 Born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Berry attended Phillipsburg High School and ultimately accomplished the rare feat of officiating in both the NFL Championship Game and the World Series in the same year.While in college as a star on the Lafayette team, he was named to the final Walter Camp All-America football team as an end in 1924.In 1925–26 he starred for the Pottsville Maroons of the NFL, leading the league in scoring in 1925 with 74 points.