Ronald Barr, born in Utica in 1929, is regarded as the greatest all around athlete ever produced at Utica Free Academy, according to two of his coaches, Fred Collins and Ken Edkins, and longtime Observer-Dispatch sportswriter Les Diven.

He competed for four seasons at UFA, 1944-48, earning 14 varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He started in football in 1944 as a 15-year-old triple-threat halfback, and by 1947, led UFA to an undefeated season and a Central Oneida League Championship.

The Syracuse Herald Newspapers named him Captain and Most Valuable Player of its Upstate New York High School All-Star Football Team in 1947.

As a guard in basketball, he helped UFA capture Central Oneida League Championships in 1947 and 1948, and the Titans eventually made it to the finals of the Stale Tournament, losing to Solvay.

Barr was an outstanding pitcher, sparking UFA to three Central Oneida League Titles. He went on to play three sports as a freshman and earned three letters at SUNY Cortland, but in his sophomore year he concentrated on baseball. In 1950, he signed a Class B pro contract as a pitcher with the Sc. Louis Cardinals. However, that made him ineligible to play college baseball. He left Cortland to pursue minor league baseball. He pitched for three teams, posting a 1-1career record as a reliever. An arm injury forced h is early retirement.

He returned to SUNY Cortland, graduating in 1954. Barr came home and embarked on a 3 I-year career as a teacher and coach at Poland Central and New Hartford Central Schools. In 1963, his Poland baseball team won the Section III, Class C-D championship.

Barr also made his mark as a semi-pro athlete, retiring at the age of 42 in 1970. In 1961, he returned to officiating, and spent 25 years as a high school football and basketball official. He also officiated soccer games for eight years.

As a Little League coach in Marcy, Barr helped nurture the skills of shortstop Mike Bordick, who has played with the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles.