Barry Switzer
A maverick football coach whose brash 'Switzer Way' produced an unmatched run of college dominance and a shocking Super Bowl victory.
Born 1937 (age 89)·American football player and coach·Birthday: October 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Barry Switzer coached with a swagger that mirrored his teams' explosive, wishbone-powered offense. Growing up in Crossett, Arkansas, in a turbulent household, he developed a fierce loyalty to his players, often giving them second chances and building a culture described as a 'family.' As head coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1973 to 1988, he compiled a staggering record, winning three national championships and twelve Big Eight titles. His teams were characterized by overwhelming speed and a relentless ground game. Switzer's tenure, however, was shadowed by NCAA violations and player scandals, leading to his resignation. After a five-year hiatus, he made a stunning leap to the NFL, taking over the Dallas Cowboys in 1994. Defying critics who said his loose style wouldn't work with professionals, he guided a supremely talented squad to a victory in Super Bowl XXX, becoming one of the few to win both a college national title and a Super Bowl. His legacy is a complex tapestry of on-field genius, off-field controversy, and an undeniable gift for motivating athletes.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Barry was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Barry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 89 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three national championships as head coach at the University of Oklahoma (1974, 1975, 1985).
- Led the Dallas Cowboys to a victory in Super Bowl XXX in the 1995 season.
- Compiled a .837 winning percentage at Oklahoma, one of the highest in major college football history.
- Won 12 Big Eight Conference championships during his 16-year tenure with the Sooners.
Did You Know?
He is one of only three head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a Super Bowl.
He played college football at the University of Arkansas as a linebacker under coach Frank Broyles.
His autobiography is titled 'Bootlegger's Boy,' a reference to his mother's struggles and his unconventional upbringing.
He was known for coining colorful phrases, including calling the wishbone offense the 'Houston Veer' and famously stating, 'Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.'
“Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.”
