Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1974
- Class:
- 1903
Thomas Austin Barry '03
Hometown:Â Brockton, MA
Sport:Â Football
Year Inducted:Â 1974
Thomas Austin Barry '03 put on a Frank Merriwell performance in Brown's 15-6 victory over Penn at Franklin Field in 1902, scoring all 15 points on runs of 50 and 30 yards and by booting a 25-yard field goal, the only three-pointer of his career. A swift, elusive runner who was difficult to hold, Barry stayed close to his blockers and when the defensive man made his move to get around the blocker, Barry would dart quickly in the opposite direction. Tom Barry broke into the varsity lineup with a bang as a freshman, sprinting 72 yards for a TD and gaining 192 yards rushing in his first game. The 148-pound speedster had many other long scampers, including a 75-yard punt return for a score against Columbia. Captain of the 1902 Bruins, Tom Barry was a Walter Camp All American second team choice. At Brockton (Mass.) High, Barry played football, basketball, ice polo, and baseball. A brilliant outfielder at Brow, Barry was a pioneer in the art of stealing home. He was never caught at the trick and embarrassed Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale by stealing the plate as a senior. Barry served as head football coach at Tulane in 1904, Bowdoin in 1905, and then, after earning his law degree from Harvard in 1906, he spent two years as head coach at Notre Dame, losing only one game. Knute Rockne later credited Tom Barry with having built the firm foundation upon which Notre Dame football grew. After three winning seasons as football and baseball coach at Wisconsin, Barry returned to Providence and opened a law office. He later served for 30 years as R.I. Secretary of the Metal Traces Association, retiring in 1944. Beta Theta Phi. Tom Barry died on December 27, 1947.
