Looking Back: Vols' Babe Barna Remembered
Barna was a starting end on the football team and a senior captain. In a 40-6 victory over the University of Cincinnati in 1936, Barna caught three touchdown passes a school record at the time. During the Mountaineer's 1934 season, Barna broke his leg, but would be well enough to play baseball in the following spring.
On the diamond, Barna batted a superior .440 in 1935 which ranks eighth best in West Virginia history. The next year he batted an even more impressive .452, which is sixth best in Mountaineer baseball history. Barna's college career average was .408. He played first base and was an outfielder that stole five bases in one game, a feat never matched by any Mountaineer.
Barna batted left-handed, but threw with his right. He stood six-foot-three and weighed 220 pounds, but could swiftly run the base paths. When his college eligibility expired, the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the NFL draft selected Barna. Barna would choose professional baseball over football and signed with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in 1937.
Barna began the 1937 season in Albany of the New York-Penn League (Single-A) where he played in 73 games, batted .283 (77-for-272), and clubbed five home runs. Late in the season, Barna was called up to the parent club where he appeared in 14 games, batted .389 (14-for-36) with two home runs and nine RBIs. In 1938, Barna appeared in nine games for the Athletics, but only batted .189 (4-for-30) after playing most of the season for Williamsport (Eastern League).
The minor leagues would be home for Barna in the next few years in Chattanooga (1939), Memphis (1940) and Triple-A Minneapolis (1941). He did appear in 10 games for the New York Giants (1941) and had his most productive major league season with the Giants in 1942 where Barna appeared in 110 games. That year he batted .257 (85-for-331) with six home runs and 58 RBIs.
In 1943, Barna played for Louisville (Double-A), Giants and the Boston Red Sox. His last game for the Red Sox in July 1943 would be Barna's final appearance in the big leagues.
Barna had several productive years in the minors hitting with power and an average. He played in Minneapolis (1944-48), but his best year, in any league, came in 1949 when the Nashville Vols of the Southern Association signed him. Larry Gilbert was the Vols' vice-president and general manager in 1949. Rollie Hemsley was the Nashville manager. Sulphur Dell was the home of the Double-A Nashville Vols.
The book "Vol Feats, 1901-1950" by Fred Russell and George Leonard published in 1950 by the Nashville Banner gives this tribute to Barna.
"Larry Gilbert seems to have an almost unbelievable knack of picking up supposedly washed up players and then having them come through with the best season of their careers. No finer example exists than Herbert P. (Babe) Barna, a 34-year old veteran signed in March of 1949 as a free agent.
"The bulky Hungarian hustled every second of the way, uncomplainingly patrolled the right field dump at the Dell and proved a remarkably fine influence and source of encouragement to the many youngsters on Rollie Hemsley battling team.
"He tipped off what was his best-and, under Hemsley, his most enjoyable year in baseball in his first league showing before Nashville fans, April 19. On that day he played only the first six innings but whacked three home runs over the cozy screen, banged two singles against it, knocked in nine runs (tying a league mark) and racked up 14 total bases.
"Only his manager later regretted unfamiliarity with the record book prevented the not-yet-in-shape Babe from getting a sixth time at bat and a good crack at several records. Hemsley decided to give Barna a rest after his fifth straight hit.
"The big fellow hit .321, bashed 42 home runs and drove in 138 runs. In a Shaughnessy Playoff game against Mobile, Barna chased across eight teammates in the first three innings. He was seemingly on the way to an incredible record when his bat suddenly cooled and was silenced for the rest of the evening."
The Sulphur Dell ballpark was notorious for its short right field, which measured 262 feet from home plate and an embankment lining the entire outfield. The 45-degree embankment led up to the fence with a 30-foot screen topping the fence. An outfielder standing on top of the embankment would be standing 25 feet above the infield.
Nashville right fielders were called "mountain goats" as this unusual section of the playing field was known as the "Dump." Right fielders might play at the base of the "Dump" and run to the top on a ball hit past them or play it from the top in front of the 16-foot high wooden fence and run down hill to the ball.
Barna played that adventurous right field and would warn Vols second baseman, Buster Boguskie, to look out for him running down that embankment to avoid a collision "in case my brakes give out."
In that special 1949 season the Vols won the Southern Association's pennant with Barna leading the way. Barna slugged career-high 42 home runs with a league leading 125 RBIs while batting .341 (171-for-501) in 148 games. He spent the 1950 season in Baltimore (Triple-A) of the International League, but was back in Nashville in 1951 at age 36. He did bat a league-leading .358 (157-for-438) with 19 home runs in 131 games in his second and final year in Nashville.
Barna retired from playing professional baseball in 1952 after splitting time in Toledo and Charleston. After retirement, Barna teamed with his former manager and major leaguer Hemsley to open the B&H Sportsman Club in Charleston, W. VA.
Barna's minor league career numbers include a .311 batting average (1,903-for-6, 125) in 1,828 games, 290 home runs and 707 RBIs in 15 seasons. Wearing a major league uniform, Barna batted .232 (154-for-664) in 207 games, 12 home runs and 96 RBIs.
In 1963, Barna became general manager of the Orlando Twins of the Florida State League. Barna was elected the FSL president later that year. Later he took over the Gulf Coast League and the new East Coast circuit.
Barna died on May 18, 1972 in Charleston, West Virginia at age 57. He is a member of the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame.
If you have any old home movies or personal photos of the old Sulphur Dell ballpark, or have any suggestions or comments, click here to send an email to Bill Traughber.