A native of Chicago, the 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 210 pounds (95 kg) Barclay signed with the Giants in 1952 after attending the University of Oregon, where he played baseball and basketball. He posted 19, 16, and 15-win seasons in three seasons of minor league baseball, losing 11 games as well each year, before joining the Giants as a rookie in 1957.[3]
However, that would be Barclay's only full year with the Giants. Hampered by a sore shoulder,[4] he split the 1958 and 1959 seasons between San Francisco and its top farm club, the Phoenix Giants, and he retired after the 1960 minor league campaign. Barclay's final Major League record was 10–9 (3.48) with 73 strikeouts and 55 bases on balls in 1991⁄3innings, allowing 214 hits. He registered five complete games and one save.[5]