For a quarter century, kids on the north side of Springfield learned to play baseball the right way under the guidance of one of the greatest coaches to call southwest Missouri home.
Dick Birmingham took it beyond showing how to grip a bat properly or get into the correct fielding stance or how to snap off a curveball. You want to talk about fundamentals?
“We had practices where he taught you how to put on your uniform correctly,” said Danny Iseminger, the first baseman for the 1979 Hillcrest High School baseball state champions. “We all wore our uniforms the same way. It was down to the details.”
Hillcrest High School’s baseball program, during the Birmingham era of 1960-85, will be recognized on Oct. 1 as an Era of Excellence inductee into the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame. Several of Birmingham’s former players were on hand at the unveiling of the 2024 Class on May 14 at Drury University’s O’Reilly Family Events Center.
Six individuals also will enter the SASHOF during a banquet at the Oasis Convention Center. Those are amateur golf champion Christie Blasi, sports broadcaster Rob Evans, former Missouri State football great Dennis Heim, longtime and just-retired MSU softball coach Holly Hesse, retired MSU men’s soccer coach Jon Leamy and Stan Melton, founder of the MSU club hockey team and a driving force behind the creation of the Jordan Valley Ice Park.
Birmingham produced state championships and draft picks
Hillcrest’s baseball program was a perennial state power throughout Birmingham’s career and even after he retired from coaching the high school program. Birmingham coached Hillcrest from 1960-84, compiling a 309-138 record that included the 1979 state championship and two other state semifinal appearances. He also coached the Hillcrest American Legion program from 1960-74 to a 484-242 record with state titles in 1970 and ’71 and runner-up finishes in 1972 and ’73.
Six players of Birmingham’s 1966 Hillcrest teams were drafted, as were four from the 1972 team.
“When we showed up, everybody was ready to play and that was a credit to Dick Birmingham,” said Mike Keltner, Birmingham’s assistant in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Birmingham’s strict attention to playing the right way was a major reason for the success. Upon retiring from coaching, Birmingham taught baseball camps worldwide. He died in 2014 at the age of 80.
‘In his words, you played like you practiced'
The 1979 team was a special one in that it didn’t have future professional signees, but was Birmingham’s lone one to win a state high school championship. The ’79 team was 84-16 combined in the high school and Legion season, including 24-1 in the spring
Kevin Roepke was one of five senior pitchers and that depth on the mound was a big reason for success.
“We had a lot of experience and competed at a high level for a lot of years, against the best teams out there to get us ready,” Roepke said. He echoed Iseminger’s thoughts about Birmingham’s attention to detail all the way down to how you wore your uniform.
“I remember we wore our full uniform to practice, which you don’t see much these days,” Roepke said. “In his words, you played like you practiced.”
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Players feel honored to recognize their coach's legacy
Birmingham commanded respect and was a big personality with his approach. Outfielder Mike Snodgrass said that sometimes, that rattled opposing teams.
“A lot of players feared coach Birmingham. They feared his wrath, but I didn’t feel our team did,” Snodgrass said. “We wanted to win just as badly as he did. That was the difference between our team and other teams we came up playing against.
“Our freshman and sophomore years, we didn’t have much success. Our junior year we were beginning to come around and senior year it all came together because we had all played together a lot as varsity players. It came together with our great pitching staff.”
Iseminger said the former Hornets are thrilled to be a part of having their legacy — but more importantly that of Birmingham’s — honored by the Hall of Fame selection.
“It’s an honor, just being able to recognize coach Birmingham,” Iseminger said. “He did so many things and cared about the kids as individuals. He wanted to make us better young men and turn into better men. It’s just an honor to see this happen.”
Tickets go on sale this summer
Tickets to the 38th annual SASHOF banquet are $50 and will go on sale this summer. Visit the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame’s website for more information. Proceeds from the event go toward the purchase of sports equipment for Springfield-area youth agencies.
Since it was founded in 1986 by Bonus Frost — who played centerfield for Birmingham at Parkview High School in 1959 — the SASHOF has awarded more than $4.6 million to two dozen youth groups and organizations.
Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet
- When: Oct. 1, 2024
- Where: Oasis Hotel & Convention Center (2550 North Glenstone Ave.)
- Inductees: Longtime and just-retired MSU softball coach Holly Hesse, golf champion Christie Blasi, hockey figure Stan Melton, former MSU football player Dennis Heim, broadcaster Rob Evans, retired MSU men’s soccer coach Jon Leamy and the “Era of Excellence” Coach Dick Birmingham-era Hillcrest baseball program.
- Tickets: $50, more info at The Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame’s website
