Age: 28
7th
season in pro football & with Lions
College: Michigan
Height: 6’0” Weight: 190
Prelude:
Following a
successful college career, Barr was chosen by the Lions in the third round of
the 1957 NFL draft. He played at defensive halfback and returned an
interception for a touchdown in Detroit’s NFL Championship victory over
Cleveland. Barr performed capably in the defensive backfield, receiving
second-team All-NFL honors from the New York Daily News in ’58, until being
shifted over to flanker on offense in 1959. He shared the position with Howard
“Hopalong” Cassady and posted modest numbers, but broke out with 40 catches for
630 yards (15.8 avg.) and six touchdowns in 1961. However, Barr was limited to
six games in ’62 due to a knee injury that required surgery and there were
concerns regarding his health heading into the 1963 season.
1963 Season Summary
Appeared in all
14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 66
[3]
Most
receptions, game – 10 (for 135 yds.) at San Francisco 11/3
Yards – 1086
[4]
Most yards,
game – 135 (on 10 catches) at San Francisco 11/3
Average gain
– 16.5 [17]
TDs – 13 [1,
tied with Gary Collins]
100-yard
receiving games – 6
Rushing
Attempts – 1
Yards – 9
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 13 [2,
tied with Gary Collins]
Points – 78 [7,
tied with Gary Collins]
Awards & Honors:
2nd
team All-NFL: AP, NEA
1st
team All-Western Conference: Sporting News
Pro Bowl
Lions went 5-8-1
to finish tied for fourth with the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL Western
Conference.
Aftermath:
Barr followed
up with another Pro Bowl year in 1964, catching 57 passes for 1030 yards (18.1
avg.) and nine TDs. However, another knee injury cost him half the season in
’65 and he retired. Overall, in nine seasons all spent with the Lions, Barr had
227 catches for 3810 yards (16.8 avg.) and 35 touchdowns. He ran the ball for
151 yards and another two TDs and returned 26 kickoffs for a 25.2-yard average
and a TD and 50 punts for a 5.2-yard average. On defense, he intercepted five
passes. Barr was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of
Fame.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
