Brian Barnes
High School Honors
2 football letters: 2nd Team All-PIL as a senior. On PIL Championship teams two years. Team Captain. Offensive MVP of Shrine Game.
2 basketball letters: 2nd Team All-PIL as a senior. Team Captain.
1 baseball letter.
1 tennis letter.
Post-High School Career
Oregon State University, 1962-67; B.S. degree in Social Science. Played freshman football and basketball.
J.D. degree from University of Oregon, 1970.
Practiced law for 42 years; 20 years as a prosecuting attorney in Roseburg and Eugene. Served as a Deputy District Attorney in Douglas County for four years and in Lane County for 16 years.
Received many community service awards.
Inducted into the 2018 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame with other players on Eastbank Saloon Master’s basketball team, which one dozens of National and World Championships in Master’s Age Group Basketball. Received 14 All-American or All-Tournament awards in the Master’s Basketball National Championships in Florida.
Retired from Master’s play at age 81 after playing 21 years in the World Service Games.
Commentary
Like most kids, I started playing sports in grade school. I liked it and got pretty good. Later at Jefferson High School, I was lucky enough to have two legendary coaches in Tom DeSylvia (football) and John Neely (basketball). They took interest in me and taught me not only physical skills but also qualities that are necessary to excel like dedication, hard work, preparation, always give 100%, don’t quit and teamwork. And I’ve had some great teammates over the years, some of which are old friends and two that I played against in grade school, high school and college — and are still playing with me on the 80+ East Bank Saloon masters basketball team. (They will probably be going on without me I’m thinking).
Lessons learned in sports have without doubt carried over to my everyday life. And while I may have had some good moves playin' ball, the best move by far I've ever made is marrying Sherrill Morse 61 years ago (Jefferson Class of 1963). I credit her with keeping me alive and well! We’ve had a great life together, no small part of which has been traveling the USA and all over the world for masters basketball tournaments, now going on 32 years — with Sherrill as my biggest fan.
Life Is Good.
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