Chris Bahr
Encyclopedia
Chris Bahr is a former professional American football
and soccer player. He was a placekicker
in the National Football League
and played midfielder
in the North American Soccer League
.
in the 1975 North American Soccer League
draft. As a rookie midfielder, he made an immediate impression, tying an NASL scoring record for goals by a native-born American by netting 11, including two 2-goal games and four game winners. Bahr also netted the first sudden death goal in Atoms history against the New York Cosmos
in front of 20,124 at Veterans Stadium
. He was named the 1975 NASL Rookie of the Year. Bahr played 22 games for the Atoms, scoring 11 goals before departing for the NFL.
Bahr also joined his Atom’s coach, Al Miller
, on the 1976 U.S. National Team. He scored both goals for the United States in their 2-0 shutout of Bermuda
in the qualifying rounds for the XXI Olympic Games
in Montreal, Canada.
, Bahr went on to become a stalwart placekicker with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
. He is second all-time on the Raiders in scoring (817 points), and his 162 career field goals was a Raiders record until 2007 when it was surpassed by Sebastian Janikowski
. Bahr kicked in two Raiders Super Bowl
victories, (1981 and 1984). Perhaps his best year as a pro came in 1983 when he compiled a 78% field goal percentage. He finished his career with a strong season, kicking 17 field goals and 29 PATs for the San Diego Chargers
in 1989.
He was named to the All-Rookie team in 1976 and a Sporting News All-AFC in 1977.
in Biology
and later earned a Juris Doctor
at Southwestern University School of Law
, attending school part-time while still playing with the Raiders.
, member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
. His mother, Davies Ann, was a champion swimmer at Temple University
and a physical education teacher at Penn State. His brother Casey Bahr
was an All American soccer player at Navy
, played professionally and was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic soccer team. His younger brother, Matt Bahr
played professional soccer and was also a standout placekicker in the NFL. Sister Davies Ann Bahr was an All-American gymnast at Penn State
Bahr holds an annual Chris Bahr Kicking Camp, a 3-day clinic for student in grades 7-12 at Franklin & Marshall College
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
.
After his NFL career, Bahr practiced law in California and Pennsylvania. He is currently a financial consultant, managing assets for professional athletes for ProVest Management Group in Columbus, Ohio
. He lives in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania
with his wife Eve, a corporate attorney, and their two children.
Bahr's son, C.J., is the placekicker for Slippery Rock University
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and soccer player. He was a placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and played midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
Soccer
Bahr was the first round draft pick of the Philadelphia AtomsPhiladelphia Atoms
The Philadelphia Atoms were a soccer team based out of Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League . They played from 1973 to 1976, at Veterans Stadium and Franklin Field ....
in the 1975 North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
draft. As a rookie midfielder, he made an immediate impression, tying an NASL scoring record for goals by a native-born American by netting 11, including two 2-goal games and four game winners. Bahr also netted the first sudden death goal in Atoms history against the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
in front of 20,124 at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
. He was named the 1975 NASL Rookie of the Year. Bahr played 22 games for the Atoms, scoring 11 goals before departing for the NFL.
Bahr also joined his Atom’s coach, Al Miller
Al Miller (soccer)
Al Miller is a former U.S. collegiate and professional soccer coach. After leaving coaching, he then became a general manager for two indoor soccer clubs in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.-Youth:Miller was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and grew up in Ono,...
, on the 1976 U.S. National Team. He scored both goals for the United States in their 2-0 shutout of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
in the qualifying rounds for the XXI Olympic Games
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal, Canada.
NFL
After four seasons with the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Bahr went on to become a stalwart placekicker with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He is second all-time on the Raiders in scoring (817 points), and his 162 career field goals was a Raiders record until 2007 when it was surpassed by Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski is a left-footed Polish placekicker who plays for the National Football League's Oakland Raiders. He is nicknamed The Polish Cannon because he is considered to have one of the strongest kicking legs in the league, and leads the NFL in kickoffs for touchbacks. He lives in...
. Bahr kicked in two Raiders Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
victories, (1981 and 1984). Perhaps his best year as a pro came in 1983 when he compiled a 78% field goal percentage. He finished his career with a strong season, kicking 17 field goals and 29 PATs for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1989.
He was named to the All-Rookie team in 1976 and a Sporting News All-AFC in 1977.
College
Bahr attended Penn State, where he was named an All-American three times for soccer and once for football. He led the Nittany Lions in scoring in 1975, including four field goals over 50 yards. He averaged 39 yards in punts. Bahr graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and later earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
at Southwestern University School of Law
Southwestern University School of Law
Southwestern Law School is a private ABA-accredited law school located in Los Angeles, California , with about 1,000 students. Its campus includes the Bullocks Wilshire building, an admired art deco National Register of Historic Places landmark built in 1929...
, attending school part-time while still playing with the Raiders.
Personal
All-Star Family: Bahr is the son of legendary Walter BahrWalter Bahr
Walter Alfred Bahr is a retired American soccer player, considered one of the greatest ever in his country. He was the long-time captain of the U.S. national team and played in the 1950 FIFA World Cup when the U.S...
, member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
. His mother, Davies Ann, was a champion swimmer at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and a physical education teacher at Penn State. His brother Casey Bahr
Casey Bahr
Walter “Casey” Bahr is a U.S. soccer defender who played one season in the North American Soccer League and one in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1972 Summer Olympics.-College:...
was an All American soccer player at Navy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, played professionally and was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic soccer team. His younger brother, Matt Bahr
Matt Bahr
Matthew David Bahr is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He attended Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania where he excelled in both football and soccer...
played professional soccer and was also a standout placekicker in the NFL. Sister Davies Ann Bahr was an All-American gymnast at Penn State
Bahr holds an annual Chris Bahr Kicking Camp, a 3-day clinic for student in grades 7-12 at Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
.
After his NFL career, Bahr practiced law in California and Pennsylvania. He is currently a financial consultant, managing assets for professional athletes for ProVest Management Group in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. He lives in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania
Boalsburg, Pennsylvania
Boalsburg is a census-designated place in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census. The village claims to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. The name Boalsburg comes from...
with his wife Eve, a corporate attorney, and their two children.
Bahr's son, C.J., is the placekicker for Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public, master's-level university that offers some doctoral programs in cooperation with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Both institutions are members of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education...
.
External links
- The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Team
- NASL stats
- Chris Bahr's Cincinnati Bengals football cards
- "Where are they now? Chris Bahr still helping athletes gain edge," Centre Daily TimesCentre Daily TimesThe Centre Daily Times is a daily newspaper located in State College, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is the hometown newspaper for the Pennsylvania State University, one of the most well-known and largest universities in the country with more than 40,000 students attending the main...
, July 27, 2008 - Gallery/Checklist of football cards
