Nate Barragar
Inducted: 1979
Center: 1931-32, 1934-35
Height: 6-0; Weight: 212
College: Southern Cal, 1927-29
HONORS
- Official NFL All-Pro Team (11-man team, chosen 1931-42): 1932
- Other years selected to an all-pro first team: 1931
An experienced hand when he joined the Packers, Barragar quickly proved himself on both sides of the ball in the days of limited substitution. He was a powerful and dependable offensive center and an active roving center on defense.
Less than two weeks after the Packers acquired him in late October 1931, Barragar made his first of five starts as the team went on to win its third straight NFL championship. At the time, the Packers were deep at center. Rookie Waldo Don Carlos had started six of the first eight games, and veterans Boob Darling and Jug Earp started the other two. Thereafter, Barragar started all but one game as the Packers finished 12-2 and won the title based on league standings.
Barragar retained the job in 1932, starting eight of 11 games, before taking a sabbatical in 1933 to grow his sporting goods business in Los Angeles. The Packers announced he was returning to the team on July 26, 1934. Barragar resumed his role as starting center that season and for five games in 1935.
While his career with the Packers was brief, Barragar was selected to at least one all-pro team following each of his first two seasons and made a second team after each of his final two. That was at a time when an all-pro team consisted of only 11 men. Barragar also provided versatility. He filled in at guard in his first game with the Packers in 1931 and made one start there in 1934.
"He was a heck of a center," said former teammate Herm Schneidman. "You know how they warm up before a game and run about 10 yards? He'd run 50 yards each time and be yelling, 'Come on, come on, the ball is up here.'"
The Packers announced they had acquired Barragar from the Frankford Yellow Jackets on Oct. 29, 1931. He had started his pro career with the Minneapolis Red Jackets in 1930, but when they folded in early November of that season, he was sold with several other players to Frankford. Frankford sold him to the Packers just before it folded during the 1931 season. In his four years with the Packers, Barragar played in 40 games and started 27, all but one at center.
Following his football career, he became a Hollywood movie director and worked on such films as Gunga Din, Hondo and Sands of Iwo Jima.
Born June 3, 1907, in Dearing, Kansas. Given name Nathan Robert Barragar. Died Aug. 10, 1985, at age 78.
- By Cliff Christl
