1990
Missouri Basketball Coaches Association
Hall of Fame Induction
Richard Fairchild
A 28-year veteran of the coaching profession, Richard Fairchild has
complied a .661 winning percentage with an overall record of 463 wins
and 237 losses. He began his career in Skidmore, Missouri, then spent
six years in Oregon, Missouri, where he won two conference
championships, three district titles, and placed fourth in the state.
After a year at Nishna Valley, Iowa, Fairchild led Treynor, Iowa, to
five consecutive conference titles, four district championships, placed
second in state once and fourth in state twice. He returned to Missouri
in 1974 and during his 14-year tenure at Chillicothe High School the
Hornets win five district championships, 11 district titles, and one
state championship, and made five other state tournament appearances
while coaching nine teams with 20 or more wins.
Max Hayes
While coaching for several years in the Sherman, Kansas, community
schools, Max Hayes complied a record of 163 wins, 42 losses, and one
undefeated Kansas State Championship in 1959. He began his stint as head
basketball coach at Center High School in Kansas City in 1961, where he
spent 19 years as boys' coach and doubled as girls' coach from 1982 to
1987. Hayes twice led the boys' teams to state championships; once in
1965 and again with an undefeated in 1976. He took the girls' team to
the state title in 1983.
Burl "Bud" Henderson
After playing basketball at Southwest Missouri State University for Andy McDonald, Bud Henderson started an illustrious coaching career of his own beginning at Mt. Vernon, Missouri-- a school that did not even have a gymnasium. When the gym was built in 1929, the basketball program was started from scratch and his team lost all but the last game of the season during that inaugural year. Two years later they won the championship. Henderson spent two years at Monett before moving on the Bagnell High School in 1933 where the still played on a dirt court. The following year, the new facility at School of Osage was completed and Henderson spent the next 24 years compiling a winning percentage of over .700 in the past 13 years Henderson's teams had a record of 264-77.
Erv Leimer
Erv Leimer began his 32-year coaching career at Bismark High School in
1942. He led the Indians to the Missouri Championship with a total
enrollment of only 84 students when the tournament consisted of only one
class. After a year at Brentwood High School, Leimer initiated the
basketball program at Lutheran Central and had a five-year winning
record of 97-52. He spent three years at John Burroughs High School
before beginning the basketball program at Priory in St. Louis. In 1958
Leimer carried the game of basketball to Parkway Central where he guided
his team to a 16-year record of 241-187 and a career coaching record of
467-286.
James Nelson
Jim Nelson served as head basketball coach at William Jewell College
from 1950 to 1968 during which time his teams won 298, lost 200, and won
seven conference championships, three district championships, and
participated in the NAIA tournament in 1957, 1960, and 1962. His 1960
team finished fourth in the national tournament. In 1981, Nelson became
the William Jewell women's basketball coach and so far has led the Lady
Cardinals to three conference championships and to district competition
four times. His overall record is 432-306 for a .585 winning percentage.
Arvel Popp
After graduation from Southeast Missouri State University in 1938, Arvel
Popp began his coaching career with a three-year stint in Puxico,
Missouri. After a year at DeSoto and six years at Dexter, Popp moved on
to Crystal City High School in 1948 where he won 474 games and lost 229.
Sixteen of Popp's teams went to the state tournament with one second,
third, and forth place to finish credit. While at Crystal City, Popp
instructed future U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, who went on to become an
All-American at Princeton University and a Naismith Hall of Famer.
Claude Samson
Claude Samson's success as the boys' and girls' basketball coach at
Northeast Nodaway High School is nearly unequalled. His boys' team won
15 conference championships and nine district titles. They won seven
final four state tournament appearances, including three second place
finishes, for a total record of 536-129. The northeast Nodaway girls had
similar success with an .880 winning percentage and a 556-67 record.
This unbelievable run includes 16 conference titles, 12 district
championships, a 78-game winning streak, and three
undefeated seasons. In 10 Final Four state tournaments
appearances the Lady Blue Jays have six state titles. Samson's combined
career coaching record is 1,199 victories against 239 losses for a
winning percentage of .833.
Robert Sechrest
Robert Sechrest's coaching career began with four years at Van Buren
High School and a record of 8-41. After a 26-5 year at Thayer, Sachrest
coached at Flat River High Schooll for six years before spending 24
years a Mineral Area College. In addition to compiling a 465-273 record,
he was chosen three times as Regional Coach-of-the-Year. He served on
the player selection committees for both Pan American Games and the
Olympics in 1970-1980 and was assistant basketball coach for the gold
medal-winning U.S. team in the World University Games in Mexico City in
1979. He also was the assistant basketball coach with the NJCAA all-star
team in Brazil and Argentina.
Charles "Chuck"
Smith
In 1959, Chuck Smith moved into the collegiate coaching ranks at
his alma mater, Washington University, and in six years his teams
complied an 84-59 record. They reached the NCAA College Division finals
in 1965. For a single year at Central Missouri, Smith led the Mules to a
14-8 season and a second place finish in the MIAA. He began 13 years at
the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he complied a record of 171
wins and 143 losses. His 1969 team was in the NAIA finals and the 1972
team reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II tournament. Two
of Smith's players at Washington University and three at UM-St. Louis
were all-Americans.
Don Williams
Don Williams spent his entire 32-year coaching career at Paris,
Missouri High School coaching both boys' and girls' basketball teams. In
28 years, the boys' teams complied a record of 434-261 while the girls'
have a 12-year record on 177-88. Williams' boys' teams have seven
conference titles, three district championships, three final four
appearances and one undefeated season to their credit. The girls can
claim five conference titles, three district championships, and one
second place state finish. His overall combined record is 611-362,
giving him a .650 winning percentage. This small school with a present
enrollment of 181 produced five all-state players (including Williams'
son Mitch) and eight players who have gone on to play college
basketball.