Born on May 1, 1900, in Baraboo, Wisconsin,[1] Barnes played high school football at San Diego High for Clarence "Nibs" Price, who encouraged his brightest players, starting with Barnes, to follow his path to Berkeley to play for the California Golden Bears under coach Andy Smith.[2] Barnes was a center/tackle on California's "Wonder Teams" of 1920 and 1921. In his junior and senior seasons he played with the Bears in two consecutive Rose Bowls.[3]
The 1920 California squad won the national championship going 9-0 outscoring its opponents 510 to 14. In one of the biggest routs in college football history, the Bears defeated St. Mary's 127–0. In the Rose Bowl, Cal defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 28–0.[3] California was also undefeated and untied in 1921 until the Bears tied Washington & Jefferson 0–0 on a muddy field in the Rose Bowl.[3] During his four years at Berkeley, Barnes played on teams that won 31 lost four and tied two.[3]
Barnes was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954 and was among the first group of inductees at the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.[4]
Stanley Nelson Barnes was a dedicated, lifelong member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. [citation needed] After service to Sigma Chi as an alumnus, he served as Sigma Chi's 37th Grand Consul (International President) from 1952 - 1955.[citation needed]