Samuel "Sam" Barkley was primarily an infielder during his career. He spent 1886 and 1887 with Allegheny City (aka Pittsburg, without the H), making $1,800 in 1887 as the team's First and Second Baseman. He went on to play the final two years of his career with the Kansas City Cowboys of the American Association in 1888 and 1889 where he acted as player/manager in his first year.

Barkley has seven different cards in the N172 set, with only six examples of this pose graded by PSA. This issue depicts the infielder ready to throw, with his right hand neck high.

Centering is east on the canvas with some rounded corners, but the contrast and clarity of the image is still wonderful. The card's PR 1 grade can mainly be attributed to the fact that there is a piece of Burdock card glued to back, which does not affect the eye appeal of the front. Of the six total examples of this card which PSA has graded, only two have ever been graded higher than the PSA 1 offered here.