Portrait Profiles: Peerless Pioneers

Robert K. Barney, Professor Emeritus, honors the contributions of two of the fundamental pioneers in UNM athletics history.

Robert K. Barney, Professor Emeritus, Western University, will honor the contributions of two of the fundamental pioneers in UNM athletics history.  Roy Allen Stamm (1892-1898) was UNM’s first star athlete, and Roy Johnson (1920-1960) was UNM Director of Athletics. 

Barney is a former Lobo athlete and coach and is a member of UNM’s Athletic Hall of Honor.  His master’s thesis was called, “Old Iron Head: A Short Biography of Roy William Johnson, Dean of New Mexico’s Physical Education and Athletics.”  He is also author of Turmoil and Triumph, a narrative history of intercollegiate athletics at UNM from 1889-1950.