Patterico's Pontifications

4/25/2009

Coach Bill Barnes, RIP

Filed under: General — Jack Dunphy @ 9:56 am



[Guest post by Jack Dunphy]

The Divine Mrs. Dunphy points out this morning that sometimes you read an obituary and say to yourself, “I wish I had known that man.” You may have that reaction in reading about former UCLA football coach Bill Barnes, who passed away Thursday at age 91. We were blessed indeed to know him, and we will miss him. Few men as kind as he have ever lived.

–Jack Dunphy

2 Responses to “Coach Bill Barnes, RIP”

  1. Thank you Jack,
    I am Bill Barnes’ nephew and I grew up playing baseball and football all the way through the collegient level. My Uncle Bill would come and visit us from time to time and we would throw the ball around the yard when I was a kid. I have had a lot of coaches in my lifetime but, my Uncle Bill always had that special way of making you feel good about yourself. The words of encouragement that came from him always hit home with me in a very special way. He always left you with a sense of accomplishment and it made you try harder. He carried this positive attitude into his life after his coaching career was over.
    He always had a way to bring others around him up a level just by the way he interacted with you. It is truly a gift, and he will be sorely missed by all that he touched. I have never heard anyone speak negatively on this wonderful man. He was truly a jewel of a human being. Thank you again for your kind words Mr.& Mrs. Jack Danphy, I only wish you could have known Bill Barnes for yourself. Rest in eternal peace and God Bless you Uncle Bill. Your Loving nephew, Chris Smith

    Chris Smith (65b53d)

  2. Bill Barnes was one of only 100-odd members of the Alamo Scouts, a special reconnaissance unit in the Pacific. The little-known unit operated behind Japanese lines and I don’t think they ever lost a man. The Army considers them an antecedent of today’s Special Forces.

    Many of the Scouts have gone, and the survivors are now old men. Just a few days ago (22 April 09) the Scouts and certain other WWII – I have to say it – heroes – were inducted Distinguished Members of the Special Forces Regiment.

    I was not privileged to know Coach Barnes personally, but I would like to thank the LA Times’s Chris Foster for a well-done obituary. Lord knows, we give the Times enough grief here (and it usually has it coming), let’s be men enough to show our gratitude when they do their job well.

    Kevin R.C. O'Brien (82fba3)


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