Editor’s note: The profile on Kurt Beyer was researched and written by Jim Dunne, a 1955 Norwich High School graduate. This is the fifth in our series of articles on the inaugural Norwich High School School Sports Hall of Fame class. The induction ceremony is Saturday, June 18 at Canasawacta Country Club. Please contact the NHS athletics office for more details on the banquet.

Kurt Beyer came to Norwich in 1930 as head football coach and director of athletics. He was a native of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, where he was captain of the basketball team, and a graduate of the University of Illinois. He remained in Norwich through the 1957 football season, compiling a record of 125 wins, 75 losses, and 9 ties.

During the 28 years that he coached football in Norwich, two teams, 1937 and 1952, went undefeated. Seven more teams lost only one game, and four lost just two. Eighteen teams won more than half their games, while seven teams lost more games than they won. In most of those 28 years, Norwich played as an independent, challenging teams from larger schools within Sections III and IV, and from Floral Park, Kingston, Newburgh, and Albany. During the 28 seasons, Norwich played 40 different opponents, some every season and some just once. Of the 40 opponents, only seven won more games against Norwich than they lost.