05/18/2026
Diamond 9 Honoree - Bob Tuttle:
The baseball program at the University of Central Missouri has long been a NCAA Division II contender, and Tuttle was among those who helped plant the seeds to success. In 1973 and 1974, the Mules’ second baseman earned Honorable Mention and First Team NCAA All-American honors. Additionally, he was All-MIAA four times, including First Team twice. He helped the 1973 squad qualify for regionals and the 1974 team to the College Division World Series. In those seasons, Tuttle led the team in runs scored three times, hits twice and stolen bases twice. UCM can thank former Royals nemesis and Yankees manager Billy Martin, in part, for being in Missouri. His dad, Bill, was an 11-year big-leaguer who was part of a 13-player trade in 1957 between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Athletics, with Bill Tuttle coming to KC while Martin went to Detroit. Tuttle graduated from Raytown High School in 1970 and played three summers in the prestigious Ban Johnson League, winning the batting title and MVP in 1973 two years after earning the Hustle Award. In 2002, he was named to the Ban Johnson 75th Anniversary Team, and was later inducted into the Diamond Club and then the Hall of Fame at UCM. Tuttle joined the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in 1978, spending 42 years there before retiring as a captain in 2021. He served in road patrol, motorcycle, emergency response team and investigations.
Diamond 9 recognizes former All-State baseball and softball players from Missouri high schools, or who earned multiple letters for a Missouri college, or made positive contributions to the game.