Hall of Fame
Bayer was the head men's basketball coach at Gannon for four years, from 1966 through 1970. Bayer replaced Jim Harding at Gannon after coaching four years at Steubenville, where he compiled a 67-33 (67 percent) record, and defeated Gannon five times in eight meetings. At Gannon, Bayer compiled a 79-30 record for a .725 winning percentage, leading his teams to post-season tournament play three of the four years he was there. His 79 victories placed him second on the all-time victory at the time of induction, behind Dick Fox, who coached for six seasons. Bayer's greatest asset was his recruiting, bringing such players to Gannon as Glen Summors, Al Chrisman, Ron Johnson, and Larry Daly, all members of Gannon's Hall of Fame. Bayer's best season at Gannon was the 1968-69 team, which finished 24-6, advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, and was ranked nationally the entire year. Bayer, a native of and former all-stater at Farrell, Pa., had a successful coaching career at Nevada-Las Vegas after leaving Gannon in 1970.
