From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Barry Larkin |
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| Shortstop |
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Born: April 28, 1964 (1964-04-28) (age 44)
Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| Batted: Right |
Threw: Right |
| MLB debut |
August 13, 1986
for the Cincinnati Reds |
| Final game |
October 3, 2004
for the Cincinnati Reds |
| Career statistics |
| Batting average |
.295 |
| Hits |
2,340 |
| Stolen bases |
379 |
| Teams |
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| Career highlights and awards |
- 12x All-Star selection (1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004)
- World Series champion (1990)
- 3x Gold Glove Award winner (1994, 1995, 1996)
- 9x Silver Slugger Award winner (1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999)
- 1995 NL MVP
- 1993 Roberto Clemente Award
- 1994 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
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Barry Louis Larkin (born April 28, 1964 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a former Major League Baseball player. He attended Moeller High School in suburban Cincinnati, graduating in 1982. Larkin was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds of the National League in the second round of the Amateur Baseball draft, and was offered a football scholarship at the University of Notre Dame and football and baseball scholarships at University of Michigan. He chose to play baseball only at Michigan, and was again drafted by the Reds in 1985, this time in the first round (4th overall). Larkin played shortstop for the Reds from 1986 to 2004 and was one of the pivotal players on the 1990 Reds' World Series winning club.
After arriving in the majors, Larkin battled fellow prospect Kurt Stillwell for the starting shortstop spot but soon established himself as the logical heir to Dave Concepción's notable legacy. A member of the 1984 Baseball Olympic team, Larkin has long been considered one of the best shortstops in the game. After starting with Cincinnati in 1986, over the next several seasons he not only improved his overall play, but also grew into the role of team leader, being named the Reds' captain before the 1997 season (the first player to hold the honor since Concepción's retirement). Also, he learned Spanish in order to build a rapport with his Hispanic teammates.
Larkin won the Gold Glove Award from 1994-96, was the NL's MVP in 1995, and has been a 12-time All-Star: in the 1988-91, 1993-97, 1999, 2000, and 2004 seasons. He became the first major league shortstop to join the 30-30 club when he had 33 home runs and 36 stolen bases in 1996.
In his 18-year career with Cincinnati, Larkin batted for a .295 batting average, with 2340 hits, 198 home runs, 960 runs batted in, 1329 runs scored and 379 stolen bases. Baseball historian and expert Bill James has called Larkin one of the greatest shortstops of all time, ranking him #6 all time in his New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.
Larkin called off a planned retirement ceremony scheduled for October 2, 2004 because he was not sure if he would retire. He did indeed retire, and is now working in the Washington Nationals organization.
The Reds have not issued his #11 jersey in the past three seasons, and it is virtually taken for granted that it will be formally retired.
Larkin's brother, Steve Larkin, also played in the majors (and with the Reds).
[edit] Reds Hall of Fame Induction
On July 20, 2008, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum will induct Barry Larkin, Cesar Geronimo, August "Garry" Herrmann and Joey Jay. The induction will be held at the Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati and hosted by Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman.
[edit] Philanthropy
In 2008, Barry Larkin released a charity wine called "Barry Larkin's Merlot" with 100% of his proceeds supporting Champions Sports Foundation. Larkin built the Champions Sports Complex to harness the power of sport and use it to successfully develop the youth in America by targeting their social, emotional, and educational needs. The Foundation was established as the premier safe haven for the total development of young people through the authority of sport.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
