Central Illinois has had many major league baseball players in history. Let’s look at them from the 12 counties that we have selected to become Central Illinois. (Logan, McLean, DeWitt, Woodford, Fulton, Peoria, Mason, Tazewell, Cass, Morgan, Menard, Sangamon).

He was born as Robert (Bob) Avery Barnes on January 6, 1902, in Washburn, Illinois in Woodford County. There appears to be nothing written about his youth until he reached the minor leagues. He pitched for the Muskegon Anglers and Grand Rapid Homoners (that was the only year the team name was Homoners and I can’t find the meaning of the word) in 1924 where he was 4-4 and pitched 76 innings and allowed 86 hits and 30 earned runs. He was a lefty hurler.

He started out at age 22 playing for the Chicago White Sox and had a career of two games. On July 8, 1924, he pitched against the New York Yankees for one inning. It that game, he allowed 3 hits and three earned runs with no walks or strikeouts. His next game was on July 10, 1924, and was his last major league appearance. He tossed against the New York Yankees again with 3.2IP/1H/8ER/0BB/1K. He finished his career with a 19.29 ERA.

He died on December 8, 1993, at the age of 91 years in Peoria, Illinois. He is buried in the Lacon Cemetery in Lacon, Illinois.

Check out the other Central Illinois biographies HERE.