Dave Barbee
Encyclopedia
David Monroe Barbee was an American outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics
and Pittsburgh Pirates
, finishing his MLB career with a .246 batting average
. He also won three home run
titles in the minor leagues. Barbee was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds.
, in 1905. He started his professional baseball career in 1925 with the Piedmont League
's Greensboro Patriots. In 16 games that season, he batted .333. Barbee hit well in 1926, and he was batting .372 with 29 home runs before being acquired by the major league Philadelphia Athletics in July. The 29 homers were good enough to lead the Piedmont League, even though he did not play there the entire season. With the Athletics, he appeared in 19 games and batted .190.
Barbee then spent 1927 in the International League before going to the Pacific Coast League
in 1928. He hit 16 home runs during his first PCL campaign, 22 during his second, and then 41 in 1930 to lead the league. In 1931, while playing for the Hollywood Stars
, he batted .332, and his 47 home runs were 10 more than any other PCL player.
In 1932, Barbee received another shot in the majors, this time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the Pirates' starting left fielder
in the middle of the season but lost the job in August and was a pinch hitter
for the last two months. In 97 games played, he batted .257 with five home runs.
Barbee went back down to the minor leagues in 1933. His batting average stayed under .300, and he retired in 1935. He returned to professional baseball for one more season, in 1942, and hit 17 home runs in 58 games.
Barbee died in Albemarle, North Carolina
, in 1968 and was buried in Guilford Memorial Park.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, finishing his MLB career with a .246 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. He also won three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
titles in the minor leagues. Barbee was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds.
Career
Barbee was born in Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, in 1905. He started his professional baseball career in 1925 with the Piedmont League
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.- Former :...
's Greensboro Patriots. In 16 games that season, he batted .333. Barbee hit well in 1926, and he was batting .372 with 29 home runs before being acquired by the major league Philadelphia Athletics in July. The 29 homers were good enough to lead the Piedmont League, even though he did not play there the entire season. With the Athletics, he appeared in 19 games and batted .190.
Barbee then spent 1927 in the International League before going to the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in 1928. He hit 16 home runs during his first PCL campaign, 22 during his second, and then 41 in 1930 to lead the league. In 1931, while playing for the Hollywood Stars
Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early and mid 20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.-Hollywood Stars :...
, he batted .332, and his 47 home runs were 10 more than any other PCL player.
In 1932, Barbee received another shot in the majors, this time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the Pirates' starting left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in the middle of the season but lost the job in August and was a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for the last two months. In 97 games played, he batted .257 with five home runs.
Barbee went back down to the minor leagues in 1933. His batting average stayed under .300, and he retired in 1935. He returned to professional baseball for one more season, in 1942, and hit 17 home runs in 58 games.
Barbee died in Albemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle is the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina. The population was 15,680 at the 2000 census. It is governed by Mayor Elbert L. "Whit" Whitley, Jr...
, in 1968 and was buried in Guilford Memorial Park.