Hall of Fame
Richard P. Barrows, Class of 1929, was a key member of three of Moray Eby's fine football teams at Coe. In Dick Barrows's senior year, the team won the Midwest Conference championship. But Dick Barrows's career in athletics saw its most significant days unfold in his 38 years as an outstanding high school coach. He started coaching at Winterset, Iowa, and then became athletic director at Clarinda, Iowa. During his eight years at Clarinda he had three undefeated football teams with a string of 29 consecutive victories in 1933 through 1935. Three of his Clarinda basketball teams competed in the state tournament finals and his track teams won two conference crowns. In 1938 Dick Barrows moved to Downers Grove, Illinois, where he began a building program in high school sports. His efforts culminated in 1940 when his football team became the first undefeated, untied squad in the history of the school. Newspapers labeled him "the miracle man" of Illinois prep athletic circles. Dick Barrows served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Beginning in 1946 he served as head football coach at Miami Edison High School in Florida and wound up his teaching career as supervisor of driver education for north Dade County, Florida. Dick Barrows was half of one of Coe's many famous twin teams. His twin brother, Ed, was inducted into the Kohawk Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974. Dick Barrows died in Florida that same year, 1974. Coe College does itself honor as it pauses on this day to pay tribute to the athletic achievements and the coaching contributions of this fine man. It is a pleasure for me to nominate Richard P. Barrows for induction into the Coe College Athletic Hall of Fame posthumously.
