Missouri Sports Hall of Fame to honor Poplar Bluff golf program

Updated with official announcement.

The Poplar Bluff High School golf program will be joining the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, the school district announced Friday.

R-1 Athletic Director Kent Keith said in a statement that he received a letter Wednesday from the MSHOF Executive Director Jerald Andrews with the news.

“It gives us great pleasure to recognize your contributions to Missouri sports,” Andrews said in the letter.

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame announced Tuesday that the Class of 2021 will feature the Mules golf program, along with Cape Central and Southeast Missouri State standout basketball player Pat Colon, the late Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker; Dayton Moore, Kansas City Royals general manager; angler Edwin Evers and Mark Lamping, former president of the St. Louis Cardinals; among others (see below).

Enshrinement will be held Sunday, January 31, at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.

“This is not only an honor for Poplar Bluff Schools itself, but for the whole town,” Keith said.

The Mules have won six state championships in golf among 19 top-four finishes at the MSHSAA championship tournaments. Poplar Bluff has produced 27 players that have earned all-state honors, including four individual state champions — Craig Caringer, Brent Pennington, Tyler Hillis and Colby Robertson, who won the state tournament twice.

The enshrinement is scheduled to take place Sunday, Jan. 31, the district said.

While the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes, teams and programs throughout the state, Poplar Bluff will be only the third high school golf program recognized, and first boys program. The Smith-Cotton High School girls golf program was inducted in 2019 while the Notre Dame de Sion girls golf program was honored in 2020.

Poplar Bluff natives Derland Moore and Eddie Moss were inducted in 2004 and 2016, respectively, while Gene Bess was inducted in 2006 and again in 2016 among the Hall of Fame’s Legends.

The Three Rivers Raiders men’s basketball teams from 1979 and 1992 were honored in 2016.

Joe Scott was honored in 2013 as a basketball player at Gainesville High School and the University of Missouri, and in 2016 with the President’s Award.

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is located in Springfield and features over 4,000 items of sports memorabilia and exhibits.

Poplar Bluff has more top-four finishes at state than any other public school trailing only Rockhurst, which has won 14 state championships, and Pembroke Hill’s nine.

Poplar Bluff won its first state title in golf in the fall of 1938 when the team, coached by E.T. Peters finished four shots ahead of Kirkwood. Hillis Ponder placed second, six shots behind the individual medalist, while Ralph Striegel tied for 12th.

The Mules finished fourth the following year and again in 1959 and 1977.

Led by Caringer, who won medalist honors, and Robbie Davis, who placed ninth, the Mules won the 1980 state title by 11 strokes. They defended their title the following year as Caringer and Mike Hall earned all-state honors. Dave Porter coached the Mules.

Poplar Bluff placed second in 1982, 10 shots behind Rolla, as Caringer and Bobby Godwin tied for third. The 1986 and ’87 Mules placed third with Pennington winning individual honors in ’86 by one shot.

Ben Godwin and Danny Cashman earned all-state honors to lead Poplar Bluff to the 1988 title, beating Liberty by 10 shots under coach Bruce Powers, while the 1989 Mules finished second.

Robertson won the tournament by seven strokes as a sophomore in 1994 as the Mules finished second by a stroke to St. Joseph Central.

The following year, the Mules won the team title by seven shots as Robertson placed third and Derek Rahlmann tied for fourth.

The Mules defended their title in a rain-shortened 1996 state tournament by nine strokes. Robertson won at 1-under-par and Andy McCulleum tying for ninth.

Bill Caputo, who took over the program in 1990, said in a statement from the school that he was approached by Tom Hoover and Buddy Godwin about the job. He said the talent development has always been a community effort, pointing out that students are allowed to play for free at Ozark Ridge Golf Course and Westwood Hills Country Club.

“I was more of a supervisor than a coach. That’s about the extent of my [contribution]. I was brought along for the ride,” Caputo said in the statement. “I’m just honored to be a part of it.

“It’s a real honor for our community.”

Billy Pyland has been the Mules coach since 1996. During that time the team has qualified for the state tournament 15 times with 13 district championships and won 10 of the 18 conference titles.

Poplar Bluff finished second at state in 2005 and 2007, third in 2004 when Hillis won the tournament as a freshman, and 2012. The 2010 Mules placed fourth, losing a tiebreaker.

Pyland credited parents and members of the community for their dedication and support of the players, calling them “the driving forces” behind the program.

A sponsorship table of 10 is $1,500 and includes perks such as a poster (drawn by artist Dayne Dudley), an autographed by individual inductees and recognition in the printed program and at the table. An individual ticket is $150. Numerous sponsorships are available, including congratulatory ads, trading cards and 20-month calendars. For more information, call 417-889-3900.

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The Class of 2021 consists of:

• Derrick Thomas, Chiefs linebacker

• Dayton Moore, Royals GM

• Edwin Evers, Angler

• Mark Lamping, Former President of the St. Louis Cardinals

• John Roderique, Webb City football coach

• Bobby Allison, Springfield philanthropist

• Dennis Heim, Monett & Missouri State football standout

• Jim Middleton, Basketball coach

• Alex Hall, Kickapoo & Drury basketball standout

• Jim Whytlaw, Swim coach

• Missouri State Sugar Bears

• Dan Boever, Golf Long Driver & Entertainer

• Pat Colon, Southeast Missouri State basketball standout

• Poplar Bluff High School Boys Golf Program

• Paul Evans, Missouri State pitching coach

• The Mizzou Football Chain Crew

• Tom Mast, Sports Media

• Warrensburg High School Cross Country Programs

• Ron Clawson, Warrensburg coach

• Bryan Blitz, University of Missouri soccer coach

• Cookie Rice of Ozarks Coca-Cola/Pepper – the President’s Award