H. Larry (Skeeter) Barnes, Jr.

2004 Effingham County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

• 1928                Born in Screven Co. July 14
• 1945                Graduated from Newington High School- played baseball and basketball    
• 1946-1947       Attended Savannah Branch of UGA- played basketball on “B” team
• 1950-1953       Joined U.S. Air Force- played baseball and fast-pitch softball on base teams
• 1953                Discharged from Air Force, moved to Meldrim to work as depot agent with Central of Georgia Railway. Helped organize baseball team and Little Ogeechee League. Secretary and Treasurer of team and league- played on Meldrim team.
• 1954-1955       Helped organize and managed boys and girls Meldrim basketball teams, played on adult team- played other towns (no league).
• 1956                Married Elizabeth Dixon- December 22 
• 1957                Son, Ted Williams- born on December 10
• 1958                Graduated from Georgia State College in Atlanta- played baseball there. Coached young boys (10-13) basketball teams at the YMCA.
• 1959-1961       Played baseball for Pineora in Savannah River League.

Lost wife and son in train wreck at Ogeechee River Picnic Landing, while playing baseball in Pineora on June 28, 1959

• 1962-1968       Played softball with Meldrim in County Church League. Coached first girls’ softball team.
• 1968                Married Frances Smith from Furman, S.C.
• 1981                Retired from Georgia State Department of Revenue.

 Member of Meldrim United Methodist Church- served on Administrative Board, PPR Committee, and assistant treasurer.

Still loves sports- enjoy seeing niece and nephew, Laura and Daniel Cooper, play basketball for Patrick Henry Academy near Furman, S.C.

Farmed since 1959 (cows and hay) while “talking” a lot about “fishing” and spending time with “Rocky”