Jack Clark (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=Jack Clark
position=Outfielder / First baseman / DH
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1955|11|10
New Brighton, Pennsylvania
debutdate=September 12
debutyear=by|1975
debutteam=San Francisco Giants
finaldate=August 28
finalyear=by|1992
finalteam=Boston Red Sox
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.267
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=340
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=1180
teams=
* San Francisco Giants (by|1975-by|1984)
* St. Louis Cardinals (by|1985-by|1987)
* New York Yankees (by|1988)
* San Diego Padres (by|1989-by|1990)
* Boston Red Sox (by|1991-by|1992)
highlights=
* 4x All-Star selection (1978, 1979, 1985, 1987)
* 2x Silver Slugger Award winner (1985, 1987)

Jack Anthony Clark (born November 10, 1955 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania), also known as “Jack the Ripper”, is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1975 through 1992, Clark played for the San Francisco Giants (1975-84), St. Louis Cardinals (1985-87), New York Yankees (1988), San Diego Padres (1989-90) and Boston Red Sox (1991-92). He batted and threw right-handed.

Career

A clutch hitter and consistent slugger, Clark was injury-prone for the first 13 years of his career. He started his major league career with the San Francisco Giants in by|1975 as a right fielder. But Clark hated the Giants' Candlestick Park, a notoriously bad park for power hitters because of the wind coming off of the San Francisco Bay. He won the first Willie Mac Award in 1980 for his spirit and leadership.

On February 1, by|1985, Clark was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for shortstop José Uribe, pitcher Dave LaPoint, and first basemen-outfielders David Green and Gary Rajsich. He switched to first base to reduce risk of injury. He became the hero of the 1985 National League Championship Series with a dramatic Game Six ninth-inning three-run home run off Dodgers pitcher Tom Niedenfuer. (He would later join the Dodgers as their hitting coach in 2003.) In 1987, Clark had probably his best season. He hit .286 with 35 home runs, 106 RBI, and a led the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage with a .459 OBP and a .597 SLG. He finished 3rd in the MVP vote, but some have speculated that he should have won the award over the man who actually won it, Andre Dawson. [ [http://stl.sabr.org/fungoes/?p=723 Fungoes » Blog Archive » Cardinal MVP Snubs: A History ] ] Clark again led the Cardinals to the World Series that year, although injuries limited his contributions in the post-season.

In by|1988, Clark played with the New York Yankees, basically as a designated hitter, because of the presence of Don Mattingly at first base. Clark also played for the San Diego Padres in two seasons, returning to the American League as a DH with the Boston Red Sox. He was waived by Boston in February 1993 and was signed by the Montreal Expos during 1993 spring training. He was released later that year and never made an official at bat with the Expos. He retired shortly after. A four-time All-Star, Clark also won the Silver Slugger Award in by|1985 and by|1987.

In an 18-season career, Clark was a .267 hitter with 340 home runs and 1180 RBI in 1994 games. He also collected 1118 runs, 332 doubles, 77 stolen bases, and 1826 hits in 6847 at bats.

In 1992, Clark filed for bankruptcy, listing debts of $11,459,305.97 and assets of $4,781,780. Among other things, Clark owned 18 automobiles at the time.Today, Jack does post-game analysis for the St. Louis Cardinals on Fox Sports Midwest.

ee also

* Top 500 home run hitters of all time
* List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
* List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
* Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game

References

External links

*
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Clark_Jack.stm BaseballLibrary.com] - biography
* [http://baseballevolution.com/halloffame/clarkj.html Baseball Evolution Hall of Fame] - Player Profile
* http://stl.sabr.org/fungoes/?p=723
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE0DD1639F93BA3575BC0A964958260 NY Times article "Jack Clark Files for Bankruptcy"]