February 2, 1948: Detroit, MI:
From LIFE magazine:
The Mustang: Rollie Barrell, the Visionary Sports Mogul
By John Anderson, Special Correspondent
In the heart of Detroit, where the echoes of roaring engines have dominated the city's soundscape, a new symphony is emerging. The score is set by the thumping of basketballs and the cheers of passionate fans. At the center of this melodious spectacle stands Roland "Rollie" Barrell, the mastermind behind the Detroit Mustangs of the Federal Basketball League (FBL).
Born on June 17, 1896, in the bustling borough of Brooklyn, Rollie was destined for greatness from an early age. His father, Rufus Barrell, a renowned baseball scout and co-founder of the Omni Sports Bureau, instilled a love for sports that ran through the veins of the entire Barrell family. As his brothers made their marks in baseball, football and hockey, Rollie found his passion in the world of golf, displaying prodigious talent on the green.
In his youth, Rollie's sporting achievements were impressive. He played both golf and basketball at Noble Jones College, making his mark in the same way as his brothers, albeit in different sports. But fate had different plans for the young athlete. First the war prevented him from participating in the U.S. Open when it was cancelled for 1917 and 1918. He did compete in the 1919 Canadian Open but shortly thereafter a head injury cut short his promising golf career, burdening him with debilitating migraines and affecting his eyesight. Undeterred, Rollie faced adversity with courage, seeking new avenues to channel his passion for sports.
It was during those dark days of World War I that Rollie encountered the love of his life, Frances "Francie" York, herself a talented golfer and the sister of future FABL player, and current Detroit Dynamos manager, Dick York. Their meeting at a promotional golf event supporting war bonds sparked a romance that would endure a lifetime. Married on July 25, 1919, their union bore witness to countless chapters in the annals of sports history.
Rollie's entry into the world of professional football was a momentous occasion. He became a founding member of the American Football Association (AFA) in 1920 and took ownership of the Detroit Maroons. The club has thrived under his leadership, capturing several championships and cementing Rollie's status as a trailblazing sports entrepreneur.
With a vision that transcended fields and courts, Rollie partnered with Brooklyn-based businessman Daniel Prescott to form the original incarnation of the Federal Basketball League in the late 1920s. Although the league faced adversity and was shut down during the Great Depression, Rollie's innovative spirit never wavered. After the Second World War's conclusion in 1945, he joined forces with like-minded businessmen to breathe life into a resurrected FBL, daring to challenge the established American Basketball Conference (ABC) which had started operations in 1937. The ABC had been built on the ashes of the defunct FBL by Prescott and other east coast businessmen and had become, by war's end, a well-established, if intermittently supported, enterprise.
"Our league will conquer in this war for the hearts of basketball fans, mark my words," Rollie declared, his eyes shining with determination. "We're here to make history, to create the kind of organization that North American fans deserve!"
At the helm of the Detroit Mustangs and serving as the League President, Rollie Barrell has emerged as the driving force of the FBL. Yet, he remains grounded, seeking an "outsider" to take the mantle of League President, much like Federally Aligned Baseball League commissioner Sam Belton. "Independence is vital to ensuring fairness and integrity," he explained.
As Rollie orchestrates the Mustangs' journey to success, his daughters, Martha and Alice, stand as a testament to his enduring legacy. Marty, married to Jack McCarver, an assistant coach for the New York Football Stars, carries the family's love for sports into a new generation. Meanwhile, Allie, a high school senior at Detroit's Pershing High School, shows promise in writing her own chapter in the history of sports as she seeks to follow in her father's footsteps. "Allie is quite determined to someday run both the Maroons and the Mustangs," Rollie explained, adding, "And I think she'll do it."
While the Mustangs face challenges on the court, Rollie Barrell remains steadfast in his resolve to elevate the FBL to unparalleled heights. With clubs spread from the east coast to the mid-west, the battle for basketball supremacy between the FBL and ABC rages on. Rollie's indomitable spirit reverberates through the halls of the league, echoing the spirit of Detroit's never-say-die attitude.
The man himself has become a Detroit sports icon. The Maroons are one of the bulwark franchises of the AFA, and Rollie has earned a spot as one of the most powerful voices in that professional football league, one that is facing a challenge of its own in the Continental Football Conference. On that front, Rollie believes there is opportunity: "I can perhaps see a path to a reconciliation between the AFA and CFC, whereby perhaps some of their clubs become AFA clubs."
In the words of Rufus Barrell, the proud patriarch, "The love for sports runs deep in our family's veins. Rollie is a visionary, a man who paints with dreams and turns them into reality. I have no doubt that his legacy will shine for generations to come."
As the world watches, the trailblazer Rollie Barrell continues his quest to reshape North America's sports landscape, leaving an indelible mark on the courts and hearts of fans far and wide. Detroit, the city of innovation, proudly watches its visionary adopted son lead the charge, forever altering the trajectory of professional sports in the Motor City.
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Rollie Barrell, photographed for LIFE magazine, 1948
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