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Jack Bill Stewart grew up as a childhood buddy of Herman Keiser. Bill was the first Springfieldian to win the Missouri Amateur Championship in 1953. The 1957 Missouri Amateur final played at Hickory Hills was one of the most exciting to date. Jim Tom Blair was leading Stewart two up with three holes to go. Bill birdied the last two holes to force a playoff. Both players birdied the first two playoff holes. On the third playoff hole, number three at the old Hickory Hills course, Stewart would birdie again winning his second state title.
In 1955 Bill qualified for, and competed in, the U.S. Open held in San Francisco at Olympic Country Club. Par for the course was 70. Jack Fleck was the winner of the Open, while Bill missed the cut with rounds of 83 and 88. Bill contended in several national tournaments such as the U.S. Amateur and Western Amateur. In 1977, he and Bruce Hollowell won the Stephenson Cup at the Trans-Mississippi Amateur.
In 1979 Stewart won the Missouri Senior Amateur the same year his son Payne won the Missouri Amateur. In 1980 Stewart was inducted into the Missouri State University Athletics Hall of Fame for his lettering in golf, football, and basketball. In 1983 he was inducted to the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame. He was the Hickory Hills Club Champion eight times and won the Springfield City Amateur Championship three times. Bill died in 1985 after his fight with cancer.
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