159: Charlie Berry - MLB/NFL

159: Charlie Berry - MLB/NFL

From Sports' Forgotten Heroes by Warren Rogan

July 29, 2025 · 54 min · Episode 159

About this episode

This episode explores the unique sports career of Charlie Berry, who played in both MLB and the NFL and later became an umpire.

Charlie Berry is one of the most unique individuals in the history of sports. Not only did he play Major League Baseball for 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox, he also played in the NFL with the Pottsville Maroons in 1925 and 1926. Pottsville, which owned the best record in the 1925 season to claim the NFL Championship, was stripped of its title (check out SFH episode 158 for more), due to a series of administrative controversies, none of which stemmed from playing the game. After his playing days were over, Berry became an American League umpire and was on the field for Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. In fact, Berry was an umpire for over two decades. At the same time, Berry was also a head linesman in the NFL and was a part of the crew that officiated the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts, the game commonly referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played." On this episode of SFH, we look back at the career of Berry with guest Jeffrey Payne. Companies mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Sports Forgotten Heroes Charlie Berry Cal Hubbard Pro Football Hall of…

People in this episode

Guest: Jeffrey Payne

Topics covered

  • Charlie Berry
  • MLB
  • NFL
  • umpiring
  • sports history

Keywords

  • Pottsville Maroons
  • Don Larsen
  • 1956 World Series
  • 1958 NFL Championship Game

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Sports History Network, Sports Forgotten Heroes, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baseball Hall of Fame

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