, whose Tiger career (1938 to 1941) was nice enough, but nothing compared to being a member of 1948’s golden U.S. Olympic basketball team.

O! what a quandary! Onofrio, Olivo and O’Liney are obvious options, but we’ll pick a palindrome and go with Otto – not hard-nosed fullback/linebacker Gus, but hard-throwing, hard-hitting pitcher/DH Dave, an All-America player and scholar in the mid-1980’s. In picking a P, we proffer a preference for Anthony Peeler, a pinpoint passer, prolific pilferer and prodigious point-producer who ranks first, first and third, respectively, in Tiger hoop history in assists, steals and scoring.

In Tiger lore, the letter Q hasn’t given us much quantity or quality, just one substantial Quirk – Ed Quirk, our Q – a bone-crushing fullback whose Missouri career, interrupted by service in World War II, preceded four seasons in the NFL. R, on the other hand, is rife with candidates from Andy Russell to Kareem Rush, but none is as synonymous with past glories as Johnny Roland, the do-anything All-American offensive and defensive back from the 1960’s.

A serious question for John “Hi” Simmons, Bob Simpson, Sparky Stalcup, Bill Stauffer, Bob Steuber, Steve Stipanovich, Anton Stankowski, Dave Silvestri, Willie Smith and Doug Smith: Would it be too much to ask for one of you to change your name to Xavier or Xylophone or Xanax? While S presents the deepest field in this whole shebang, it’s also a no-brainer. Here’s the rule. If you’re an All-American basketball player and a national champion baseball player who returns home to coach the basketball team to a boatload of conference championships over a 32-year run, you make the list. The man with the S on his chest is Norm Stewart.

With apologies to superstar swimmer Susan Tietjen and pigskin pioneer Ed “Brick” Travis, the most prominent T in Tiger history isn’t a person, it’s an idea hatched in the diabolical mind of Don Faurot. Our T, the Split T – unveiled by Faurot in 1941 – introduced the option play and revolutionized college football.

Though golfer Stan Utley was utterly amazing and women’s hoops star Evan Unrau was simply unreal, U is for Ray Uriarte, a first team All-American at third base in 1958. And with mid-term elections looming, let’s acknowledge that V is for Vogt, Paul “Deerfoot” Vogt, the high-jumping, high-scoring center who helped lead Missouri basketball to regional and national prominence at the time of the first World War.

W is a paradox in and of itself. One letter, three syllables. And the choice for W’s letterman is no less paradoxical. Gridiron greats Wehrli and Winslow continue to maintain high fame despite being mere consensus All-Americans, while the clear but hardly obvious choice – 1921 national basketball player of the year George Williams – rests in peaceful obscurity.

If Christmas can be Xmas, our X-man can be Pitchin’ Paul Christman – err, Xman – the golden boy of the first golden age of Mizzou football, and the third-place finisher in the 1939 Heisman Trophy balloting.

Who is Y? In the higher-profile sports, the pickings get slim toward the end of the alphabet, thus giving us opportunity to branch out and recognize someone who gave considerable sweat for comparatively little glory, like Margaret Yanics, who all but owned the volleyball record book at career’s end in 1988.

And zowie, what to do with Z? Zig-zagging Brad Zmith? Zharp-zhooting Jon Zundvold? Just in ze nick of time comes freshman pitcher Rick Zagone, who helped the baseball team advance to this year’s NCAA super regional, and who stands to become ze staff ace next zeason for the Tigers of Ol’ miZZou.

Semi-Random Index Entry of the Day

Tate, Corey
245-246

OT: Oh no he Zididn’t!

As Bill Buckner will testify, legacies can change in a millisecond at fate’s cold caprice. Had Zinedine Zidane’s wicked overtime header in Sunday’s World Cup final sailed just a little to the left or right, it would have skidded past the Italian goalkeeper’s hand and into history. Zizou would have stood as the hero of two World Cups, short-listed for the title of second greatest player ever.

Instead, Buffon’s fist foiled the volley, and minutes later Zidane lowered his stubbly dome and tried to drive Marco Materazzi’s breastbone through his backbone. Now Zidane retires not simply as the player of his generation, but as a much more complicated figure, a great player for sure – World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 cemented his stature – but also the author of the most famous and infamous moment in soccer’s history (you had a nice run, Hand of God, but it’s over now). No one will ever again think of Zidane without thinking of how he lost his cool and his country lost the Cup.

More than just his personal legacy, I can’t help but wonder what Zidane’s meltdown means for American soccer. I’m no soccer die-hard, but I enjoyed this tournament immensely, and it helped expose curious stateside fans to the international game like no event before (the 2002 Cup’s effect was blunted by its wee hours kickoffs, and 1998 was an eternity ago). A dramatic overtime goal could have provided a breakthrough moment for the beautiful game; instead, potential converts saw an ugly and confusing outburst overshadow the event, the kind of thing you’d expect from a Don King Production, not the globe’s dominant sport. And if fence-sitting fans weren’t won over by the World Cup, they certainly won’t be wowed by the middling MLS (I watched part of the Kansas City-Colorado match on Saturday night, and it was an orgy of ineptitude). When Zidane put his head on the ball in overtime, he had a chance to boost the game in the U.S. But when he stuck it in Materazzi’s chest, he just added to the murky confusion that has enveloped American soccer for so, so long.

Twenty-two Skidoo

It’s funny the things you notice after you’ve looked at something a few hundred times. Over the past few weeks, as I pored over proofs for the book (the last step before printing), one number seemed to jump out of every photo. Though I’ve not been sufficiently motivated to do a thorough comparison to other numerals, the number 22 is almost certainly the most accomplished number in Missouri hoops history. Norm Stewart wore 22 as a player in the mid-1950’s, and it was retired in his honor in 2001. In the interim, a slew of stars and charismatic role players donned the pair of deuces to great effect for Mizzou. They include Win Wilfong (who immediately preceded Stewart), Sonny Siebert, Joe Scott, Ray Bob Carey, Dave Pike, Larry Drew, Steve Dangos, Moon McCrary, Nathan Buntin and Lamont Frazier. An awfully impressive group.

Can anyone come up with a number that tops it? Forty-four might be a good place to start . . .

Mizzou Century: The Complete List

Here it is, the full list. As I look it over, I see some things I might change a little, but nothing drastic. And the precise order was never that important to me (Do I really think that Joe Scott was ever so slightly better than Ron Coleman, but not quite as good as Med Park? No, not exactly). The main thing was to stir up memories of some of the best players from throughout the first century of Missouri basketball, and if in the process, some of you learned about True Sons, well, that’s OK, too (the book is about to go to the printer; it should be available in mid-to-late August). This exercise was great fun for me. I hope you've enjoyed it, too.

1. Steve Stipanovich
2. Doug Smith
3. Willie Smith
4. John Brown
5. Derrick Chievous
6. Anthony Peeler
7. Norm Stewart
8. Jon Sundvold
9. Ricky Frazier
10. George Williams
11. Bill Stauffer
12. Al Eberhard
13. Melvin Booker
14. Kim Anderson
15. Larry Drew
16. Herb Bunker
17. Arthur Johnson
18. Charlie Henke
19. John Lobsiger
20. Arthur “Bun” Browning
21. Craig Ruby
22. Kareem Rush
23. Curtis Berry
24. Thornton Jenkins
25. Dan Pippin
26. Byron Irvin
27. Jevon Crudup
28. Kelly Thames
29. Bob Reiter
30. Don Tomlinson
31. Jim Kennedy
32. Clarence Gilbert
33. Marshall Craig
34. Henry Smith
35. Ray Bob Carey
36. Paul O’Liney
37. Fred Williams
38. Rickey Paulding
39. Med Park
40. Joe Scott
41. Ron Coleman
42. Lee Coward
43. Wendell Baker
44. John Cooper
45. Nathan Buntin
46. Norman Wagner
47. Greg Cavener
48. Lionel Smith
49. Bud Heineman
50. Jeff Strong
51. Malcolm Thomas
52. George “Pidge” Browning
53. Clay Johnson
54. Bob Price
55. Al Abram
56. Blaine Currence
57 & 58. George Flamank & Ned Monsees
59. George Bond
60. Brian Grawer
61. Keyon Dooling
62. Albert White
63 & 64. Mike Sandbothe & Greg Church
65 & 66. Derek Grimm & Jason Sutherland
67. Gene Jones
68. Max Collings
69 – 71. Greg Flaker, Mike Griffin & Mike Jeffries
72. Sonny Siebert
73. Jeff Warren
74. Phil Scott
75. Gary Link
76. Jimmy McKinney
77. Charlie Huhn
78. Lynn Hardy
79 & 80. Denver Miller and Kenneth “Duke” Jorgensen
81. Gary Leonard
82. Lamont Frazier
83. Jesse “Mule” Campbell
84. Mark Dressler
85. Dan Bingenheimer
86 & 87. Marvin “Moon” McCrary and Prince Bridges
88. Ken Doughty
89. Thomas Gardner
90. Carl “Curly” Ristine
91. Julian Winfield
92. Win Wilfong
93. Scott Sims
94. Travon Bryant
95. Clay Cooper
96. Gary Garner
97. Tom Johnson
98. Bill Ross
99. Chris Heller
100. Stan Ray

Mizzou Century: No. 1 – Steve Stipanovich

A transformative figure in Mizzou hoops history. Under Norm Stewart’s guidance, John Brown had led a resurgence for Tiger basketball, and Willie Smith had briefly elevated the program to a more national significance. But more than anyone, Steve Stipanovich symbolized the rise of Missouri as a consistent power and a dominant presence in the Big Eight conference. A preternaturally-skilled 6’11” center from St. Louis, Stipo shared his four seasons at Mizzou with Jon Sundvold, the dead-eye shooter from Kansas City, and collectively, their achievement was stunning. They made Mizzou the only program ever to win four straight Big Eight championships, capturing the crown in each year of their careers. They led the Tigers to 100 victories, the best four-year run in school history. And Missouri achieved its first-ever number one national ranking in their stellar junior season. Individually, Stipanovich was a revolutionary player. A powerful post presence with a shooting touch to twenty feet, Stipo started all 31 games as a freshman, led the team in scoring, and was named Big Eight Newcomer of the Year. The next year, he set a school record for blocked shots. As a junior, he made his first All-Big Eight team. As a senior he made his second, in addition to being named Big Eight Player of the Year, earning various first and second team All-America honors, breaking his own blocked shots record, outplaying national player of the year Ralph Sampson head to head, and averaging 18.4 points and 8.8 rebounds. He also earned a spot on the Academic All-American team. At the end of his career, Steve Stipanovich owned the Missouri record book, ranking first all-time in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots (he now ranks fourth, third and second, respectively, in those categories). Truly, a Tiger for all time.

Mizzou Century: No. 2 – Doug Smith

A starter and double-figure scorer his first two seasons, 6’10” Detroit native Doug Smith erupted as a junior. In the process of leading the Tigers to a Big Eight championship and the top of the national polls, he was named Big Eight Player of the Year, won the league scoring race, earned second team All-America honors, and blistered Nebraska for 44 points (the second highest total ever by a Tiger). Despite the lure of the NBA – and an NCAA investigation-turned-probation for the Tigers – Smith returned for his senior season and won his second straight Big Eight Player of the Year award and another scoring title (averaging 23.6 points and 10.4 rebounds), in addition to yet more All-America recognition. In his last hurrah, he propelled the Tigers to the 1991 Big Eight Tournament title, capturing MVP honors with 92 points and 30 rebounds in three games, a sweet cap to a season marred by the NCAA's post-season ban. Doug Smith closed his career as the only Tiger ever to collect 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. A truly dominant interior player, Smith ranks second in points scored (2,184) and rebounds (1,053), third in blocked shots (129), and fourth in steals (178) in the first century of Missouri basketball.