Marvin Barker

Marvin Vincent Barker
(Hack, Hank)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut 1935
• Final Game 1948
• Born February 13, 1912 in Joplin, MO USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Marvin Barker was a three-time All-Star in the Negro Leagues. He spent 14 of his 16 seasons with the New York Black Yankees, generally a cellar-dwelling outfit.

Barker debuted in 1935 with the Newark Dodgers, hitting .216 as a regular outfielder. With the 1935-1936 Marianao club of the Cuban Winter League, he hit .277 and slugged .355. He came to New York in 1936 and improved to .280. In 1937, he hit .410 and would have been second to Josh Gibson in the Negro National League had he qualified. Marvin hit .294 in 1938 but fell to .136 in 1939 and .198 in 1940. He surprisingly was a starting outfielder for the East in the 1940 East-West Game. Hitting sixth, he put on a show, going 3 for 5 with a run and a RBI in a 11-0 rout. Barker moved to third base and hit .278 in 1941.

Barker was a backup for the Philadelphia Stars in 1942 then returned to New York for the rest of his career. Back in the outfield, he hit .283 in 1943. Returning to third base for a second stint, he batted .248 in 1944 and .353 in 1945. He hit 8th and manned third for the East in the 1945 East-West Game, going 1 for 2 before being replaced by Murray Watkins; the East lost, 9-6.

Marvin hit .180 in 1946 then moved to second base and batted .255 in 1947. He was the Black Yankees' manager and second baseman in 1948. In the second 1948 East-West Game, he pinch-hit for Max Manning in the third and was retired by Webbo Clarke; overall, he had gone 4 for 8 in East-West Game play. Barker remained active through 1950.

Year-By-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1945	New York Black Yankees	Negro National League	6-11	6th	New York Black Yankees		replaced George Scales (5-18) and Willie Wells (3-7)
1946	New York Black Yankees	Negro National League	18-49	6th	New York Black Yankees
1947	New York Black Yankees	Negro National League	17-48	6th	New York Black Yankees
1948	New York Black Yankees	Negro National League	11-39	6th	New York Black Yankees

Notable Achievements

• 3-time NNL All-Star (1940, 1945 & 1948)

Sources

• The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway
• The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
• Black Baseball's National Showcase by Larry Lester
• Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History by Jorge Figueredo

Related Sites

• BR Manager page