Major League Baseball Player. He played as a right-handed pitcher for ten seasons (1919 to 1920, 1922 to 1928) with the New York Giants, and, briefly, the Boston Braves. Previous to his baseball career he served in the United States Army during World War I, seeing combat in France during the 1918 Meuse-Argonne Offensive, where he was gassed. He made his Major League debut with the Giants at the tail end of the 1919 season. His older brother Jesse L. Barnes, also was a pitcher and a teammate with him for a number of seasons with the Giants. The 1924 season turned out to be an eventful one for Virgil Barnes. On June 26th of that year while playing the Boston Braves, he pitched against brother Jesse, who had been traded to Boston in the off season; it marked the first time in Major League Baseball history that two brothers were opposing staring pitchers in a game (Braves beat the Giants 8-1 that day, with Jesse gaining the win and Virgil getting a no-decision). The Giants took the National League pennant that year, and faced Walter Johnson's Washington Senators in the subsequent World Series. Virgil Barnes started Game 4 (losing 7-4), and Game 7 for the Giants as the series went the distance. In Game 7 he pitched brilliantly and held a 3-1 lead in the 8th inning when he loaded the bases with Senators. Only four outs away from a World Championship, he induced Senators star catcher to ground to the third baseman, Freddie Lindstrom. Rather than being an inning-ended routine ground out, the ball hit something in the field and bounced over Lindstrom's head, allowing the Senators to tie the game. Washington eventually won the Series in the 12th inning, and Virgil Barnes got the no-decision. He would go on to pitch a few more years with New York, but injuries and arm trouble would limit his effectiveness. Traded to the Boston Braves in mid-season in 1928, he would play his last game on September 15, of the year. He ended his career with a record of 61 Wins, 59 Losses, 7 shutouts, 11 saves, 275 strikeouts and a 3.66 earned run average in 1,094 innings pitched.