Barry Moore – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Robert Barry Moore put together a six-season stint in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1970. He mainly worked as a left-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators.

Born on April 3, 1943, in Statesville, North Carolina, Moore jumped into pro baseball when the Senators picked him up as an amateur free agent before the 1962 season. Moore finished with a 26-37 record and a 4.16 earned run average in 143 games, suiting up for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox before hanging it up after the 1970 season.

Moore started out in the minors, sharpening his game before debuting in the majors on May 29, 1965, against the Minnesota Twins. He spent most of his career with Washington, pitching five seasons there before quick stops in Cleveland and Chicago during his final year.

He struggled with control throughout, walking 300 batters in just under 600 innings, but he could really flash some brilliance at times.

One of his big moments was a one-hit shutout against the Minnesota Twins on April 30, 1967, where he totally shut down a lineup that included future Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew.

Moore’s story gives a peek into what pitchers faced during baseball’s shifting landscape in the late 1960s. It’s a look at both his own achievements and what was happening in the sport back then.

Early Life and Background

Robert Barry Moore was born in Statesville, North Carolina, on April 3, 1943, and fell in love with baseball pretty early on. He went through local schools before attending Pfeiffer College, where he became the school’s first major league baseball player.

Childhood and Hometown

Barry Moore grew up in Statesville, a small city tucked into western North Carolina. Being born in 1943 meant he came of age in the 1950s, a time when baseball was a huge part of American life.

Statesville gave Moore a great place to develop his talent. The town had solid youth baseball programs, which helped bring up local players.

He went to West Rowan High School and started showing off the pitching skills that would eventually take him to the majors. That left-handed delivery made him stand out from the crowd.

During high school, scouts and coaches started to notice Moore’s talent. His outings on the mound made people realize he might have a shot at pro baseball.

Education and Early Baseball Development

Moore kept his education going at Pfeiffer College, playing collegiate ball while taking classes. At Pfeiffer, he played alongside Billy Wynne, another future pro.

He became the first major leaguer out of Pfeiffer University, which put both him and the school on the map.

His wildest amateur outing came on June 16, 1961, for his Rowan County American Legion team. Moore struck out an insane 24 batters against Concord, including the last 18 outs in a row.

That same season, he tossed a no-hitter against Thomasville in the Legion playoffs. Those performances really set him up as a promising young pitcher.

All that success led the Washington Senators to sign him as an amateur free agent before the 1962 season.

Major League Career Overview

Barry Moore pitched in the big leagues from 1965 to 1970, finishing with a 26-37 record and a 4.16 ERA in 143 games. He spent most of that time with the Washington Senators, then wrapped things up with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox in his last season.

MLB Debut and Early Years

Moore made his MLB debut on May 29, 1965, against the Minnesota Twins, coming out of the bullpen for the Washington Senators. He was just 22, pitching the ninth inning with Washington down 10-7, and gave up one unearned run in that lone frame.

He picked up his first big league win on July 23, 1966, tossing a complete game three-hitter against the Kansas City Athletics in front of a tiny home crowd of 2,777, leading the Senators to an 8-1 victory.

Moore’s best outing in the majors came on April 30, 1967, against the Minnesota Twins. He threw a one-hit complete game shutout at D.C. Stadium, walking just two. That Twins lineup had stars like Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, and Bob Allison, but Moore absolutely owned them. César Tovar managed the only hit, a single in the sixth, as Washington won 3-0.

Teams Played For

Moore spent most of his career with the Washington Senators from 1965 to 1969. Over those five seasons, he became a regular in the rotation.

In 1970, Moore started the year with the Cleveland Indians but ran into some control issues. He pitched only 141 innings that year but still tied for third in the American League with 9 hit batsmen.

The Chicago White Sox picked up Moore in a trade on June 15, 1970, along with Bob Miller for Buddy Bradford and Tommie Sisk. His time in Chicago didn’t go well—he ended up with a 3-9 record and a 5.30 ERA.

Career Progression and Trades

Moore dealt with control problems for most of his six seasons. He walked 300 batters in just 599.2 innings, which worked out to 4.50 walks per nine—way above the league average back then.

His strikeout numbers weren’t what you’d expect for someone with that many walks. He struck out 278, a rate of 4.17 per nine innings, which was below average. Most wild pitchers rack up more strikeouts, but Moore just didn’t.

After a rough 1970 with Chicago, Moore was traded to the New York Yankees on December 3, 1970, for Bill Robinson. He never actually pitched for the Yankees. His major league career ended with 99 starts, 8 complete games, 1 shutout, and 3 saves.

Pitching Achievements and Stats

Barry Moore finished his six-year big league run with a 26-37 record and a 4.16 ERA, striking out 278 in 140 appearances. His stats show a pitcher who struggled to prevent runs but had a decent strikeout touch for the time.

Wins, Losses, and Saves

Moore wrapped up with 26 wins and 37 losses, a .413 winning percentage. Those numbers kind of show what it was like pitching for mostly losing teams.

The left-hander had his best years early on with Washington, picking up most of his wins between 1965 and 1969.

He mostly worked as a starter or long reliever. Saves weren’t really tracked officially for most of his career, and he wasn’t usually the closer.

In 1970, he split time between Chicago and Cleveland, appearing in 37 games—that was his busiest year.

ERA and Innings Pitched

Moore carried a career 4.16 ERA across his six seasons. That was a bit above league average for pitchers in the late ‘60s.

His ERA kind of reflects the offensive environment of the time. The late ‘60s were called the “Year of the Pitcher,” so that 4.16 ERA actually meant a bit more.

He pitched in 140 games, mostly in relief, though he made a bunch of starts too.

His innings totals bounced around by season. In 1970, he made 37 appearances for two teams, which was a career high.

Strikeouts and Complete Games

Moore struck out 278 batters in his major league career. That’s solid strikeout ability for a pitcher from that era.

His strikeout rate was pretty respectable for the time. Lefties often had an edge against certain hitters, and Moore took advantage of that when he could.

Complete games were more common back then, but since he bounced between starting and relieving, he didn’t pile them up.

He could get swings and misses when he needed to, which helped him get through tough innings. That strikeout total is probably one of the stronger points on his stat sheet.

Control and Command on the Mound

Moore’s control numbers tell the story of a pitcher moving between starting and relief roles. His walk rates were all over the place.

He had trouble with consistency. Sometimes his command just wasn’t there, and he couldn’t go deep into games.

His last outing came on October 1, 1970, against California. He went two innings, gave up no hits, and struck out one.

Control problems often hit pitchers who have to switch roles. Moore’s career really shows how tough that can be for guys in his generation.

Batting Performance

Barry Moore’s hitting stats were about what you’d expect from a pitcher in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. He didn’t get many at-bats, and his numbers were pretty modest, focusing on his pitching more than anything else.

Offensive Contributions

Moore’s batting showed the limitations you’d expect from a pitcher back then. He didn’t get to the plate much, mostly just when he was pitching.

The lefty batter didn’t make much of a mark offensively with the Senators, Indians, or White Sox. His on-base percentage stayed low, which was pretty normal for pitchers at the time.

His RBI totals were tiny across all his seasons. Pitchers just didn’t spend much time on hitting, and Moore was no exception.

Power Numbers and Extra Bases

Moore’s power numbers were basically nonexistent. He barely hit any home runs, and didn’t get many chances to show any pop.

Extra-base hits were rare too—doubles and triples hardly ever happened for him, which isn’t surprising given his role and the era.

He focused on pitching, not batting, so his offensive production was always a secondary thing. His value to his teams was all about what he did on the mound during his six years in the majors.

Notable Games and Career Highlights

Barry Moore’s six years in the big leagues included a few standout games, especially when he was with the Washington Senators. He notched eight complete games and one shutout. Things got tougher in 1970 when he split time between Cleveland and Chicago and the league’s hitters started to heat up.

Memorable Pitching Performances

Moore’s top season was 1967, when he finished three games for the Senators. He pitched 143.2 innings, struck out 74, and kept his walks under control.

That year, he also threw his only career shutout—a complete game gem that showed what he could do when everything clicked.

His last appearance, on October 1, 1970, against the California Angels, was a strong finish. He tossed two scoreless innings, allowed no hits, struck out one, and didn’t walk anybody.

His debut on May 29, 1965, against Minnesota was pretty quiet but promising. He went one inning, gave up a hit and a walk, but kept things together for his team.

Key Moments with Each Team

While with the Washington Senators (1965-1969), Moore became a steady starter. He won 23 games over five seasons, with his best year in 1967, picking up seven wins.

He threw all eight of his career complete games as a Senator. In 1967, he finished three, showing off his stamina and effectiveness.

The Cleveland Indians picked him up in 1970, and he went 3-5 in 13 games. He started 12 times for Cleveland, proving he could still handle a rotation spot.

His time with the Chicago White Sox was rough. Moore went 0-4 with a 6.37 ERA in 24 games, including seven starts, as hitters started to figure him out.

League Rankings and Statistical Standouts

Moore racked up 278 strikeouts over 599.2 innings in his career. In 1967, he had his best strikeout season, fanning 74 batters in 143.2 innings.

He hit 17 batters during his time in the majors. In 1970, he hit nine batters by pitch, which really showed how much he struggled with control that year.

Moore posted a 1.1 career WAR, putting him among the serviceable big-league pitchers of his day. He hit his peak in 1968, when he managed a 0.7 WAR, even though his record was just 4-6.

His 81 ERA+ pointed to a performance a bit below league average. Still, his 1966 season looked promising, with a 93 ERA+ in his first full year.

Post-Retirement and Legacy

Barry Moore’s career ended abruptly in 1970, right after the New York Yankees traded for him. His six-season run in the majors started off hopeful but got derailed by those control issues. Not much is out there about what he did after baseball, but his short MLB stint left at least a modest impression.

Retirement in 1970

Moore made his last big league appearance on October 1, 1970, pitching two innings for the Chicago White Sox against the California Angels. He didn’t allow a hit, struck out one, and didn’t walk anyone. That outing stood out compared to his usual control problems that year.

The White Sox traded him to the Yankees for Bill Robinson on December 3, 1970, but Moore never took the mound for New York. At just 27, he found himself out of pro baseball for good.

His exit followed a rough 1970 season where he went 3-9 with a 5.30 ERA. Even though he pitched only 141 innings, he tied for third in the American League with nine hit batsmen.

Life After Baseball

Not much is known about Moore’s life after baseball. Unlike a lot of ex-players who move into coaching, broadcasting, or stick around the sport, Moore seemed to walk away from pro baseball completely.

Searches and records don’t turn up anything about his post-Yankees career. That silence makes it seem like he chose a private life, away from the spotlight, and didn’t stay connected to the game.

A lot of players from his era went back to their hometowns or found work in their communities. Since Moore grew up in Statesville, North Carolina, maybe he returned there, back to where it all started.

Legacy and Impact

Moore’s major league legacy really comes down to his one-hit shutout against the Minnesota Twins on April 30, 1967, at D.C. Stadium.

That performance was the absolute high point of his professional career, when he beat a lineup featuring future Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew.

Career Statistics:

• Record: 26-37
• ERA: 4.16
• Strikeouts: 278
• Games: 143
• Complete Games: 8

His stats really show the struggles that shaped his career.

Moore walked 300 batters in just 599.2 innings, which works out to a walks per nine innings rate of 4.50.

He just couldn’t get his control issues under wraps, even though he had moments where he looked brilliant.

Moore’s short career kind of reminds you how control problems can completely throw off a promising pitcher.

His story probably hits home for baseball fans who know that talent by itself doesn’t guarantee a long run in pro sports.