Barry Larkin

Born on April 28, 1964, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Barry Larkin was a prominent student and athlete at Cincinnati’s Moeller High School before attending the University of Michigan. Initially planning to play both baseball and football, a pivotal decision guided by football coach Bo Schembechler led Larkin to focus solely on baseball. This focus allowed him to excel, earning a spot on the 1984 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team and being drafted fourth overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1985 MLB Draft, beginning a distinguished 19-year professional career.

Larkin quickly established himself as the Reds’ starting shortstop, making his MLB debut in 1986. His career with the Reds was marked by consistent high-level performance and numerous accolades. He won the National League MVP Award in 1995, leading the Reds to a division title. In 1996, he made history as the first shortstop to achieve a 30-homer/30-steal season, demonstrating his rare combination of power and speed. His commitment to the game and community was also recognized with the Roberto Clemente Award in 1993 and the Lou Gehrig Award in 1994.

After retiring in 2004 with a .295 career batting average, 2,340 hits, 198 home runs, and 379 stolen bases, Larkin was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. Post-retirement, he maintained an active presence in baseball, working as a special assistant for the Washington Nationals, serving as a studio analyst for MLB Network and ESPN, and coaching the Brazilian national team in the World Baseball Classic. He has also embraced entrepreneurial roles, becoming an executive partner and owner in Baseball United, a professional league expanding baseball’s reach into the Middle East and South Asia, and an MLB Ambassador for the Orlando Dreamers.