Barry Larkin
A graceful and powerful shortstop who defined an era for the Cincinnati Reds, blending slick fielding, smart baserunning, and potent hitting from the heart of the order.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Barry Larkin was the complete modern shortstop, a hometown hero who spent 19 seasons making the difficult look effortless for the Cincinnati Reds. Stepping into the role after the Dave Concepción era, Larkin combined athleticism with a scholar's understanding of the game. He hit for average and surprising power, stole bases with intelligence, and played defense with a smooth, fluid style that earned him three Gold Gloves. A quiet leader, he captained the Reds to a stunning sweep in the 1990 World Series. In an age of flashier stars, Larkin's consistent excellence and all-around game made him the National League's premier shortstop throughout the 1990s. His career, spent entirely with one team, stands as a model of loyalty, skill, and understated class, culminating in a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Barry was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Barry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012, his third year on the ballot.
- Won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1995.
- Led the Cincinnati Reds to a World Series championship in 1990.
- Earned 12 All-Star selections and three Gold Glove awards during his career.
Did You Know?
He was a standout football player in high school in Cincinnati and was recruited to play quarterback at the University of Michigan.
Larkin's brother, Stephen, also played briefly in the major leagues.
He won the Silver Slugger award nine times as the best-hitting shortstop in the National League.
He served as a bench coach for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
“I always tried to play the game the right way. I respected it, and I hope that showed.”
