Jimmy Barrett

About Jimmy Barrett

James Erigena Barrett (March 28, 1875 – October 24, 1921) was a Major League Baseball center fielder. A native of Athol, Massachusetts, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Barrett played 10 seasons in the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds (1899-1900, 1906), Detroit Tigers (1901-05), and Boston Red Sox (1907-08). Barrett was the first star for the Detroit Tigers, playing for the Tigers in the first five years of their existence. He left the Tigers with the arrival of a new center fielder Ty Cobb. Barrett had a career batting average of .291 (21 points higher than the league average during the deadball years in which he played). He also had a career on base percentage of .379. In 1903 and 1904, he led the American League in times on base and walks. Despite Barrett's having played in only 866 major league games, baseball historian, Bill James, ranks Barrett as the 72nd best center fielder of all time. ("The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract" (2001), p. 769)

Born in Athol, Massachusetts, Barrett served in the U.S. Army from 1894-96. Barrett joined the company baseball team, playing shortstop for three years.

In 1899, Barrett played for the Detroit team in the Western Association before being sold to the Cincinnati Reds in August 1899. In one month with the Reds in 1899, Barrett hit for a .370 batting average, .477 on base percentage, and .478 slugging percentage. Barrett never matched those numbers again, but continued to be one of the better hitters of his time. In 1900, he hit .316, with a .400 on base percentage and had career highs with 172 hits, 114 runs and 44 stolen bases (both 3rd best in the National League).