George Barclay

George Oliver Barclay
(Deerfoot)

• Bats Unknown, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 162 lb.
• School Lafayette College
• Debut April 17, 1902
• Final Game May 30, 1905
• Born May 16, 1875 in Millville, PA USA
• Died April 3, 1909 in Philadelphia, PA USA

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Biographical Information

"Some St. Louis Fans think Barclay and Smoot as good as Burkett and Heidrick . . ." - a headline in The Sporting Life, June 14, 1902

"Hardly a game is played by the St. Louis team that "Deerfoot" Barclay does not do something sensational on the base lines . . ." - from the Sporting Life article

George "Deerfoot" Barclay hit well in his first major league season but thereafter tailed off. He was also good in the minors in 1901 but struggled thereafter. Barclay started in the minors as early as 1896 and was the first of several major league players to receive the nickname "Deerfoot", which he acquired in college as a sprinter (he also played football and baseball). Sporting Life of April 10, 1909, carried the obituary of Dr. George Barclay, indicating he died following an operation for appendicitis. He played catcher and fullback in college, and had a very fast 100-yard dash time. He suffered from (an unspecified) illness in 1903. After playing baseball, he coached the Lafayette College football and baseball teams and devoted himself to his job.

Related Sites

• George Barclay at the SABR Bio Project