Feature /// Denny Hughes
Misouri Sports Hal of Famer: Denny Hughes
Story by: Kary Booher, MSHOF Photography: Hughes Family
- uate to be a freshman football coach and assistant varsity basketball coach, with the baseball coach later asking him to volunteer in the spring. Denny Hughes was in the right spot at the right time. That sum-
- ball after the previous coach left education altogether. That kick-started a life coaching the game, and Hughes made a tremendous impact for more than 30 years. That’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct him with the Class of 2024.
- onships. At one point, they held a state record with 55 consecutive wins. He also won seven conference titles, seven district titles and He later coached Westminster College from 2012 to 2019, with a re-
- ference championship and a conference Coach of the Year honor in 2013. His career includes coaching the 2011 American Legion Post 5 team to a state runner-up and a 26-7 record. He also launched a
50 /// January 2025
youth baseball program in 1995 – he coached it for six years – be- fore coaching USSSA baseball teams from 1996 to 2006. But it all started at Helias Catholic, especially ahead of the fall of In high school, he played basketball and baseball. He was All- State in basketball as a senior, when he earned his second all-con- ference and second all-district honor. He helped both teams to con- ference titles. In fact, he was among the nine Hughes siblings to be ever varsity baseball game in 1975. “I never gave it much thought,” Hughes said of how he established himself. “Possibly the fact that I played basketball and baseball at Helias when I was a student gave me some credibility. I coached some of the ‘baseball players to be’ for two seasons during football and basketball, so they saw my coaching style. Also, I think the season that I volunteered as a baseball coach helped me establish some credibility with our players.”
Hughes’ teams played small ball in the image of St. Louis Cardi- “I’ve always been big on having structured practices that highlighted fundamentals,” Hughes said. “And, probably most importantly, I had
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