hiː wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn bɹˈeɪmɚ, mɪzˈʊɹɹi, ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd fɹʌm nˈɔːɹθiːst hˈaɪ skˈuːl ɪn kˈænzəs sˈɪɾi, mɪzˈʊɹɹi ænd sˈɛntɹəl mɪzˈʊɹɹi stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪn wˈɔːɹənzbˌɜːɡ, mɪzˈʊɹɹi.
He was born in Braymer, Missouri, graduated from Northeast High School in Kansas City, Missouri and Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri.