Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1996
- Class:
- 1950
John Kadlec, affectionately known as both “Mr. Mizzou” and “Bubbles,” is one of the most-beloved figures in Missouri athletic history to thousands of players, colleagues and fans. He was a fixture in Mizzou athletic circles for more than 40 years in a variety of roles. Kadlec, a native of St. Louis, played a year at St. Louis University before transferring to MU where he was an all-conference lineman in 1950, and was the first person to be pictured on the cover of the football media guide that same year. He served as an assistant football coach at Mizzou under Don Faurot, Frank Broyles, Dan Devine and Al Onofrio. He spent two terms of duty at Kansas State, as an assistant football coach under Doug Weaver and as the Wildcats’ chief fund-raiser. He returned to Missouri in a fundraising role in 1986 and worked in that capacity until 2014. In 1995, an unexpected opening occurred on the Tiger Radio Network crew right before the first game of the season. Athletic Director Joe Castiglione sought out Kadlec to fill the void. John didn’t want to do it, but as a favor to Castiglione he did. He went on to work side-by-side with Mike Kelly in the color commentator role through 2011, and entertained Tiger fans with his homespun humor and analysis of the games. He was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. He was named a Missouri Sports Legend in 2011. The Mizzou practice fields are named in his honor.
