Cabinet photo from spring 1887 with Oshkosh	Ray Harkness Born: March 25, 1864 Died: September 8, 1914 Goto Baseball Reference for Ray Harkness p Majors: No
	Sioux City Position: p First game: July 8, 1888 Last game: July 8, 1888 # of games: 1	Signed from Danville for a one-game tryout (Sioux City Journal, July 7, 1888).

Rha Byron Harkness was born in March 1864 in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. His family moved to Humboldt, Iowa before he was six years old, and he became known professionally as "Ray Harkness," the pitcher from Humboldt, Iowa. At the age of 22, he was signed by Oshkosh for the 1887 season, but was released without playing in a game for them. (Oshkosh would win the Northwestern League pennant in 1887.) He ended up playing with clubs in Iowa in 1887, and in 1888 he signed with Danville, IL in the Central Interstate League.

In July, 1888, as Sioux City joined the Western Association in place of St. Louis, manager Will Bryan brought Harkness for a one-game tryout against Milwaukee on July 8, 1888. He allowed nine runs in the first three innings and sixteen overall (ten earned) as Sioux City lost 16-4. Harkness did not stick with Sioux City. He returned home to Humboldt, Danville having disbanded.

Harkness got his best shot as a professional in 1890, when he signed to play with Minneapolis in the Western Association. He remained with Minneapolis into early June, when he was released. "He was not let go because of his inability to pitch good ball, but because the team is amply provided with good pitching material" (St. Paul Globe, June 7, 1890). In 1891, he joined Evansville in the Northwestern League; he bounced briefly to Dayton and Fort Wayne from there. In 1892 he signed to play for Butte in the Montana State League. He bounced around over the next few years, playing in Ogden, Utah (where he allegedly skipped town with some ticket money), Qunicy, Illinois, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 1897, while in Salt Lake City, he suffered from appendicitis and nearly died. He recoevered and stayed out west playing for clubs out there.

Harknees married Lottie McLeod in 1884. They had two children. He died in 1914 in California, and is burried at the Union Cemetery in Humboldt, Iowa.

A photo of Ray Harkness can be viewed on the website for the Oshkosh Public Museum. The photo is a cabinet photo from the spring of 1887, while Harkness was trying out for the Oshkosh ball club.

Date	Pos	AB	R	BH	2B	3B	HR	SB	PO	A	E	BB	HPB	K
7-8-1888	p	4	0	0				0	0	4	1			2
1 Games		4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1	0	0	2

Date	Pos	IP	H	R	ER	K	BB	HPB	WP
7-8-1888	p	9	15	16	10	0	4	0	0
1 Games		9	15	16	10	0	4	0	0