Barton Koch

Bio

Baylor scouts watched Barton "Botchy" Koch reach All-Texas schoolboy acclaim and jotted a single word behind his name: "Aggressive". Daring, almost belligerent in his play, Koch brought to Baylor the reputation that he had never been stopped by an opposing player while leading Temple High School to a tie with powerful Waco in the state championship game. Koch did not disappoint Baylor followers, and sports writers spread the word across the nation, hailing the 5-11, 195-pound lineman as he moved toward All-America status in 1930. Despite Baylor's 20-7 loss to Purdue in 1930, Bear fans were delighted by Koch's play in the game when he provided the only BU touchdown. Instead of tackling the ball carrier, Koch wrestled the ball from the arms of the Boilermaker back and raced to a score. And in a winning cause against Texas Christian that same year, he batted an enemy pass into the air, caught the ball and fought off several would-be tacklers on the way to another touchdown. Of his performance in the 1930 East-West Shrine Game, the San Francisco Chronicle reported: "There were a lot of great linemen in the game, but Koch was simply the best. A steamroller could not get over him."

Career Highlights

• 1930 All-Conference
• 1930 Consensus All-America