Norman Barry: The High School Coach Who Won an NFL Title!

Since the Arizona Cardinals began in 1899, the team has captured just two NFL titles and both were in the pre-Super Bowl era. In fact, the last championship won by the Cards was in 1947, 75 years ago this season. Unfortunately, that is the longest “non-winning” title streak by any professional team in any sport! An even more obscure question might be to identify the coaches of those teams.

While the name of Jimmy Conzelman, who led the Cards to the 1947 title, might be more familiar, especially with his membership in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recalling the name of the 1925 mentor might be a bit of a challenge.

As the years, and the decades, have swept past, the ultimate successes of the Cardinals have largely been forgotten—especially the initial crown that was awarded to the club way back in 1925.

In this episode of “When Football Was Football” on the Sports History Network, we’ll examine the unique life of the high school coach who piloted the Cardinals to the 1925 title while coaching a local prep team at the same time. If that was not enough, he also coached a military team on the south side of Chicago while simultaneously taking on those other two coaching responsibilities!

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The subject of our program is Norman Barry, who was so judicious with his time that it is not surprising that he was also an attorney who rose to the position of Judge of the Superior Court in Chicago where he served alongside of another Cardinals’ legend, Judge Duke Slater!

Barry’s athletic experiences began at the University of Notre Dame where he was literally a “lifer.” Back in the early part of the 20th century, Notre Dame also offered educational opportunities at both the grade school and the high school levels. Including the time spent on campus for his collegiate career (and a year in law school), Barry attended school in South Bend, IN for a total of 13 years.

Win One For the Gipper!

A native of Chicago, Barry initially made an impact with the Notre Dame football team in 1917. In November of that year, the Indianapolis News reported: “Norman Barry, a young Chicago man, was used at right halfback in signal practice.

He made several flashy end runs in the fourth quarter against M.A.C. (Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State), including a 50-yard jaunt for a touchdown.” The Irish finished with a 6-1-1 record in the final year of Jesse Harper’s Notre Dame coaching stint.

Barry was also a member of the Notre Dame track and baseball squads, but his first love was football. During his time at Notre Dame, Barry was a friend and teammate of the infamous George Gipp, the ill-fated running back immortalized by the phrase “Win one for the Gipper.”

In an interview in 1980, Barry fondly recalled Gipp: “He was a wonderful guy. He never hurt anybody. He was easygoing…He hung around with older people, with gamblers. He loved to play cards, pool, billiards. He was good at everything.” The two players were so close that Gipp served as the “best man” at Barry’s wedding.

Barry Ripped and Cut His Way Through Obstacles

Barry and Gipp paced Notre Dame to a 3-1-2 mark in 1918 under new coach Knute Rockne before the team posted identical 9-0 records in 1919 and 1920. Both of those last two seasons brought Notre Dame acclaim as the often-mentioned national champions in the days before playoffs.

In a 13-10 win over Indiana on November 13, Barry was praised for his efforts by the Indianapolis News: “Norman Barry continued his brilliant charging that caused the downfall of Indiana.” The Indianapolis Star added: “Barry simply ripped and cut his way through obstacles in a manner no Notre Dame man had been able to do.” Gipp, of course, was the true star of this team, but the presence of Barry in the backfield provided able blocking and additional rushing power when needed.

Following his graduation from Notre Dame in 1921, Barry assisted with spring football drills at the school and continued with his law studies. But in the fall of 1921, Barry was signed by the Chicago Cardinals and played a prominent role in a 27-0 win over the Racine Horlicks. “The end running of Norman Barry, former Notre Dame star, was featured,” said the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Then surprisingly, it was announced on October 20 that Barry would leave the Cardinals to focus his efforts on coaching the De LaSalle High School football team in Chicago. This was not an unexpected decision since pro football in 1921 did not offer guaranteed riches or even lasting fame.

The league was still struggling to attract both fans and recognition, so it was understandable that Barry would seek a more solid foundation for his coaching career.

Surprise Move to the Packers

But then, another surprise popped up later when Barry showed up in the lineup for the Green Bay Packers in that team’s inaugural NFL season. His impact was immediate stated the Journal Times: “Norman Barry, Notre Dame’s star half, has been doing notable work for Green Bay.

Already this season he has returned two punts for touchdowns.” What was odd about Barry’s decision to switch to the Packers was the additional travel load he would absorb. Whereas the Cardinals practiced and played just a few blocks from De LaSalle, Barry would now need to travel several hours by train for each weekend game.

After finishing the 1921 season with the Packers, Barry played very briefly with the Milwaukee Badgers in 1922 before retiring from the playing field but continuing to coach De LaSalle. He remained there for 12 seasons through 1932, compiling a nifty 65-26-6 record, a winning percentage of just over 70%! From 1922 through 1924, Barry’s mark at the high school level was an astounding 22-2-2 as he continued to collect Chicago Catholic League championship trophies.

Then in 1925, Chris O’Brien offered Barry the opportunity to move on to the National Football League. Barry agreed to helm the Cards but on one condition: he also wanted to retain his head coaching position at De LaSalle! With great help from Cardinal assistant coaches Eddie Anderson and Fred Gillies, Barry was able to successfully inhabit both coaching positions.

Barry Won Championships on Both Levels

The Cardinals staged a powerful team in 1925, led by future Hall of Famer Paddy Driscoll. Barry, of course, was a very busy man. For example, on November 21, 1925, De LaSalle defeated St. Philip 19-0 to capture another Catholic League crown.

That was also the date of the last appearance for the legendary Red Grange for the University of Illinois. Grange was the acknowledged superstar on the collegiate level in 1925 and he signed with the Chicago Bears immediately after his final college game.

On Sunday, November 22, Barry led the Cardinals to a 14-0 win over the Dayton Triangles, pushing the Cardinals to an 8-1 record. Just four days later, Grange made his NFL debut against Barry and the Cardinals with the two Chicago teams battling to a 0-0 tie. The Cards would finish the schedule with an 11-2-1 league record and the team was awarded the 1925 NFL title.

Until Jimmy Conzelman finished 11-1 during the 1948 season, this was the best coaching mark in team history up to that point. So—at virtually the same time, Norman Barry won championships at both the high school and the professional levels, but there was still more!

Apparently, Barry was also coaching the local 132nd Infantry football squad, which certainly must have led to infrequent appearances at home for the coach during the football season!

In 1928, Barry finally took the Illinois bar exam and began moving towards a full-time occupation in the legal field. The Chicago Tribune summarized Barry’s fabulous career from that point forward: “From 1930 to 1940, he was the attorney for the receiver for closed state banks. He was a lawyer for schools from 1941-1953.”

Barry also served in the Illinois state senate from 1942 through 1953 when he successfully ran for the position of Superior Court Judge. He later became a Circuit Court Judge. Upon his retirement in 1978, Norman Barry did not stand still. Instead, he joined the law firm of Rothchild, Barry, and Meyers. Judge Barry passed away on October 13, 1988, at the age of 89 while still working in his law office.

Among the honors he received in his post-football life were being named to the De LaSalle High School Hall of Fame, the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame, and the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame.

He Was A Hard-Nosed Player and Coach

In 1988, he was awarded the Distinguished American Award from the National Football Hall of Fame Foundation, and he was also honored by the University of Notre Dame with its highest alumni award, the Edward Frederick Sorin Award. A courtroom at the University of Notre Dame Law School was also dedicated in the name of Norman Barry.

In Barry’s obituary, his grandson, also named Norman, said: “According to what I’ve heard, he was a hard-nosed player and a hard-nosed coach who stressed the basics.”

So, the ever-moving Norm Barry will certainly remain as the last Cardinals representative to work as both an NFL and a high school coach at the same time! His legend will endure as one of only two head coaches to lead the NFL’s oldest team to a championship. And, that, indeed, is a rare accomplishment!

Author and Host - Joe Ziemba

Joe Ziemba is the host of this show, and he is an author of early football history in the city of Chicago. Here, you can learn more about Joe and When Football Was Football, including all of the episodes of the podcast.