Red Barrett
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry "Red" Barrett (February 14, 1915 July 28, 1990) was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played 11 total career seasons in the National League
. He played for the Cincinnati Reds
, Boston Braves
and St. Louis Cardinals
. He pitched the shortest complete night game with the fewest number of pitches in history.
Barrett was born in Santa Barbara, California
. He died at the age of 75 in Wilson, North Carolina
.
, 67 complete games, 11 shutouts, 62 games finished
, and 7 saves. His lifetime ERA was 3.53.
On August 10, 1944, throwing for the Boston Braves against his former team Cincinnati Reds, Barrett pitched a 2–0 shutout at Crosley Field
. It was the shortest night game in history, lasting just 1 hour and 15 minutes. His 58 pitches were also the fewest pitches thrown in a complete game. He faced the minimum 27 batters, surrendered 2 hits, walked no one and struck out no one. The game was umpired behind home plate by the noted umpire Jocko Conlan
.
In 1945, he led the Cardinals to second place in the National League, posting a team best 21 wins and 9 losses. For the year, his combined 23–12 record for the Braves and Cardinals with a 3.00 earned run average
led the league in wins. He was named to the AP
National League
All-Star
team and finished third in NL Most Valuable Player voting.
He appeared on the cover of Life Magazine on April 1, 1946.
In 1948, Barrett was a relief pitcher for the Braves in two games of the World Series
, allowing no runs
in 3⅔ innings
.
He threw a 58 pitch shutout against the Cincinnati Reds on August 10, 1944
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played 11 total career seasons in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. He played for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He pitched the shortest complete night game with the fewest number of pitches in history.
Barrett was born in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. He died at the age of 75 in Wilson, North Carolina
Wilson, North Carolina
Wilson is a city and the county seat of Wilson County in the Coastal Plain region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 18th largest city in the state, Wilson had a population of 49,167 according to the 2010 census.- Geography :...
.
Career
Barrett was right-handed. He stood 5'11" and weighed 183 lbs. Playing for three teams over 11 years, Barrett was a .500 pitcher, winning and losing 69 games. Career totals for 253 games include 149 games startedGames started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
, 67 complete games, 11 shutouts, 62 games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
, and 7 saves. His lifetime ERA was 3.53.
On August 10, 1944, throwing for the Boston Braves against his former team Cincinnati Reds, Barrett pitched a 2–0 shutout at Crosley Field
Crosley Field
Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...
. It was the shortest night game in history, lasting just 1 hour and 15 minutes. His 58 pitches were also the fewest pitches thrown in a complete game. He faced the minimum 27 batters, surrendered 2 hits, walked no one and struck out no one. The game was umpired behind home plate by the noted umpire Jocko Conlan
Jocko Conlan
John Bertrand "Jocko" Conlan was an American Hall of Fame umpire who worked in the National League from 1941 to 1965. He previously had a brief career as an outfielder with the Chicago White Sox....
.
In 1945, he led the Cardinals to second place in the National League, posting a team best 21 wins and 9 losses. For the year, his combined 23–12 record for the Braves and Cardinals with a 3.00 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
led the league in wins. He was named to the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team and finished third in NL Most Valuable Player voting.
He appeared on the cover of Life Magazine on April 1, 1946.
In 1948, Barrett was a relief pitcher for the Braves in two games of the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, allowing no runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in 3⅔ innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
.
See also
He threw a 58 pitch shutout against the Cincinnati Reds on August 10, 1944