Erich Barnes
Encyclopedia
Erich Theodore Barnes (born July 4, 1935 in Elkhart, Indiana
) was an American football
defensive back
in the National Football League
. He was a six-time Pro Bowler. Before the NFL he was an outstanding all around athlete at Purdue University
(1956–58). Barnes was drafted
fourth by the Bears
in the 1958 NFL Draft
and traded to the Giants
in 1961. He tied an NFL record in his first season with the Giants by intercepting a pass against the Cowboys
and returnig it 102 yards for a touchdown
. In the 1962 NFL Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers in New York, the Giants tried to redeem themselves from a 37-0 shellacking by the Packers in the 1961 title game. However, they lost again to Lombardi's Packers on a fiercely windy and cold day in Yankee Stadium. Barnes provided the only scoring for the Giants when he blocked a punt that was recovered by a teammate in the end zone in a 16-7 loss. Barnes was known as a physical player. His trade by the Giants to the Cleveland Browns after the 1964 season further aggravated the demise of a once stellar defense that had already lost standouts Sam Huff
and Dick Modzelewski
, also traded to the Browns and an integral component of their 1964 NFL championship team]] after the 1963 season.
While with the Browns, Barnes was known for standing at the goalpost (then stationed at the goal line) and blocking field goal attempts. A practice later outlawed in the NFL.
Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
) was an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was a six-time Pro Bowler. Before the NFL he was an outstanding all around athlete at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
(1956–58). Barnes was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
fourth by the Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1958 NFL Draft
1958 NFL Draft
The 1958 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1957 and January 28, 1958 .This was the last year in which the Lottery Bonus pick was used.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:...
and traded to the Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1961. He tied an NFL record in his first season with the Giants by intercepting a pass against the Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and returnig it 102 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. In the 1962 NFL Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers in New York, the Giants tried to redeem themselves from a 37-0 shellacking by the Packers in the 1961 title game. However, they lost again to Lombardi's Packers on a fiercely windy and cold day in Yankee Stadium. Barnes provided the only scoring for the Giants when he blocked a punt that was recovered by a teammate in the end zone in a 16-7 loss. Barnes was known as a physical player. His trade by the Giants to the Cleveland Browns after the 1964 season further aggravated the demise of a once stellar defense that had already lost standouts Sam Huff
Sam Huff
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982....
and Dick Modzelewski
Dick Modzelewski
Richard Blair Modzelewski is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He also served as interim head coach of the Browns in the final game of the 1977 season...
, also traded to the Browns and an integral component of their 1964 NFL championship team]] after the 1963 season.
While with the Browns, Barnes was known for standing at the goalpost (then stationed at the goal line) and blocking field goal attempts. A practice later outlawed in the NFL.