Rex Barney – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Rex Barney threw one of the most powerful fastballs in baseball history, but his promising career ended abruptly in 1950 when he was just 25. As a Brooklyn Dodgers right-hander, he tossed a no-hitter against the New York Giants in 1948 and struck out Joe DiMaggio with the bases loaded in the World Series. Still, he struggled to control his blazing fastball, and that wildness cut short what many thought could’ve been a Hall of Fame career.

Barney played eight seasons in the majors from 1943 to 1950, putting up a 35-31 record with 226 strikeouts. His legacy, though, goes way beyond those numbers.

Fans remember his wild but devastating fastball, which made him both feared and unpredictable. His story, from Nebraska high school phenom to major league star, and later as the beloved voice of the Baltimore Orioles, is all about talent, perseverance, and reinvention.

If you look at Barney’s life, you see how a pitcher who could overpower the best hitters of his time eventually found his greatest success away from the mound. From Omaha to the World Series, and then to broadcasting, his journey shows that sometimes the most meaningful careers take some surprising turns.

Early Life and Path to the Major Leagues

Rex Barney grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was born on December 19, 1924. At Creighton Prep, his athletic talents stood out early, and the Dodgers signed him to a pro contract just months after he finished high school in 1943.

Birth and Childhood in Omaha

Rex Edward Barney came into the world on a freezing December night in 1924 in Omaha. That night, the temperature dropped to twenty below zero.

His dad, Eugene Spencer Barney, worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for forty-five years and eventually became a general foreman. He’d leave home Sunday nights and return Friday evenings after a week riding the rails.

Rex was the youngest of four kids born to Marie and Eugene Barney. His sisters, Beatrice and Bernice, were thirteen and eleven when he arrived, and his brother Ted was nine.

The family lived a pretty typical middle-class life in Omaha. On the night Rex was born, his dad couldn’t get their old Model T Ford started, so he called for help to get Marie to the hospital. According to Rex’s 1993 autobiography, his mom said he was born in the elevator on the way to the delivery room.

Signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers

At Creighton Prep, a Catholic boys’ school in Omaha, Barney became a star athlete. He stood out in both basketball and baseball during his high school years.

He led Creighton Prep to two state basketball championships and earned all-state honors. On the baseball field, the six-foot-three, 185-pound righty dominated hitters, racking up strikeouts but sometimes struggling with control. Creighton Prep won the state baseball tournament twice while he was there.

Skip Palrang coached Barney at Creighton Prep and left a lasting impression. Palrang coached every sport at the school, managed the city’s American Legion team, and later became athletic director at Boys Town.

Scouts from the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and Brooklyn Dodgers all checked him out when he was just a sophomore.

Colleges wanted him too, for both baseball and basketball. Nebraska, Stanford, and Notre Dame all showed interest.

In spring 1943, Barney’s draft board told him he’d soon be inducted into the Army. Instead of waiting, he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers for a $2,500 bonus—though only $500 was guaranteed, with the rest coming after military service.

Military Service During World War II

Barney joined the Army in September 1943 after a brief stint with Brooklyn. He served at Fort Riley, Kansas, and kept playing baseball while training.

The Army sent him overseas to France and Germany. He spent two weeks on a converted Italian luxury liner traveling from New York to Le Havre, France. Their twelve-ship convoy dodged Nazi U-boats, and not all the ships made it.

He served with the Fourth and Sixth Armored Divisions of the Third Army. He saw combat in both France and Germany.

German shrapnel wounded him in the leg and back. The military awarded him two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his service.

Barney’s most memorable wartime moment came with General George C. Patton. Barney commanded a lead tank that pushed forward from sunup to sundown. When Patton’s jeep pulled up and the general asked where the front was, Barney replied, “The front of my tank is the front.” Patton shot back, “That’s too goddamn close for me! Carry on,” and left.

Brooklyn Dodgers Career Highlights

Rex Barney’s time with the Brooklyn Dodgers featured both jaw-dropping talent and ongoing struggles with control. His blazing fastball made him one of the most feared pitchers in the National League. He reached his peak with a no-hitter against the Giants in 1948.

MLB Debut and Early Seasons

Barney debuted in the majors on August 18, 1943, at just 18 years old. He became the first Creighton Prep alumnus to make it to the big leagues.

His first professional pitch in the minors? It sailed five feet over the batter’s head, crashed through the press box screen, and hit the local sports editor.

He served in World War II from 1943 to 1946 with the Third Army, seeing combat in France and Germany. He earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star after taking German shrapnel.

When Barney returned to Brooklyn in 1946, he struggled with control issues. That year, he went just 2-5.

In 1947, he improved to 5-2. Manager Burt Shotton picked him to start Game Five of the World Series against the Yankees.

In that big game, Barney struck out Joe DiMaggio with the bases loaded. He walked nine batters in less than five innings, but you could see flashes of something special.

Developing a Fastball and Pitching Style

Barney threw one of the fastest fastballs people had seen. Some compared his velocity to Sandy Koufax, and honestly, some said no Dodger ever threw harder.

His fastball became something of a legend in the late 1940s. Pitchers in the Brooklyn system with big heat had what folks called a “Rex Barney fastball.”

Control, though, was his biggest challenge. Bob Cooke of the New York Herald Tribune once wrote that “Barney pitched as though the plate was high and outside.”

The lanky right-hander stood six-foot-three and weighed 185 pounds. His delivery generated crazy velocity but rarely consistent accuracy.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio told the story. Even during his best years, he walked almost as many batters as he struck out.

1948 No-Hitter Against the New York Giants

On September 9, 1948, Barney tossed a no-hitter against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. Rain fell all day, but with more than 36,000 tickets sold, they played anyway.

The first inning almost ruined everything. Barney walked Jack Lohrke on four pitches and then threw wildly on a fielding play.

With the bases loaded and cleanup hitter Johnny Mize up, Barney escaped trouble. Jackie Robinson turned a double play to end the inning.

After that, only Monte Kennedy reached base, and that was on Robinson’s error. Barney retired the last 20 Giants in a row and finished with a 2-0 win.

That night, just 41 of his 116 pitches were balls. He struck out only four Giants, showing rare command for someone with his reputation.

Leo Durocher, managing the Giants after leaving Brooklyn, came over after the game and said, “I’m proud of you, kid.”

Overcoming Challenges and Injuries

Barney peaked in 1948, winning 15 games and losing 13. He ranked second in the league for strikeouts and tied for second in shutouts with four.

His 3.10 ERA was fifth best in the National League. That year, for the only time in his career, he struck out more batters than he walked.

He broke his ankle sliding into second base on the last day of 1948, and that changed everything. Barney said the injury forced him to alter his delivery and led to his decline.

In 1949, he slipped to a 9-8 record with a 4.41 ERA. During the World Series, he lasted just two and two-thirds innings in a losing effort against the Yankees.

His final season in 1950 saw him pitch only 20 times, with just one start. He went 2-1 but posted a career-high 6.42 ERA.

Despite all the struggles, Barney finished with a 35-31 career record and a 4.31 ERA over six seasons with Brooklyn.

World Series Performances

Rex Barney pitched in two World Series for the Brooklyn Dodgers, both against the New York Yankees in 1947 and 1949. These games showed off his raw talent—and also the control problems that haunted him.

1947 World Series Against the Yankees

Barney got the start in Game Five of the 1947 World Series after going just 5-2 that season. At 22, he faced trouble right away in the first inning.

The Yankees loaded the bases with no outs after Barney walked two and gave up a double. When Joe DiMaggio stepped in, coach Clyde Sukeforth told Barney, “Strike this bum out.”

Barney did exactly that. He struck out DiMaggio with a fastball, then got the next batter on a comebacker and struck out Billy Johnson to escape.

Control issues didn’t go away. Barney walked nine batters in just under five innings, allowing only two hits and two runs. He left after giving up a DiMaggio homer in the fifth.

The Dodgers lost 2-1, and Barney took the loss. The Yankees won the Series in seven.

1949 World Series Appearance

The Dodgers made it back to the World Series in 1949, facing the Yankees again. This time, Barney’s outing was rough.

Manager Burt Shotton gave him the ball for Game Five, with the Dodgers down three games to one. They needed a win to stay alive.

Barney lasted only two and two-thirds innings, gave up five runs, and took another Series loss. Walks and wild pitches haunted him again.

The Yankees finished the job with a 10-6 win, giving Casey Stengel his first World Series title as a manager. Barney’s struggles helped seal the Dodgers’ fate.

Notable Games and Statistics

Barney’s World Series numbers really tell the story of his control struggles:

Year	Games	Innings	Hits	Runs	Walks	Strikeouts
1947	1	4.2	2	2	9	4
1949	1	2.2	5	5	3	1

His most memorable moment was striking out DiMaggio with the bases loaded in 1947. That’s the kind of raw talent that made him so exciting.

The difference between his two Series outings really summed up his career—flashes of brilliance, but a lot of inconsistency. In 1947, he showed real poise under pressure, even with all those walks. By 1949, his control had slipped even more.

His World Series ERA of 8.31 really says it all—a pitcher with electric stuff, but control issues that cost his team in big moments.

Transition After Retirement in 1950

Rex Barney’s Major League career ended at just 25 in September 1950, after injuries and control problems got the better of him. He spent two more seasons in the minors, then left professional baseball for good and moved into broadcasting.

Final Major League Season

Barney wrapped up his wild MLB career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950. He’d never really bounced back from the broken leg he suffered in 1948, just weeks after he tossed that famous no-hitter against the New York Giants.

His control issues, always a problem, got worse as time went on. That same wildness—the one that made him hit Eddie Stanky with his very first pitch in 1943—just stuck with him.

By September 1950, everyone could see Barney couldn’t keep up at the Major League level anymore. He made his last appearance at just 25, closing out a career that started with so much promise but got sidetracked by injuries and inconsistency.

The Brooklyn Dodgers let him go after the season. He finished his MLB run with a 35-31 record, 336 strikeouts, and a 4.31 ERA in 155 games.

Minor League Tenure and Career End

After the Dodgers cut him, Barney tried to get back on track in the minors. For the 1951 and 1952 seasons, he played with Fort Worth and St. Paul, hoping for another shot at the majors.

He gave it everything he had, but those same control problems just wouldn’t go away. The struggle took a toll, both physically and mentally.

His once-promising fastball and the rhythm that led to his 1948 no-hitter never really returned. By 1952, Barney decided to retire from professional baseball for good.

He walked away at 27, leaving behind a game that had given him both thrilling highs and some pretty tough lows.

Reflection on MLB Career

Barney’s Major League career felt like a mix of huge potential and tough disappointment. His 1948 season was really something—he got National League MVP consideration and capped it off with that no-hitter against the Giants.

Career Highlights:

• No-hitter vs. New York Giants (September 9, 1948)
• 15-13 record with 3.10 ERA in 1948
• Four shutouts and 12 complete games in career year
• Two Purple Hearts and Bronze Star for military service

That leg injury not long after his no-hitter changed everything. The bone healed, sure, but his mechanics and confidence never quite came back.

His stats—35-31 with 336 strikeouts—tell the story of a pitcher who could dominate on a good day, but just couldn’t find consistency with the Dodgers.

Broadcasting and Public Address Career

When his playing days ended in 1950, Rex Barney jumped into broadcasting with a bunch of radio and TV gigs. Eventually, he found his real calling as the public address announcer for the Baltimore Orioles, where fans loved his unique phrases and infectious energy.

Mutual Radio and WOR-TV Roles

After hanging up his glove, Barney started working in broadcasting. He landed spots with Mutual Radio and WOR-TV in New York.

These early jobs helped him stay connected to baseball. Being a former major league pitcher gave him a perspective listeners appreciated.

Barney made the player-to-broadcaster transition look pretty easy. His understanding of the game made him a solid communicator.

Working in New York’s busy media scene taught him how to engage fans on radio and TV. He really sharpened his skills there.

Work with Al Helfer and Philadelphia Phillies

Barney teamed up with veteran broadcaster Al Helfer during his early days in media. Helfer showed him the ropes of play-by-play announcing.

That partnership helped Barney learn the technical side of broadcasting. Helfer really acted as a mentor while Barney figured things out.

Barney also worked with the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast crew during this time. His National League experience with the Dodgers meant he already knew a lot about the other teams.

Those early years on the air set him up for later success. He picked up the skills and confidence he’d need for his future with the Orioles.

Baltimore Orioles Announcer Legacy

In 1964, Barney joined the Baltimore Orioles as their public address announcer. He kept that job for 25 years, right up until he passed away in 1997.

Fans loved his signature phrases. His drawn-out “Thank youuuuu” at the end of games became iconic at Memorial Stadium and later at Camden Yards.

He also made the phrase “Give that fan a contract!” famous when spectators made great catches on foul balls. Those catchphrases made him a fan favorite in Baltimore.

Some people even called him “Mr. Oriole” when Brooks Robinson wasn’t around. His voice just became part of Orioles baseball for a whole generation.

When Barney died from cancer in 1997, the Orioles played their next game without a public address announcer. That silent tribute said everything about how much he meant to Baltimore and the team.

Legacy, Honors, and Memorials

Rex Barney’s legacy goes way beyond his short but memorable pitching career with the Dodgers. After leaving the mound in 1950, he became the beloved voice of Baltimore Orioles baseball for over twenty years.

He earned a spot in the team’s Hall of Fame and left a real impression on fans.

Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame

Rex Barney joined the Orioles in 1964 and kicked off his broadcasting career. He served as the team’s public address announcer from 1974 until he died in 1997.

His voice and catchphrases became part of the Orioles’ identity. Fans waited for his “Give that fan a contract!” and his long “Thank youuu” after the lineups.

The Orioles honored him by inducting him into their Hall of Fame. With 23 years behind the mic, he became as beloved as the players he announced at Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards.

Iconic Announcing Moments

Barney’s style behind the mic went beyond typical public address work. His energy and personality made him a favorite across Maryland and beyond.

Fans looked forward to his trademark “Thank youuu” and cheered when he handed out those imaginary contracts. Those little moments became part of Orioles culture.

Barney co-authored two books: “Rex Barney’s Thank Youuuu for 50 Years of Baseball” and “Orioles Memories: 1969-1994.” These books captured stories from his days with Brooklyn and his long announcing run in Baltimore.

Final Years and Find a Grave Memorial

Rex Barney passed away on August 12, 1997, at age 72 in Baltimore, Maryland. That night, the Orioles decided to honor him by playing their game without any public address announcements.

His family buried him at Lorraine Park Cemetery in Baltimore. You can find his Find a Grave memorial, which highlights both his short but memorable MLB pitching career and the many years he spent serving Orioles fans.

A Pennsylvania historical marker celebrates Barney’s impact on baseball. The marker points out how “his trademark calls echoed beyond Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards to generations of fans.”

People still talk about his legacy, especially the fans who remember his one-of-a-kind voice and the happiness he brought to Baltimore baseball for almost 25 years.