OBITUARY: Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame’s Bobby Barnes, 93, Passed Away Jan. 3

Among Brevard's Greatest All-Around Athletes

WATCH: Bobby Barnes was a high school All-American and started in every football game, baseball game, and basketball game Cocoa High competed in every year he attended school there. He will be remembered for his remarkable achievements, his faith in God, his love for his family, and his deep dedication to sports and his community. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Bobby Barnes, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. He was 93 years old.

Bobby is survived by his devoted wife of 40 years, Sigrid Barnes; his daughters, Linda Gainer, and Gena Stephenson; his sons, David Barnes and Bob Barnes Jr.; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Born with a natural talent for sports, Bobby excelled at Cocoa High School, playing baseball, football, and basketball. His remarkable abilities earned him High School All-American honors, and he played in every game during his high school career.

Bobby continued his athletic journey at the University of Florida, where he played both baseball and football on scholarship, earning two-time First-Team College All-American honors.

His promising career was briefly interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as a Specialist during the Korean War, playing baseball on the U.S. Army team. After his service, Bobby returned to the Florida Gators to complete his education and further cement his legacy.

Following college, Bobby played professional baseball with the Philadelphia organization before returning to Cocoa High School to serve as the head coach for football and baseball and as the athletic director. His passion for mentoring young athletes left an enduring mark on the community.

Later, Bobby transitioned to a successful 35-year career with McDonnell Douglas at the Kennedy Space Center, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in aerospace.

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to athletics, Bobby was inducted into the University of Florida Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. He was also honored in the State of Florida Hall of Fame and, in 2013, was inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

Bobby Barnes will be remembered for his remarkable achievements, his faith in God, his love for his family, and his deep dedication to sports and his community. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is Bobby Barnes’ Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame profile, first published in May 2013.

BOBBY BARNES – 2013 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

• High School All-American
• Two-Time College All-American
• UF Athletics Hall of Fame

COCOA HIGH SCHOOL GRAD

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA (May 2013) – When Bobby Barnes played in his first prep games for the old Cocoa High School in the late 1940s, the United States was emerging from victory in a devastating world war and seeking heroes in and out of uniform.

It was a simpler time in America, and Barnes, who was blessed with a keen competitive spirit and an abundance of athletic talent, chose to make his path to the future through his aptitude and love for sports.

There wasn’t a sport offered in high school that Barnes didn’t master. As a football linebacker, Barnes was a three-time All-County and All-Orange Belt Conference selection. Chosen the team’s MVP twice, he went both ways and played on the receiving and kickoff teams for four seasons.

He earned All-State status in football as a senior, and the Cocoa team honored him as co-captain during both his junior and senior years.

Barnes also played in the FHSAA All-Star Football Game as a senior. Barnes made such a strong impression upon generations of sports fans that he was selected in 1985 to the Orlando Sentinel’s All-Time All-Brevard County football team as a linebacker.

11 VARSITY LETTERS

In all, Barnes started in every football game, baseball game ,and basketball game Cocoa competed in every year he attended school there.

Playing basketball, he was a two-time All-Brevard County pick and led the county in assists in his senior season and also picked up the Most Improved Award that same year. Barnes’ high school baseball accomplishments were prodigious.

He was chosen for four All-Brevard County teams and was a four-time All-Orange Belt Conference honoree. He also received accolades as an All-District V recipient and was named as an All-American as a senior.

As a Cocoa Tiger, he earned a total of 11 varsity letters, with four in football, three in basketball, and four in baseball. His athletic ability resulted in numerous offers from colleges across the country to play at the next level.

Barnes decided to stay close to home and accepted a scholarship offer to play baseball and football for the University of Florida Gators.

In his first season at Florida in 1953, Barnes started at catcher for the Gators baseball squad. His knack for calling pitches behind the plate was exemplary, and his solid defense and booming bat led to Barnes being honored as a First Team All-Southeastern Conference selection.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR & COACH

Military service interrupted his college career, taking him away from Florida for two years.

When he returned to the Gators for the 1956 season, he did what was asked of him by coaches and switched positions to play the outfield.

He took up where he left off before his stint in the military, and by the time his playing career ended at Florida in 1958, he had been named to three All-SEC and All-Region teams and was a two-time All-American. He is in the UF Athletics Hall of Fame for his accomplishments on the diamond.

After college, Barnes signed a professional baseball contract with the Kansas City Athletics, but professional baseball was not in the cards for him.

Returning to Brevard, Barnes focused on applying his experience and talent to coaching. He served as head football and baseball coach, and athletic director of Cocoa High School for four seasons.

During that period, he coached gridiron star Bob Anderson, who went on to be an all-American at West Point and a member of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

His 1960 Cocoa football team advanced all the way to the state championship game, and for many years, Barnes held the distinction of being the only individual in Florida history to play in the state football championship tournament and coach in the event as well.

Although Barnes now resides in Fort Worth, Texas, his induction into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame keeps his extraordinary sports legacy alive here in Brevard County.

FOR INFORMATION about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE INDUCTEES

Similar Stories