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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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Billy Ray Barnes was born in rural North Carolina in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression. From those humble beginnings came a brief but memorable career as an athlete: first in football and baseball at Wake Forest University, then for nine seasons in the NFL.
By the time it was over, Barnes had an sterling resume. He made three Pro Bowls and helped the Eagles win the 1960 NFL Championship, a precursor to the Super Bowl. He coached professional football for eight seasons, the last seven in the NFL. And he was inducted into two Halls of Fame for his exploits as a two-sport star in college.
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Barnes, who died Wednesday at age 90, was remembered as one of the best athletes in Wake Forest history.
"I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Billy Ray 'Bullet' Barnes who was a close personal friend of mine," said Dr. Gene Hooks, the school's former director of athletics. "He was a fierce competitor, a proud Demon Deacon, and someone who represented Wake Forest with class. Billy's passion for the game and loyalty to this University left a lasting mark on all who knew him. He was a great football and baseball player who helped Wake Forest win the 1955 NCAA Championship. He is the most outstanding athlete who ever wore the Old Gold & Black in both sports."
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In baseball, Barnes was a first team All-ACC selection in 1956 and 1957. He recorded the last out of the 1955 College World Series for Wake Forest — the first NCAA championship in any sport by an ACC school, and still the only baseball title in Wake Forest history.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Barnes in the second round of the 1957 NFL Draft. He would start all 12 games at halfback for each of the next four seasons, making the Pro Bowl in his first three.
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Barnes caught a touchdown pass in the Eagles' championship game victory over the Green Bay Packers in December 1960, the only playoff game of his career.
After five seasons in Philadelphia, Barnes moved on to Washington, D.C. for the 1962 and 1963 seasons. An injury wiped out his 1964 season, and Barnes re-signed with the Eagles for 1965. However, he was traded to the Vikings prior to the season, and finished his playing career with two seasons (1965-66) in the Minnesota backfield.
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Barnes retired with 3,421 rushing yards, 153 receptions, and 39 touchdowns. He immediately went into coaching, as the head coach of the Continental Football League's Charleston Rockets in 1968.
After the Rockets went 8-3 in Barnes' only season, the team suspended operations in January 1969. From there, Barnes moved back to the NFL for assistant coaching stops in New Orleans (1969-70, 1975) and Atlanta (1971-74).
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Barnes then went back into the construction business before retiring to his home town of Landis, North Carolina. He was inducted into the Wake Forest University Hall of Fame in 1975 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1979.
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