January 23, 2015

Highlighted Year: Charlie Berry, 1925

End, Pottsville Maroons



Age: 23 (Oct. 18)
1st season in pro football
College: Lafayette
Height: 6’0”   Weight: 185

Prelude:
A college star in baseball as well as football, where he was particularly noted for his pass receiving ability, Berry was named to Walter Camp’s 1924 All-American team. He signed a baseball contract with the Philadelphia Athletics after graduation and played in 10 major league games and, in the Fall, joined the Maroons. He was an effective receiver and also placekicked.

1925 Season Summary
Appeared in 10 of 12 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 31 (unofficial)         
Yards – 349 (unofficial)
Average gain – 11.3 (unofficial)
TDs – 4 [1, tied with Hal Erickson & Marty Norton]

Scoring
Rushing TDs – 0
Receiving TDs – 4 [1, tied with Hal Erickson & Marty Norton]
Other TDs – 2 [1]
Total TDs – 6 [5, tied with four others]
Field Goals – 3 [4, tied with eight others]
Extra Points – 29 [1]
Points – 74 [1]

Awards & Honors:
1st team All-NFL: Collyers Eye, Green Bay Press-Gazette

Maroons went 10-2 to finish second in the NFL while leading the league in scoring (270 points), touchdowns (38), and rushing TDs (23). There was controversy as the league penalized the club for playing a prohibited game against a team of former Notre Dame players, thus forfeiting a chance for the league title.

Aftermath:
Berry played one more season of pro football, scoring three touchdowns, and was again a first-team All-NFL selection of Collyers Eye and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. After two years of minor league baseball, he returned to the major leagues in 1928 with the Boston Red Sox and became the club’s starting catcher for the next four seasons. He moved on to the White Sox in 1932 and later returned to the A’s, making his last two plate appearances in 1938 and becoming a coach under owner/manager Connie Mack after his retirement. In addition, he coached football at Grove City College and went on to become both a major league umpire for many years and a NFL official.

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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