hiː ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd fɹʌm spɹˈɪŋfiːld hˈaɪ skˈuːl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈoːɹ ænd ɐtˈɛndᵻd sˈʌðɚn stˈeɪt kˈɑːlɪdʒ ɪn spɹˈɪŋfiːld wˌɛɹ hiː pɑːɹtˈɪsᵻpˌeɪɾᵻd ɪn sˈɛvɹəl spˈoːɹts.
He graduated from Springfield High School in 1964 and attended Southern State College in Springfield where he participated in several sports.