Althaus inducted into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News

After enjoying 50 years as a journalist, broadcaster and podcast host, I'm still keeping busy.

I write for the Grain Valley News, host the Sonic Locker Room radio show, co-host the Bill and Tony's Excellent Adventure podcast and write weekly freelance game and feature stories for The Examiner - my professional home for the past 43 years (I retired in January).

I have met countless friends in the professional and college ranks, and many were on hand this past Sunday in the banquet room of the Intercontinental Hotel on the Plaza.

With 1,000+ guests in attendance, I became the 21st journalist to be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Yep, I'm a hall of famer, and like you - I can't believe it.

I received a call from Kary Booher, the director of media for the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, a few weeks ago, and he simply said, "Congratulations, you are a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Congratulations."

I wish I would have been sitting down when I got the call, because I was shocked, stunned and thrilled by Booher's comments.

I remember when I was a kid going to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on a family vacation.

Stan Musial, Zach Wheat, Ken Boyer, Len Dawson, Willie Lanier and Otis Taylors are Hall of Famers.

And now, friends and athletes I have covered over the years like George Brett, Frank White, Bill Maas, Nick Lowery, Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer share their plaques and statues with the best of the best dating back to the early 1900s. 

And Sunday, I became the 21st sports writer inducted into this elite group of legends.

What made the night extra special was that my two sons, Zach and Sean, were able to attend (unfortunately my wife Stacy was out of town) along with friends both old and new.

My high school journalism teacher Ron Clemons, who has been my mentor the past 53 years, was there and I believe he enjoyed the evening as much as I did.

And I sat on the dais with my buddy Tim Crone, the orneriest activities director and coach in the history of Blue Springs High School.

And the brightest star of this Hall of Fame galaxy was Mike "Moose" Moustakas, the former Kansas City Royals third baseman who was the heart and soul of the 2014 American League and 2015 World Series championship teams.

In true hall of fame style, Moustakas showed a great deal of emotion during his speech and then stayed after the gala was wrapped up - to sign hundreds of autographs.

I wish everyone I know could experience an evening like this one. There we smiles, hugs, a few tears and more hugs as the evening concluded.

To Kary Booher, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame committee and everyone who thought I was a deserving candidate, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I experienced more than five decades of memories in one night - a night I will never forget.

Bill Althaus, and his sons Zach (left) and Sean (right) are all smiles before the longtime area sportswriter is inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at the InterContinental hotel on the Plaza.
Photo courtesy of Bill Althaus

Bill Althaus received this plaque as he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at the InterContinental hotel on the Plaza.