Congratulations to PB golf program

Congratulations to the Poplar Bluff Mules golf program on its induction Sunday to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield.

The Mules, who have won six MSHSAA state championships among 20 top-four finishes, are the first boys golf program to be honored. Poplar Bluff has produced 27 players that have earned all-state honors, including four individual state champions.

The players and coaches from the program join fellow Poplar Bluff honorees E.E. “Bus” Carr, Derland Moore, Eddie Moss, Joe Scott, Gene Bess and the 1979 and 1992 Three Rivers Raiders men’s basketball teams.

This is a great honor for everyone that has been associated with the program dating back to the 1930s when E.T. “Pete” Peters coached the team to the school’s first state championship.

Peters was among the very first people inducted into the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame, which was founded 40 years ago this summer to honor our local athletes, coaches, contributors and teams. His plaque, which hangs in the Poplar Bluff Museum, does not mention coaching the golf team among his many accomplishments.

The 2020 Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame class featured a basketball player who was born 100 years earlier, played for the Mules and Peters before playing professionally. Along with Brent Little, Ashley Williams and Craig Caringer, Don Martin was added to the local hall of fame, which now features 96 individuals and eight teams.

Martin died in 1997 and his family was unable to attend the induction banquet in October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were able to watch the event online and were recently presented his plaques (Martin’s son Steven Martin, left, and grandson Andrew Martin are pictured in Goreville, Illinois).

Caringer had previously been honored as part of two state championship teams inducted in 1991. The Mules golf state championship teams from 1980, ’81 and ’88 were honored by the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame as well as several individual golfers, including Tom Hoover, Ben Godwin, Bobby Godwin, Buddy Godwin, James Parkin, Colby Robertson, Becky Hansmann and Sean Fister.

None of this is possible without the tremendous volunteers and sponsors that donate their time and money, as well as the community that supports such a rich tradition in athletics.

On behalf of the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame, thank you for your contributions and congratulations on this honor.

Brian Rosener

President,

Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame, Inc.