Will Clark

Born and raised primarily in New Orleans, Louisiana,{{Cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/05/28/will-clark-giants-1990 |title=Will Power |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=May 28, 1990 |last=Swift |first=E.M. |location=New York City |publisher=Time |access-date=September 26, 2024 }} Clark graduated from Jesuit High School.{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/3bcff907 |title=Will Clark |website=Society for American Baseball Research |last=Cuicchi |first=Richard |access-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240416233528/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Will-Clark/ |archive-date=April 16, 2024 |url-status=live }} He grew up a Kansas City Royals fan and was selected by the Royals in the fourth round of the 1982 draft, but chose not to sign.{{cite interview |last=Clark |first=Will |work=Reddit.com/r/SFGiants |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/SFGiants/comments/8g9ti1/hi_im_will_clark_here_to_answer_your_questions/ |title=Hi, I'm Will Clark, here to answer your questions @ 2:30 PM PT - AMA! |date=May 1, 2018 |access-date=February 24, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clarkwi02.shtml/ |title=Will Clark |website=Baseball Reference |access-date=September 26, 2024 }}

Clark attended Mississippi State University to play college baseball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. In 1983, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). A league all-star, Clark batted .367 and was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2004.{{cite news |url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/hofnews/?article_id=229 |title=Ten Legends to be Inducted into Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame |date=June 13, 2004 |work=Cape Cod Baseball League |access-date=August 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217175607/http://capecodbaseball.org/news/hofnews/?article_id=229 |archive-date=December 17, 2019 |url-status=dead }} Clark played for the U.S. team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. During the five-game Olympic tournament at Dodger Stadium, he led the team in batting average (.429), hits (9), runs batted in (8), and tied for the team lead in home runs (3).{{cite news |last1=Cuicchi |first1=Richard |title=Oh, What a Thrill! Will Clark: Career Overview (Part 2)|url=https://crescentcitysports.com/oh-what-a-thrill-will-clark-career-overview-part-2/ |work=Crescent City Sports |date=March 19, 2018}}

In {{baseball year|1985}}, The Sporting News named Clark an All-American and he later won the Golden Spikes Award from USA Baseball as the best amateur baseball player in the country. A teammate of Rafael Palmeiro, the two were known as "Thunder and Lightning."{{cite web | url=http://maroonandwhitenation.com/2015/04/29/sec-storied-thunder-lightning-to-premiere-monday/ | title=SEC Storied: Thunder & Lightning to Premiere Monday|last=Norwood|first=Andrew|website=M&W Nation|date=2015-04-29}} Clark and Palmeiro were known to dislike each other, dating back to their time at Mississippi State.{{cite news|last=Chass|first=Murray|title=Baseball; Thoughts Deep in the Heart of Texas|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/09/sports/baseball-thoughts-deep-in-the-heart-of-texas.html|access-date=October 8, 2014|work=The New York Times|page=B13|date=March 9, 1994|ref=nyt_clark_palm}} The Bulldogs finished fourth at the College World Series in 1985, and Clark was named to the all-tournament team.

After his junior season at Mississippi State, Clark was the second overall pick of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft, selected by the San Francisco Giants.{{Cite web |url=https://baseballbiography.com/will-clark-1964 |title=Will Clark |website=BaseballBiography.com |access-date=September 26, 2024 }} He played that summer with Fresno of the Class A California League.

In his first major league at-bat on April 8, 1986, on his first swing, Clark hit a home run off Nolan Ryan. A few days later, Clark also homered in his first home game at Candlestick Park. An elbow injury cost Clark 47 games in his rookie season. Clark finished the year with a .287 batting average and placed fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Image:Will Clark preparing to bat during seventh inning of 12 August 1992 game between San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros (cropped).jpg in 1992]]

In his first full season in {{mlby|1987}}, Clark had a .308 batting average. Clark was voted the starting first baseman for the NL All-Star team every season from 1988 through 1992. In {{mlby|1988}}, Clark was the first Giants' player to drive in 90 or more runs in consecutive seasons since Bobby Murcer from {{mlby|1975}}-{{mlby|1976}}.

In {{mlby|1989}}, Clark batted .333 (losing the batting title to Tony Gwynn on the final day of the season) with 111 runs batted in (RBIs). Clark finished second in the NL Most Valuable Player voting to Giants teammate Kevin Mitchell. In {{mlby|1989}}, Clark and the Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). In Game 1, Clark had already hit a solo home run. Prior to a subsequent at-bat, Cubs' catcher Rick Wrona went to the mound to discuss with Greg Maddux how to pitch to Clark. From the on-deck circle, Clark watched the conversation and read Greg Maddux's lips saying "fastball high, inside." The first pitch was a fastball high and inside which Clark sent into the street beyond right field for a grand slam. Afterwards, pitchers began to cover their mouths with their gloves when having conversations on the pitcher's mound.{{Cite news |last=Stark |first=Jayson |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/9589483/the-history-glove-talking-baseball |title=Talk to the glove! |work=ESPN |date=August 21, 2013 |access-date=September 27, 2024 }} (The Chicago Tribune's front page the next day paid tribute to his performance with a headline of "Clark's night on Addison", referring to the street outside Wrigley Field where the home runs landed.Chicago Tribune, October 5, 1989, page A1)

In Game 5 of the series, Clark faced Cubs closer Mitch Williams with the score 1–1 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Clark singled to center field to drive in two runs, breaking the tie, eventually sending the Giants to the World Series. Clark's efforts, which included a .650 batting average and two home runs, resulted in him being named NLCS MVP. The Giants went on to face the Oakland Athletics in the 1989 World Series, but were swept. In the only World Series appearance of his career, Clark failed to contribute significantly at the plate, finishing with no runs batted in and a .250 batting average while battling tonsillitis.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-16-sp-269-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Raspy, Feverish, Will Clark Skips Batting Practice |date=October 16, 1989 |agency=Associated Press }}

Clark had become a very durable player since his rookie year injury, setting a San Francisco record with 320 consecutive games played from September 1987 through August 1989. In January 1990, he signed a four-year, $15 million contract with the Giants, which at the time made him the highest-paid player in the majors.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/23/sports/will-clark-package-zooms-to-15-million.html |work=The New York Times |title=Will Clark Package Zooms to $15 Million |page=B9 |agency=Associated Press |date=January 23, 1990 |access-date=September 27, 2024 }} {{subscription required}} However, a string of injuries reduced his playing time in the early 1990s and diminished his production. Clark drove in just 73 runs in {{mlby|1992}}, the lowest total since his rookie year.

File:Willclark97.jpg during 1997 MLB season]]

The Texas Rangers signed Clark to replace his former Mississippi State teammate, Rafael Palmeiro, at first base. Clark made the American League All-Star team in 1994 and finished the season with a .329 batting average, the second-highest of his career. He maintained a high level of offensive production throughout his tenure with Texas, finishing below .300 only in 1996. Injuries limited his playing time to 123, 117 and 110 games from 1995 through 1997, but Clark led the Rangers to American League West Division titles in 1996 and 1998. Clark struggled offensively in both the 1996 and 1998 postseasons, though he put together his most productive regular season in seven years in 1998 (.305, 23 HRs, 41 2Bs, 102 RBIs). Following the 1998 season, the Rangers re-signed Rafael Palmeiro, effectively ending Clark's days with the team.

Clark signed a two-year deal with the Orioles before the {{mlby|1999}} season, again replacing Palmeiro, who had left Baltimore to return to Texas. Part of the reason Clark chose Baltimore was to be near Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, since Clark's son, Trey, has autism.{{cite news|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/2015/05/17/now-will-clark-focuses-family/27503883/ |title=Where are they now: Will Clark focuses on family |work=The Times |last=Courtney |first=Lloyd |date=2015-05-17 |access-date=2022-08-02}} Clark spent nearly two years with Baltimore but was plagued by injuries. On June 15, Clark got his 2000th hit versus the Kansas City Royals.

At the MLB trade deadline in 2000, the Orioles traded Clark to the St. Louis Cardinals for José León. He was acquired in part to play in place of the injured Mark McGwire.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2000/0731/661735.html |title=Orioles trade Clark, Surhoff to NL contenders |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=July 31, 2000 |access-date=September 27, 2024 }} Clark batted .345 while hitting 12 home runs and driving in 42 runs in 51 games. Clark helped the Cardinals defeat the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS with four runs batted in during the series. In the NLCS, the Cardinals faced the New York Mets. Clark batted .412 in the series but the Mets won the series and the National League pennant. Despite being revitalized during his time with the Cardinals, he decided to retire at the end of the season, largely due to familial obligations. Clark batted .319 during his final season and went 1 for 3 in his final game on October 16, 2000.

{{MLBBioRet

|Image = SFGiants 22.png

|Name = Will Clark

|Number = 22

|Team = San Francisco Giants

|Year = 2022

|}}

Clark was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in {{baseball year|2006}}. He was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in June 2004,{{cite web |url=https://lasportshall.com/?inductees=will-clark|title=Will Clark|website=Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame}} the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame on April 26, 2007,{{cite web |url=http://www.bashof.org/Hall_of_Fame_2007.html|title=Hall of Fame Inductees (2007)|website=Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408021451/https://bashof.org/Hall_of_Fame_2007.html |archive-date=April 8, 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/New-inductees-remember-Rice-ex-Giant-Clark-2599101.php|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|title=New inductees remember / Rice, ex-Giant Clark among those recalling their finest hours|first1=Tom |last1=FitzGerald|date=April 27, 2007}} and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on August 1, 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.msfame.com/artman/publish/article_437.shtml |title=Induction Weekend Opens Friday; Tickets Available |website=Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum |date=July 11, 2008 |last=Rubenstein |first=Michael |df=mdy-all |access-date=2021-02-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225005702/http://www.msfame.com/artman/publish/article_437.shtml |archive-date=February 25, 2012}} Clark's final statistics were 284 home runs, 1,205 RBI, a .303 batting average, and a .881 OPS.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/9931/ |title=Will Clark |website=The Baseball Cube |access-date=September 27, 2024 }} In 2006 Hall of Fame balloting, Clark received 23 votes, 4.4% of the total, which withdrew him from consideration from future ballots, as he did not receive the required 5% threshold to stay on.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/will-clark-considered-in-hall-of-fame-vote-c209864780 |title=Will in-depth numbers support Clark's cause? |last=Haft |first=Chris |date=November 29, 2016 |website=MLB |access-date=September 27, 2024 }}

Clark holds the record for most home runs against Hall of Fame Pitcher Nolan Ryan with 6.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.fcgi?id=ryanno01&t=p |title=Nolan Ryan Career Home Runs Allowed |website=Baseball Reference |access-date=September 27, 2024 }}

It was announced on August 11, 2019, that the Giants would retire Clark's #22 during the 2020 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27371890|title=Giants to retire Will Clark's No. 22 next year|date=2019-08-12|website=ESPN|language=en |df=mdy-all|access-date=2019-08-12}} However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the retirement ceremony was postponed to 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/giants-likely-to-push-will-clark-ceremony-back-to-2022/1134548/|date=February 20, 2021|website=NBCSportsBayArea.com|last=Pavlovic|first=Alex|access-date=September 27, 2024|title=Giants likely to push Will Clark ceremony back to 2022}} Clark's number was ceremoniously retired on July 30, 2022.

Clark is married to Lisa White Clark, whom he wed in 1994.{{cite web | url=https://www.medadmbjmc.in/who-is-will-clark-wife-lisa-clark/ | title=Who is Will Clark Wife Lisa Clark? Meet the Former American professional Baseball Player Family | date=August 2022 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/lisawhiteclark/ |title=Lisa White Clark (@lisawhiteclark) • Instagram photos and videos |publisher=Instagram.com |date= |accessdate=2022-08-02}} Their son Trey was born in 1996.{{cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1999-02-26-9902260041-story.html |title=Dark Moment For Clark Has Softened His Glare |work=Sun Sentinel |date=February 26, 1999 |access-date=August 2, 2022 }} {{subscription required}} In 1998, at age two, Trey was diagnosed with autism. Will and Lisa also have a daughter, Ella. Clark is a spokesman for Autism Speaks and Anova.{{cite web|last=O'Carroll |first=Bailey |url=https://www.ktvu.com/sports/will-clark-reflects-on-patience-it-took-to-find-success-at-the-plate-and-as-a-dad |title=Giants legend Will Clark says his biggest life challenge happened off the field, as a dad |work=KTVU |date=July 31, 2022 |access-date=September 27, 2024}} In 1999, Clark's wife Lisa had open heart surgery to address a hole that had been undiagnosed since birth.

{{Portal|Biography|Louisiana|Baseball}}

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{{San Francisco Giants first-round draft picks}}

{{San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame}}

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Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

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Category:Baseball players at the 1984 Summer Olympics

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Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in baseball

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Category:20th-century American sportsmen