“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>University
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>of Missouri “font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>sports pioneer Norris Stevenson was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame last week.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Stevenson was honored at the Sports Enthusiasts Series 2011 Football Luncheon. A former standout athlete at Vashon High, Stevenson became a pioneer at Missouri when he broke the color barrier in football.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Stevenson was the first African-American to receive a football scholarship at Mizzou, where he was a standout running back from 1958 to 1960. In three seasons with the Tigers, Stevenson rushed for 1,174 yards and seven touchdowns.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>As a senior in 1960, Stevenson rushed for 687 yards and five touchdowns in helping the Tigers to the Big 8 Conference championship and a berth in the Orange Bowl. Stevenson was also a standout in track and field at Mizzou.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>After a brief stint in professional football, Stevenson became a track and field coach at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley and Forest Park, where he enjoyed a Hall of Fame career that spanned more than 30 years.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Stevenson’s Hall of Fame induction is the latest in a long line of honors after his athletic career as a player and a coach.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>In 1999, Stevenson was inducted into the Missouri Track and Field Association Hall of Fame. In 2001, Stadium Plaza in Columbia was renamed “The Norris Stevenson Plaza of Champions.” Stevenson was inducted into the University of Missouri Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
