Francis John Hannibal (September 23, 1892 – March 26, 1959) was an English-born Canadian football executive who was president of the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club (now theWinnipeg Blue Bombers) from 1934 to 1936 and in 1941 and president of theWestern Interprovincial Football Union from 1938 to 1939.
Hannibal was born on September 23, 1892 inBristol.[1] His family immigrated to Canada in 1903 and settled inToronto.[2] DuringWorld War I, Hannibal was an officer with theRoyal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. He served with the12th Infantry Brigade and2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade inFrance and was wounded during theSecond Battle of Passchendaele.[3][4] After the War, he worked a sales manager forCanada Bread Company, first inOttawa, then inWinnipeg.[2]
Hannibal moved to Winnipeg in 1930 and began working with the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club soon thereafter.[5] He became president of the team in 1934 and helped build the club that won thefollowing year's Grey Cup.[1] During the 1938 and 1939 seasons, he was president of Western Interprovincial Football Union.[6] He returned to the Blue Bombers' presidency in 1941 and led the team toanother Grey Cup victory.[1] From 1942 to 1944, Hannibal was the president of theManitoba Amateur Hockey Association.[2]
Hannibal was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame in 1984.[6][5]
Hannibal married Johanna Gudrun Hjorleifson on June 26, 1937. They had one daughter. He died on March 26, 1959 while on vacation inMiami.[2]