Baseball 12/24/2016 2:17:00 PM

Former OCU, Rangers pitcher Barfield dies

OCU boasts of six alumni who have reached majors including Barfield

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Oklahoma City University mourns the loss of alum and former Texas Rangers pitcher John Barfield.
Barfield, a left-handed pitcher, served as the ace hurler for OCU's 1986 team, which earned the program's first NAIA World Series berth. Barfield became an OCU Athletics Hall of Famer in 1992.
In 1986, Barfield went 8-5 with a 4.63 earned run average, seven complete games and 86 strikeouts in 112.2 innings as a junior for Oklahoma City. Barfield set the program single-season record for innings pitched.
Barfield was named to The Oklahoman's state college baseball all-century team for the 20th century and the NAIA District 9 all-decade team for the 1980s.
"He allowed us to bring in better hitters, better fielders, what have you, to really sustain the program where it had been and where it was going," former OCU assistant coach Joe Carter told KOCO-5. "He was also a great person of character."
On Dec. 24, Barfield, 52, died at University of Arkansas for Medical Science Medical Center from gunshot wounds suffered in his home in downtown Little Rock, Ark. William Goldman has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Barfield's death.
The Texas Rangers made Barfield the 267th overall selection in the 11th round of the 1986 Major League Baseball amateur draft. Barfield reached the majors Sept. 7, 1989 against the Baltimore Orioles at Arlington Stadium. He was one of six OCU alumni to play in the majors.
"The thing I remember about John is he was a solid member of our pitching staff but always upbeat, personable, always in a good mood and always greeted you with a smile on his face," former Texas Rangers general manager Tom Grieve told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "To have something like that is shocking. You feel bad for everybody, his family, his friends, his ex-teammates, everybody who ever came in contact with him."
Barfield posted an 8-8 record, 4.72 ERA, two saves and 53 strikeouts in 139.1 innings in his three-year major-league career with the Rangers. He played for the Oklahoma City 89ers in 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1995. He had pro numbers of a 63-61 record, 3.99 ERA and 527 strikeouts in 1,019 innings.
Barfield transferred to OCU after pitching for Crowder (Mo.). He led Pine Bluff High School (Ark.) to the 1983 state championship.

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