North-South game will be dedicated to former Bearcats coach Ringer

By Barry Byers - bbyers@heraldonline.com

COLUMBIA -- Jim Ringer, former football coach and athletics director at Rock Hill High School, walked away from football in the spring of 2005, just months after his Bearcats won the Big 16 state championship.

The title was Rock Hill's second in three years, and the one in 2002 was the first of Ringer's long coaching career.

On Monday, it was announced that this year's South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association's North-South All-Star Football Game has been dedicated to Ringer.

Ringer, 61, was informed two weeks ago that the game would be dedicated in his honor but was told to keep the news under wraps until it was released. He fudged just a little and said he almost cried after getting the call.

Ringer, who lives on Seabrook Island, always has been a strong supporter of the game, even after suffering a stroke in September 2005. He missed the North-South game that year for the first time since “way back,” he said.

“I love the North-South game and enjoy going because I get to visit with my coaching friends from around the state,” he said two weeks ago. “To get an honor like this … it is probably the best one I could receive.

“To think of all the deserving people they could have selected and picked me makes it more special. The first state championship was great. The second was right up there with it. But this ranks right up there near the top.”

Keith and Tallulah Richardson were honored last year after they turned the game and his position as president of the South Carolina Athletic Association over to Shell Dula. Frank Howard, Art Baker, Bobby Ivey, John McKissick and Willie Varner are among others who have been honored.

This year's game will be played on Dec. 12, with a noon kickoff, at Myrtle Beach High School's Doug Shaw Stadium.

The rosters for this year's game will be announced at 2 p.m. today.

TICKETS — Rock Hill announced that tickets for the Bearcats' final regular-season game against the South Pointe Stallions on Friday at District Three Stadium will be on sale at both schools beginning on Wednesday.

Tickets are $7 each and will be available in the schools' athletics department office Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be sold Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The winner is the 2009 Region 4-AAAA champion.