John Barsha Explained

John Barsha
Position:Fullback
Birth Date:25 December 1898
Birth Place:Russia
Death Place:New York, New York, U.S.
High School:Brooklyn (NY) Boys
College:Syracuse
Pastteams:
Pfr:BarsJo20

John F. Barsha[1] (born Abraham Barshofsky, December 25, 1898 – February 18, 1976),[2] was a Russian-American professional American football fullback who played for the Rochester Jeffersons of the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and the Syracuse Pros, who may or may not have been members of the same league. He played college football, basketball and baseball at Syracuse. He was also nicknamed "the Brooklyn Bullet".[3] [4]

Early and personal life

Barsha was Jewish,[5] [6] and his family immigrated from Russia to the United States when he was a small child. He attended Boys High School in Brooklyn, New York. During his senior year of high school, he changed his name from Abraham Barshofsky to John Barsha. According to OrangeHoops.org, he did it to "hide his participation in an unscheduled game that his basketball team played without the coach's knowledge". He lived in Brooklyn, New York.[7]

Barsha also attended the Syracuse University College of Law and worked as a lawyer. He also coached basketball and football at Norwich High School in Norwich, New York.[8] He had two children (son; Jerry, and daughter; Betty Schwartz) with his wife Daisy Ferrari. He died at the age of 78 in 1976.

College career

Barsha lettered in football, basketball and baseball for the Syracuse Orangemen of Syracuse University, serving as captain of both the basketball and the baseball teams.[9] [10] He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and was a magna cum laude graduate of the university.[10] [11]

He lettered four seasons for the football team from 1916 to 1919. He was co‐captain of the 1918 Walter Camp All American football team and named an Honorable Mention.[12]

Barsha played guard on the basketball team. He played in 17 games, starting 16, during the 1917–18 college basketball season and averaged 2.0 points per game. The team finished with a 16–1 record and were later retroactively named national champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation. He played in 16 games, all starts, during the 1918–19 season and averaged 6.1 points per game. Barsha was the team's designated free throw shooter that season. He played in 18 games, all starts, during the 1919–20 season and averaged 3.5 points per game. He was a team captain that season. Barsha played in 51 games, starting 50, during his college basketball career and averaged 3.8 points per game.[13]

He also played catcher on the baseball team.[13]

Professional career

Barsha played in three games, all starts, as a fullback for the Rochester Jeffersons of the APFA in 1920 and scored one rushing touchdown.[14] [15] [1] He later played for the Syracuse Pros.[16] [17]

After his professional career ended, Barsha worked as an attorney.[10]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Johnny Barsha . nfl.com . October 27, 2017.
  2. Web site: 1979 - 1970 Pro Football Necrology List . oldestlivingprofootball.com . October 26, 2017 . dead . https://archive.today/20121205093510/http://www.oldestlivingprofootball.com/19791970necrology.htm . December 5, 2012 .
  3. News: Syracuse Dazzles Brown Eleven . . November 10, 1918 . October 27, 2017 . 36.
  4. News: Ideal Weather for Turkey Day Game . . November 28, 1917 . October 27, 2017 . Sherman, Cy . Cy Sherman . 9.
  5. Web site: Barsha, John . Jews in Sports . October 26, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028021955/http://jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?sport=football&ID=57 . October 28, 2017 . mdy-all . dead.
  6. https://books.google.com/books?id=M1xAAQAAMAAJ&dq=john+barsha+jewish&pg=PA490 The American Hebrew & Jewish Messenger
  7. https://www.nytimes.com/1976/02/21/archives/john-barsha-78-lawyer.html John Barsha, 78, Lawyer, Football All‐America in 1918 - The New York Times
  8. Web site: NHS Sports Hall of Fame Induction: Frank R. Wassung, Coach/Superintendent 1915-37 . evesun.com . October 30, 2017 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171031021126/http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2017-07-21/27186/NHS-Sports-Hall-of-Fame-Induction-Frank-R-Wassung-CoachSuperintendent-1915-37/ . October 31, 2017 .
  9. Web site: Barsha, John . jewsinsports.org . October 26, 2017 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028021955/http://jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?sport=football&ID=57 . October 28, 2017 .
  10. News: John Barsha, 78, Lawyer, Football All‐America in 1918 . . February 21, 1976 . October 30, 2017 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171031021152/http://www.nytimes.com/1976/02/21/archives/john-barsha-78-lawyer.html?mtrref=www.nytimes.com . October 31, 2017 .
  11. News: Athlete and Scholar . The Buffalo Enquirer . March 26, 1920 . October 30, 2017 . 15.
  12. Book: Fifty Years of Football at Syracuse University 1889-1939 . Syracuse University Football history committee . 1939 . 89 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028031015/https://books.google.com/books?id=G2lPAQAAMAAJ&q=%22John+Barsha%22&dq=%22John+Barsha%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwibre7zqpLXAhViwYMKHd6pDU0Q6AEISTAG . 2017-10-28 .
  13. Web site: John Barsha . orangehoops.org . October 27, 2017 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028021954/http://www.orangehoops.org/JBarsha.htm . October 28, 2017 .
  14. Web site: 1920 Rochester Jeffersons . kencrippen.com . October 28, 2017 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028043629/http://kencrippen.com/Jeffersons/1920_Rochester_Jeffersons.pdf . October 28, 2017 .
  15. Web site: All-Time Player Roster: Rochester Jeffersons . kencrippen.com . October 28, 2017 . 3 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028042228/http://kencrippen.com/Jeffersons/Rochester_Jeffersons_All_Time_Player_Roster.pdf . October 28, 2017 .
  16. News: Syracuse Pros Have Heavy Grid Machine . . November 11, 1921 . October 30, 2017 . 16.
  17. News: Barsha To Play Pro Football On Syracuse Team . . September 15, 1920 . October 30, 2017 . 23.

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