From Wikipedia: John Q. Hammons (born James Quentin Hammons on February 24, 1919) is an American businessman and one of the nation's premier developers of upscale luxury hotels and resorts. With over 50 years of experience in the hotel industry, John Q. Hammons has built and developed nearly two hundred (200) hotels. While many of the early hotels were Holiday Inns, today's portfolio of hotels include Marriott brands (Renaissance, Courtyard by Marriott, and Residence Inn by Marriott), Hilton brands (Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites), and several independent properties including those named University Plazas and the award-winning Chateau on the Lake Resort and Conference Center in Branson, Missouri...
Mr. Hammons's interest and fondness for sports began during his childhood years. He played basketball, which was to become one of his life's passions, during all four years of high school. At approximately 5'9" in height, Hammons was not particularly tall, but he could shoot the ball extremely well and was usually the high scorer. He continued his interest in basketball during his teaching years as a junior high school basketball coach. In two years of coaching, his team lost only one game in the first year and went on to be undefeated in the second year. He also played several years on the baseball team during high school and developed a passion for another sport in which he would play a key role in later years.
His passion for baseball culminated in the construction of one of the nation's premier minor-league baseball parks in Springfield, Missouri. At a cost of $32M, Hammons Field opened in April 2004 and is a first-class, state of the art stadium, and serves as home for the Springfield Cardinals. The Springfield Cardinals are a Double A affiliate team of the St. Louis Cardinals and play in the Texas League. In 2006, Mr. Hammons helped fund the 11,000-seat JQH Arena for basketball and special events on the Missouri State University campus."
From plaque:
John Q. Hammons
Born In Fairview, Mo In 1919 To
James O. And Hortense (Bass) Hammons
Attended Fairview Schools And
Southwest Missouri Teachers College
Married Juanita K. Baxter In 1949
Entered Into Hotel Development In 1958 By
Purchasing 10 Holiday In Franchises
Formed John Q. Hammons Hotels - 1969
Funded Hammons Student Center At SMSU - 1976
Constructed Missouri Sports Hall Of Fame - 1994
Developed Highland Springs Country Club
In Springfield, Mo - 1989
Developed Verdae Greens Golf Club
In Greenville, SC - 1990
Missouri Basketball Hall Of Fame - 1992
Developed Tiffany Greens Golf Club
In Kansas City, Mo - 1998
Missouri Valley Conference Hall Of Fame - 2000
John Q. Hammons Foundation Serves As Host To
The Annual Buy.com Tour Event In Springfield And
Senior PGA Tour Event In Kansas City
Recognized As A
Missouri Sports Legend
February 2002