WPHS Cross Country Coach Joe Bill Dixon to be inducted into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
They are among 14 new members of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and will be enshrined Feb. 11 in Springfield. The class to be honored also includes former Kansas City Royals outfielder Willie Wilson: Don Gutteridge, a baseball star from the 1930s and 1940s who played for both the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns; and former Missouri basketball standout Steve Stipanovich. Dixon, who is in his 23rd year as head cross country coach at West Plains High School, also is athletic director and director of transportation for West Plains R-7 Schools. The success of Dixon's teams is unprecedented by anyone in the state. His boys teams have won nine state championships including this year, and girls teams under his guidance have captured six state titles. "I am humbled and overwhelmed a little bit," Dixon said. "I feel like there are other coaches out there that are more deserving." Dixon said he learned of the honor Monday night while watching Ned Reynolds' sports broadcast on television. He said officials of the Hall of Fame attempted to notify him Friday, but he was in Florida attending the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships with Zizzer runner Jason Sandfort. "I am really appreciative on behalf of all the athletes I have coached through the years, because they are what made this happen," Dixon said. "I have had a wonderful association with Richards School (where he began his coaching career in 1969), area rural schools, West Plains R-7 administrators and school boards, and I especially want to thank (former R-7 Superintendent) Wayne Lovan who was my boss 23 years straight. He was always there when I was down." Dixon taught and coached at Richards School nine years, then began duties at West Plains High School in 1978. In his first year of coaching at the high school, Dixon's boys cross country team placed eighth. But the next year the team won the championship. Zizzer boys teams have brought home nine first place state trophies, six second place trophies, four thirds and one fourth. The Zizzer girls have won six firsts, six seconds, two thirds and one fourth since 1985. I never dreamed of anything like this happening to me," Dixon said. "It's a total surprise." Additional article from the West Plains Quill dated Feb. 12, 2001 "I am the luckiest man alive." Reminiscent of the words uttered by baseball legend Lou Gehrig upon his retirement, West Plains High School Cross Country Coach Joe Bill Dixon had the same feeling upon being inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Sunday in Springfield. Dixon, the winningest high school cross country coach in the state of Missouri, was one of 14 individuals from diverse sports backgrounds honored as members of the Hall of Fame's 2001 enshrinement class. Also in attendance were Dixon's wife, Judy, their sons, Greg and Chad, and their wives, Jamie and Jessica, Dixon's sister, Ann Rodenbeck, and her family, plus a large group of Dixon's friends, including co-workers, athletes currently in his cross country and track programs and several former Zizzer runners.
"It's humbling and an honor to be here, " Dixon continued. "I want to thank the Hall of Fame for picking distance running as a sport to be honored." Dixon thanked members of the news media for their support of his cross country program through the years. They included The Quill, KYTV Sports Director Ned Reynolds, sportswriter Anvil Welch of Joplin and sportswriter Scott Puryear of Springfield. "I also want to thank my home town of West Plains," he continued. "West Plains," has stuck with me through thick and thin. And I want to salute the athletes, both former and present. You have made my 32 years wonderful." Dixon thanked his assistant coaches, both past and present, as well as the school's athletic department secretary, Wanda Janzen. In addition to coaching the cross country team, Dixon is the school system's athletic director and transportation director. He thanked Bob Pekarek for his support. "But most of all I want to thank my wife (Judy)," he said. "She has been the wind beneath my wings." He also thanked his children and their wives. In his concluding remarks he echoed the words of Lou Gehrig, baseball's original "Iron Horse" by saying he is the luckiest man alive. "It has been a lot of fun," he added. |
What do West
Plains High School Cross Country Coach Joe Bill Dixon, former St. Louis
Rams Coach Dick Vermeil, former star NFL running back Marcus Allen and
KYTV Sports Director Ned Reynolds have in common?
"I'm
totally overwhelmed and honored to be here tonight," Dixon told
the crowd prior to receiving his plaque from Jerald Andrews, president
and executive director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.