Athletic Hall of Fame 2004 Inductees

Ernie Anselmi, 1952

Attended Central High School in Kansas City. Participated in football and track, earning three letters in football and two in track. During summers through high school, played Ban Johnson League Baseball in Kansas City.

Enrolled at Baker in the fall of 1947 and became a starter late in his freshman season for the Wildcat football squad and Coach Karl Spear. During his four years at Baker played both guard and tackle on offense and nose guard and linebacker on defense. Lettered all four years at Baker and was selected as an honorable mention all-conference player and later, as a senior, as an all-conference team member.

Was named a member of Tom Harmon’s Little All-American Team and was invited, though declined, to attend the Los Angeles Rams’ Football Camp.

Graduated from Baker in 1952 with a degree in economics and a minor in business administration. On campus, was a member of the “B” Club and the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, where he served as president for two years.

After graduation worked for the IBM Corporation for 18 years. During his career became one of IBM’s top-10 salesmen in the nation, won a national sales contest and served as a guest instructor at the National Sales School for new hires. Additionally during his career worked with Inland Office Products as a regional manager and later ROM Corporation as a product manager. Retired in 1993 but continues to work for ROM on special projects.

Joined the Leawood Kansas Fire Department as a volunteer fireman in 1964. Graduated from one of the first EMT classes and was certified in Johnson County. Served as the Leawood captain of the rescue squad for 15 years. His squad in 1982 was selected as the National Small Department Rescue Squad of the Year. Retired from the Leawood Fire Department in 1989 after 25 years of volunteer service.

Was elected to the City Council of Leawood in 1986 and served two terms.

Married classmate Frances (Ginger) Newman, who passed away in 1989. They had three sons, Kent, Kurt and Kyle.

Kevin Alewine, 1986

Attended Oak Grove High School in Oak Grove, Missouri. Wrestled, participated in track and played football where he was a starter and leader on offense. In 1985, only three years after graduating, his football jersey (No. 35) was retired.

Was recruited to Baker by Coach Charlie Richard. Played all four years as a member of the Wildcat varsity squad. Was selected to the all-conference offensive team as a running back as a sophomore, junior and senior and was the conference’s offensive player of the year in 1984 and 1985. Selected to the first-team all-district team after his junior and senior years. In 1985, after his senior year, was selected an NAIA first-team All-American, an NAIA academic All-American and was Baker’s first Kodak All-American.

Established numerous University records and achieved significant recognition for his outstanding play:

• Having the most 100-yard rushing games in a single season at Baker with nine…Having the most 200-yard rushing games in a career at Baker with four…Set the single season rushing record in 1985 with 1,775 yards — averaging 178.8 yards per game…Holds the Baker record for 19 games in which he rushed for 100 or more yards, including 12 straight games in which he gained 100 yards…Had 3 of the top 10 highest yardage games in University history…Carried the ball 522 times during career for a record 3,704 yards and an average of 7.1 yards per carry…Carried the ball 28 times and gained 306 yards against Missouri Valley on October 12, 1985. This established both a school record which still stands and an NAIA record at the time…was named the NAIA national offensive player of the week after that game…In 1985 was named the most valuable player of the Sunflower Bowl after breaking three bowl records for touchdowns, total rushing and total yards…

• Has taught biology and physical education and coached on the high school level in Missouri at Jefferson City High School and Eldon for the past 14 years. While at Eldon, he was selected as the school’s district coach of the year in 1993. In 2004 was selected as the teacher of the year at Eldon High School.

Met his wife, the former Suzanne Stafford, fs ’88, in 1984. They have three children, Erin, Hayden, and Reagan

Dennis Tull, 1968

Dennis began playing and loving the game of golf at the early age of three. He had his first hole-in-one at Santa Fe Hills Country Club at age eight.

He graduated in 1964 from Center High School, where he lettered in golf for the Center High team and won the conference medalist honors two years. At age 17 he was the runner-up in the Kansas City Golf Association’s Junior Championship Tournament. In that same year, he qualified to represent Kansas and Missouri in the U.S.G.A. National Junior Golf Tournament that was held in Florence, S.C. In 1967, Dennis tied for Missouri Amateur Medalist at Blue Hills Country Club.

He enrolled at Baker in the fall of 1964 and played four years on the golf team for Coach Karl Spear. In 1967, he had the University’s first hole-in-one during a competitive round against Park College and Ottawa University. Baker won that tournament and he was a medalist. He lettered and represented Baker at the NAIA National Golf Tournament all four years. During his senior year he was the Kansas Conference and NAIA District Champion. He also assisted Coach Spear in teaching golf which was offered as a class to fulfill the University’s physical education requirement.

On campus Dennis was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and served as president his junior year. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and sociology in 1968.

Following graduation he has devoted his career to golf and currently serves as President/CEO of Smiley’s Golf Complex in Lenexa, Kansas. Additionally he has developed an international reputation for golf course and entertainment complex design. Through his career, he played with some of the most widely recognized names in amateur and professional golf, including Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino, Dave Barr, Patty Berg, Mike Reid, Bob Tway, Calvin Peete and Gary Halberg. To this day he continues to play golf and competitive tennis.

He is active in his local church and has served as a volunteer leader there for several years.

He is married to Judy and has three children, Jeannine, Julie and Jeff, from a previous marriage.