ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The St. Joseph Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016 features the city’s only high school baseball state champion, a former Missouri Western power hitter, and the most prolific softball pitcher to come from northwest Missouri.
On June 25, the 2007 Benton baseball team, Dave Lau and Cheri Kempf will officially be inducted into the St. Joseph Baseball Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony scheduled to begin at 6:35pm at Phil Welch Stadium before the Mustangs take on the Branson Nationals.
The two individuals and one team make up the sixth class to be enshrined.
Kempf earned a place as the hall’s first softball inductee after an outstanding career on and off the diamond.
The St. Joe native began building her resume in 1977 as the MVP of the ASA Girls 13-15 National Championship team in Freeport, Texas. She continued that dominance into her college career at Missouri Western. With a stunning 0.54 ERA for the season, Kempf led the Griffons to the 1982 NAIA National Championship, and was named tournament MVP. Ten years later, she earned a gold medal as a member of the U.S. National Team competing in the World Cup in Beijing, China.
Since her playing days, Kempf’s also worked as a softball analyst for ESPN, Fox Sports, MLB Network, Cox Sports, Comcast Sports and the YES Network. She’s also currently the commissioner of National Pro Fastpitch.
She’s also a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, Missouri Western Hall of Fame and the Missouri ASA Hall of Fame.
Dave Lau enters the Hall of Fame after a playing career that took him to the New York Mets organization.
After graduating from Central, Lau played for the University of Missouri baseball team in 1982. He transferred to Missouri Western in 1983 to begin a stellar run for his hometown school.
Lau picked up second team NAIA All-America honors in 1986, and was NAIA All-America Honorable Mention in 1985. In 1985, Lau hit 12 home runs, which still ranks fifth for a single-season in school history. His 23 career home runs are second all-time in Griffon history.
He signed a free agent contract with the New York Mets in August of 1986, and played three seasons for the organization between the Columbia Mets and St. Lucie Mets. During his first season, Lau hit three home runs and 12 RBIs in 49 games.
In 1998, he returned to Central as the St. Joseph School District’s first softball coach.
In 2007, Benton won St. Joseph’s first and only baseball state championship thanks to a 2-0 win over Sullivan in the Class 3 title game.
Led by 2013 hall of fame inductee, Mike Musser, the Cardinals finished with a 24-3 record. During their run through the Class 3 bracket, Benton outscored its four opponents 32-8.
Seniors Kyle Mason and Tim Brown and junior Johnny Coy were First Team All-State Selections, while Musser was named Class 3 Coach of the Year.
For more information on the St. Joseph Baseball Hall of Fame Inductions, or to purchase tickets for the event, call (816) 279-7856.
— Mustangs Press Release —