1961 RECAP
ROLLIE BARRELL
1961 was a challenging year for Rollie. On his 65th birthday, he stepped down as President of the Detroit Maroons. He retained his majority ownership share but, in a decision that enraged his wife, agreed to maintain an advisory role to his surprise successor: his nephew, Fred Barrell Jr. The eldest son of Fred and Tillie Barrell, “Junior” retired from professional golf at the age of 30 to assume the presidency of the Maroons. Rollie and Fred Jr. had grown close during Freddy’s golf career, as Rollie offered encouragement and, in the absence of the young man’s parents (Fred Sr. being stationed in West Berlin), passed on valuable business know-how.
JACK BARRELL
Now retired, Jack Barrell, his wife Marie, and their youngest daughter Vera move to New York City to be closer to their daughter Jean Lee and their grandchildren.
DAN BARRELL
Cal Poly’s football team took a step back in ’61, finishing 5-5, which only added to Dan’s frustration and fueled his desire to take over the coaching reins himself. The basketball squad also finished with a disappointing 15-16 record.
FRED BARRELL
On August 12, 1961, the East German government, with the backing of the Soviet Union, began constructing a barrier around West Berlin, cutting off roads, railways, and pedestrian access between the two halves of the city. As station chief, Fred found himself scrambling for weeks, trying to maintain contact with isolated agents, keep Washington informed, and even assist those trying to escape into the West—often by hanging from apartment windows and dropping into West Berlin. Eventually, the Berlin Wall was completed, replacing barbed wire and makeshift barriers with 12-foot concrete walls, “death strips,” and watchtowers.
TOM BARRELL
Tom’s wanderlust continued to grow in 1961. He briefly spoke with Rollie about succeeding him as the Detroit Maroons’ President, but both men agreed that Tom didn’t have the necessary football knowledge. Rollie instead suggested that Tom consider coaching high school or perhaps college baseball. Although Marla was reluctant to see Tom return to baseball, she realized his discontent would only grow if he stayed away from the game he loved. In 1961, Tom did not pursue a coaching position, but as the new year of ’62 dawned, he began to spread the word that he would be available to coach amateur baseball, ideally somewhere in the South or Southeast.
BOBBY BARRELL
Bobby’s new job at ABC was similar to his old role, except he now worked with a different play-by-play partner. His eldest son was blossoming into a rising star for the Los Angeles Stars, while his younger son chose to attend Coastal California to play football under his uncle, Tom Bowens, and alongside his cousin, George Bowens. With both Ralph and Bobby Jr. now in L.A., Bobby and Annette followed suit, moving there in the fall of ’61.
HARRY BARRELL
After back-to-back World Championships, Harry’s Boston Minutemen fell to earth in 1961, finishing sixth with a 69-85 record. The new ownership saw Harry as a “hold-over” from the previous regime, and after the poor season, it was no surprise that his contract was not renewed. Fortunately, he did not remain unemployed for long: the Pittsburgh Miners quickly snapped him up. An added benefit for Harry was that his son Reid was already playing in the Miners’ organization, albeit still in the minors.
TOM BOWENS
1961 was simply not the Coyotes’ year. Coastal California limped to a 2-8 season, leaving Coach Tom Bowens wondering what had gone wrong. His son, George, was now a junior and among the team’s best players, lining up at end just as Tom once had. George’s solid performance was Bowens’ lone consolation in an otherwise disappointing season.
DEUCE BARRELL
Deuce continued to defy Father Time in his age-43 season, posting a 13-11 record with a 3.94 ERA and helping the Foresters to another pennant. Unfortunately, he lost both of his WCS starts, leaving him with a lifetime record of 5-11 on the FABL’s biggest stage, and his teams were just 3-5 in the Series overall. Despite that, Deuce insisted his arm felt great and, though his fastball wasn’t as quick, he compensated with what he called “craftiness.” He promised to return to Cleveland in 1962 for another go at age 44, though with his son, Tripp, set to start high school that fall, he would not commit to anything beyond the ’62 season.
JAMES SLOCUM
With his uncle Tom taking more of a backseat, James took on an increased business role in running the National Automobile Racing Federation (NARF). This kept him home more often, much to his wife Rose’s delight. Everything with NARF ran smoothly, and the future remained bright.
ROGER CLEAVES
By most standards, Roger’s first year managing at the FABL level was a success. His Washington Eagles finished 84-70 and claimed third place. His players began calling him “Sarge,” referencing his Marine Corps background—Roger pretended to be grumpy about the nickname but was secretly pleased. Meanwhile, his son Dwayne prepared to start high school in the fall of ’62, enrolling at Capital Academy in D.C. and following in the footsteps of many Barrells who had also played there.
CHARLIE BARRELL
To his immense surprise, married life suited Charlie well. Anna was intelligent and beautiful, and though she occasionally tried to boss him around, Charlie was so entranced by her that he sometimes wondered why it had taken him so long to realize it. This new sense of contentment translated to the diamond, where he played 153 of his team’s 154 games, hit .315 with 37 doubles and 28 homers, and played solid (if not stellar) defense at second base. Charlie also found mentoring his cousin Ralph to be rewarding, and the two became close friends.
MIKE BARRELL
Mike served his fifth year in the U.S. Army in 1961. He earned a promotion to Captain, reflecting the high regard of his superior officers. He remained with the 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Bragg.
STEVE BARRELL
Steve continued showcasing a fine all-around game in his fourth season with the Boston Centurions of the FBL, adding a career-best 6.6 assists per game to his 9.0 rebounds and 13.4 points. Though injuries limited him to 59 games, he returned in time for the playoffs. Boston entered the postseason as the Eastern Division’s top team with a 56-24 record, earning a bye into the division finals against the New York Knights. After defeating the Knights, the Centurions’ season ended on a disappointing note in the FBL Finals, where they fell to the Toronto Falcons.
FREDDY BARRELL
Freddy played what he believed to be his final season as a pro golfer in 1961. He left the tour at the end of that year to take his Uncle Rollie’s place as President of the Detroit Maroons football club. This new role meant moving to Detroit, where he had lived as a youngster when his father worked for the Dynamos.
BENNY BARRELL
Playing alongside his brother Hobie, Benny Barrell had a solid 1961-62 season, helping the Detroit Motors repeat as Challenge Cup champions. Nagging injuries limited him to 58 games, in which he scored 16 goals and added 31 assists.
HOBIE BARRELL
Hobie cemented his place among the NAHC’s top players, finishing second only to the Dukes’ Quinton Pollack with 34 goals, 45 assists, and 79 points—even after missing nine games. Detroit placed third in the regular season, but knocked off second-place Chicago in five games in the semifinals and then downed the Valiants in six games in the Cup Finals.
RALPH BARRELL
Ralph turned 21 in April and, in his first full big league season, he blasted 35 home runs, scored 112 runs, and drove in 103 RBIs. However, his average dipped from .325 to .267, and he struck out 128 times. He also grew close to his cousin Charlie, whom he considered a mentor.
REID BARRELL
Reid split 1961 between Class A and Class AA. Offensively, he felt he had a lot to improve, and his coaches agreed. Defensively, he played three infield positions—everywhere but first—but saw the most time at second base. Reid still considered himself a shortstop, so the position changes were a disappointment. His spirits lifted in the offseason when he learned his father had been hired to manage the Miners. Being in the same organization as his dad—potentially playing for him—was a dream come true.
Capt. Mike Barrell, US Army, 1961