Hall of Fame
John Bringer, a graduate of Palmyra High School, played four years of football for the Bulldogs after entering the university in 1966. He was an All-Conference center in 1968 and a tri-captain in 1969. He played under three different coaches. After graduation, Mr. Bringer entered the Marine Corps and played football on the last All-Marine Corps team at Quantico, Va. He was discharged in 1972. The Hannibal School System hired him in 1973 as a physical education teacher, continuing those duties until 1980. He served as assistant and head football coach, head girls basketball coach and head girls track coach during the first decade he was at Hannibal. His basketball program has two consecutive 20-win seasons and the track team won a district and two conference championships. He transformed a football program that had suffered losing records six of the preceding seven seasons into a program that produced two undefeated teams and had the best regular season record of any team at Hannibal. Mr. Bringer served as Hannibal's athletic director between 1980-84, supervising 43 coaching positions and the implementation of volleyball, softball and girls cross-country. The athletics program grew to a total of 14 sports during his tenure as athletic director. He served as the Hannibal High School assistant principal from 1984-87 and principal from 1987-91. During his tenure as principal, the school district built a 5 million dollar addition to the high school and expanded the high school to four years. Two years ago he became assistant superintendent for the Hannibal system. Mr. Bringer has received a Doctorate in Educational Administration.
