RIP Steve Barber

Feb. 11, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JOHN L. SMITH: Late big-league pitcher found better zone through
love of kids on his bus


The first thing you notice upon entering the home of Patricia and
Steve Barber is what's missing.

The walls of the neat, garden-style bungalow at MacDonald Ranch in
Henderson display not a single piece of baseball memorabilia in the
home of a man who played 15 years for seven big-league teams, won 20
games in 1963 and helped the Baltimore Orioles to the 1966 World
Series. There was a time when Barber, who died last week at 68,
possessed one of the most coveted left arms in Major League Baseball.

But there is a trophy, of sorts.

There, on the refrigerator, is a small magnet containing the simple
words: "No. 1 Bus Driver Mr. Barber."

Patricia, Barber's wife of 42 years, says her husband was as proud
of that magnet as his World Series ring. It was a gift from the
family of a special-needs child who rode Barber's school bus, and he
cherished it as if it were gold.

It might surprise some people that Steve Barber, former hotshot big-
league pitcher, drove a Clark County School District bus the last 15
years of his life. If you didn't know Barber, you might guess it
would be something he'd want to conceal from his high-flying old
friends, many all-stars and Hall of Famers among them.

On the contrary, Patricia says.

That was the uniform he was most proud of.

That was the most important job he ever held.

That was the job that helped change Steve Barber's life.

A Maryland native, Barber was a cocky prospect when he joined the
staff of the Orioles at age 22 for the start of the 1960 season.

When Patricia met Steve, he was establishing himself as a ballplayer
and was a "meat-and-potatoes man" who was fond of bologna, cheese,
peanut butter and Fritos sandwiches. "It made me sick to make them,"
she says, smiling. She eventually broadened his palate and taste in
clothing, too.

They managed to raise four children despite bouncing between
franchises, sometimes barely unpacking boxes from the moving van
before receiving a new assignment.

During the season, her husband traveled first class and was talented
enough to remain in the big leagues until 1974 despite severe arm
trouble.

When his career ended, the Barbers relocated to Las Vegas, where he
parlayed his professional sports connections and became a successful
car salesman. But his wife admits that the atmosphere did nothing
for him. He made good money, but the job left him feeling empty.

"He hated it," Patricia recalls. "He truly hated the car business."

Barber's life began to change after the birth of his grandson, Jake,
who was diagnosed with autism. The boy's challenges gave the
grandfather a new perspective. Driving the special-needs bus
appealed to him, his wife says. He grew to know the children as
individuals and started to see the world in a different light.

Barber learned up close that autism was a far more common malady
than most people believe. The kids on the bus sometimes tested his
patience, but Barber saw in them the courage of champions. He
admired them for having the strength to carry on despite daunting
medical, emotional and mental challenges.

And they cared for Barber, too. Each Christmas he received homemade
cards and tins filled with cookies.

As for baseball, well, Barber didn't watch many games in recent
years. Each week he received letters from fans and baseball card
collectors seeking autographs, and he signed the requests and even
called fans to answer questions.

But he put the game of his youth behind him. He'd found more
important work.

His experience on the bus gave Barber strength in his final days as
he battled smoking-related lung problems that gradually ravaged his
health. He died Feb. 4.

On Thursday, Barber's 1-inch obituary was published in the Review-
Journal. It probably will be among the last scraps of news printed
about a man whose own big-league scrapbooks once filled volumes. A
casual reader would learn that Barber was a school bus driver who
wanted donations to be made to the Special Olympics.

There was no mention of his baseball career and his passing stardom.

"I'm sure my husband would want to be remembered as a school bus
driver of special-needs kids," Patricia says. "He loved those kids."

He was their No. 1 Bus Driver and had the trophy to prove it.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0295.

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