Sam Barkley

Infobox MLB retired
name=Sam Barkley
position=Second baseman


bgcolor1=#263473
bgcolor2=#A50024
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate= May 24, 1858
city-state|Wheeling|West Virginia
deathdate=death date and age|1912|4|20|1858|5|24
city-state|Wheeling|West Virginia
debutdate= May 1
debutyear= by|1884
debutteam= Toledo Blue Stockings
finaldate= July 12
finalyear= by|1889
finalteam= Kansas City Cowboys
stat1label=Batting Average
stat1value=.258
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=10
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=231
teams=As Player
* Toledo Blue Stockings (by|1884)
* St. Louis Browns (by|1885)
* Pittsburgh Alleganys (by|1886 - by|1887)
* Kansas City Cowboys (by|1888 - by|1889)As Manager
* Kansas City Cowboys (by|1888)
highlights=
*1884 - Led the American Association in doubles with 39.

Samuel E. Barkley (May 24 1858 – April 20 1912) was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, he played for four different teams in his six seasons from by|1884 to by|1889.cite web| title = Sam Barkley's Statistics | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B/Pbarks101.htm | accessdate = 2008-03-15 ]

Career

Sam began his career with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the Northwestern League, and was a member of their championship team in by|1883cite web| title = Baseball In Toledo, pg. 11 | work = by John Husman | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=pPa6LCWS6u8C&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=%22sam+barkley%22+baseball&source=web&ots=PYITs9-C-4&sig=wQfREIsi-hLaN5malCeTbMKkMug&hl=en#PPA11,M1 | accessdate = 2008-03-15 ] , and was still with the team when they joined the American Association for the by|1884 season, and was the everyday second baseman. He batted .306 that season and led the league in doubles with 39. Following the season, Toledo and the St. Louis Browns had made an arrangement in the off-season for a trade involving several players, but the trade broke down after the waiting period and only Barkley and one other player actually played with St. Louis. After a lawsuit, and it was estimated that Barkley had been valued for $800. Chris von der Ahe later claimed that Barkley's value was $1,000, but that may have been the asking price.

In March 1886, Browns owner Chris Von der Ahe had offered Barkley for $1000 to the first team to pay the money. Billy Barnie was able to have Barkley sign an undated contract with the Baltimore Orioles and wired the asking price to Von der Ahe, but he had already secured a deal with owner of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, Denny McKnight, and Sam was convinced to play for the Pittsburgh club instead. The American Association suspended and fined Barkley for signing with Pittsburgh this action. Barkley sued the Association, but they settled out of court with suspension being lifted although the fine stayed in place. Baltimore was offered and accepted Milt Scott as payment.cite web| title = Baseball: The Early Years, pgs. 217-218 | work = Harold Seymour | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=zQO-WWL1v1AC&pg=PA217&lpg=PA217&dq=%22sam+barkley%22+baseball&source=web&ots=eCc7-o2wO0&sig=vegu8pVjfKpzX8I4heZcJEDmzdw&hl=en#PPA218,M1 | accessdate = 2008-03-15 ]

That first season with Pittsburgh, the by|1886 season, he hit .266 with 31 doubles, and he also stole 22 bases, while playing in 122 games. He stats declined significantly in by|1887, only playing in 89 games, hitting only .224. After the season was over, Pittsburgh sold him to the Kansas City Cowboys of the American Association.

He was given good playing time in by|1888 by the Cowboys, playing in 116 games, but his batting average slid further down, to .216, but the season was not uneventful. On June 13, he hit for the cyclecite web| title = Cycle hitters | work = Baseball Digest, Nov. 2005 | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_64/ai_n15657364/pg_3 | accessdate = 2008-03-15 ] , and he was given the managerial reigns, which lasted 58 games and 21 wins.

Post-career

After his career in baseball ended, he went on to be a cigar maker.cite web| title = The Dead Ball Era: Heading Home | work = thedeadballera.com | url=http://www.thedeadballera.com/HeadingHome.html | accessdate = 2008-03-15 ] He died at the age of 53 in his hometown of Wheeling, and was buried in Peninsula Cemetery.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* Hitting for the cycle

References

External links

*baseball-reference|id=b/barklsa01

Persondata
NAME = Barkley, Sam
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Brouthers, Samuel; Brouthers, Samuel E.
SHORT DESCRIPTION = 19th century baseball player
DATE OF BIRTH = May 24, 1858
PLACE OF BIRTH = Wheeling, West Virginia
DATE OF DEATH = April 20, 1912
PLACE OF DEATH = Wheeling, West Virginia