Jack Clark (baseball)

Last updated

3+1⁄2–4 hours. No wonder the fans are bored over there." [3] He played for the Padres for two seasons. In 1990, he feuded with All-Star teammate Tony Gwynn, who was widely respected by his peers and known as one of the most dedicated players in baseball. [7] [8] [9] Clark called him selfish and stated that Gwynn should be swinging with runners in scoring position instead of bunting and protecting his batting average. "No one bothers Tony Gwynn because he wins batting titles, but the Padres finish fourth or fifth every year", he said (in the two seasons he played with the team, they finished 2nd and 5th, respectively). [8] [10] Joe Carter, who played for the Padres in 1990, said, "It just involved one great guy, and that's Tony Gwynn, and anything they want to say about Tony Gwynn is going to be news. It got all blown out of proportion." [11] Gwynn countered, "I've been doing the same things my whole career, playing the same way. Now, why is it an issue? Because Jack Clark says it is." [12]

In early 1991, after leaving the Padres, Clark called Padres manager Greg Riddoch "a bad, bad man, and he's sneaky. He's a snake. Well, not just a snake, but a s-s-s-n-n-n-a-ke." [13] Clark said of the San Diego fans: "Everything that they should cheer for they'd boo for, and everything they should boo for they'd cheer for ... Tony, he's perfect for them. He just plays the whole thing up, and the town is so stupid that they can't see." [3] Gwynn responded with his own criticism of Clark: "Let's talk about him walking 104 times, being a No. 4 hitter. Let's talk about his not flying on team flights. Let's talk about him getting booted out of games on a called strike three." [14] [15]

Boston Red Sox

Clark returned to the American League in 1991, signing with the Boston Red Sox for three years over the Padres' offer of only one. [8] Clark served primarily as Boston's DH, hitting 28 home runs his first year with the team.

After hitting only five home runs in a truncated 1992 season, Clark was waived by Boston in February 1993 and was signed to a minor league contract by the Montreal Expos during 1993 spring training. [16] He was released later that year without appearing in a regular season game with the Expos, and retired shortly thereafter.

Retirement

Clark was named manager of the River City Rascals, a new Frontier League independent minor league team, in their inaugural season in 1999.

Clark served as the Los Angeles Dodgers' hitting coach for the 2001 through 2003 seasons.

In October 2008, Clark was named manager of the Springfield Sliders of the Central Illinois Collegiate League, which merged into the Prospect League for 2009. [17] Clark caught criticism from an article in The State Journal-Register after missing ten of the Sliders' 26 home games with no telling how many road games he attended. [18]

Controversies

Bankruptcy

Clark was driven into bankruptcy in 1992 by his appetite for luxury cars. According to his bankruptcy filing, he owned 18 luxury automobiles, including a US$700,000 Ferrari and a Rolls-Royce. Clark was trying to pay 17 car payments simultaneously, and whenever he got bored with a car he would get rid of it and just buy another one. He ended up losing his US$2.4 million home and his drag-racing business because of his extravagant spending habits. [19] Despite one of the most publicized bankruptcies in baseball, Clark reportedly got back on his feet in the late 1990s. [20]

Talk radio

Clark was hired as a sports talk host on St. Louis radio station WGNU in August 2013, co-hosting "The King and the Ripper" with longtime St. Louis radio personality Kevin "the King" Slaten. At least twice during the show's first week, Clark accused Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) while Pujols was with the Cardinals. Clark had said that he talked to Pujols' former personal trainer and said that "I know for a fact he was" using PEDs. [21] Pujols responded by threatening Clark and WGNU with a defamation lawsuit, and vehemently denied that he had ever used PEDs. The trainer added that he hadn't even talked to Clark in over ten years. InsideSTL Enterprises, who owned WGNU's weekday airtime through a time brokerage agreement, [22] cut ties with Clark and Slaten after only seven shows. [21] [23] [24] On October 4, 2013, Pujols filed a lawsuit against Clark. [25] In response on October 14, Clark challenged Pujols to both take polygraph tests to resolve who is telling the truth. [26] However, on February 10, 2014, Clark apologized and retracted his accusations against Pujols, saying he had "no knowledge whatsoever" that Pujols ever used PEDs. "During a heated discussion on air, I misspoke", Clark said. In return, Pujols dropped the suit. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Beltrán</span> Puerto Rican baseball player (born 1977)

Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. A right-handed thrower and switch hitter, Beltrán stands 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighs 215 pounds (98 kg).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Gwynn</span> American baseball player (1960–2014)

Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr., nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed hitting Gwynn won eight batting titles in his career, tied for the most in National League (NL) history. Gwynn had a .338 career batting average, never hitting below .309 in any full season. He was a 15-time All-Star, and won seven Silver Slugger Awards and five Gold Glove Awards. Gwynn stayed with the Padres his entire career, and he played in the only two World Series appearances in San Diego's franchise history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, his first year of eligibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Pujols</span> Dominican-American baseball player (born 1980)

José Alberto Pujols Alcántara is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "the Machine", Pujols is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2005 throughout the world.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2003 throughout the world.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2001 throughout the world.

The following are the baseball events of the year 1999 throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie McGee</span> American baseball player and coach

Willie Dean McGee is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is an assistant coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for four teams, over 18 seasons. He won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's 1985 National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career playing for the Cardinals, helping them win the 1982 World Series with his outstanding performance in Game 3. A four-time All-Star, McGee accumulated 2,254 hits during his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Deer</span> American baseball player (born 1960)

Robert George Deer is an American former professional baseball outfielder.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2006 throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Ludwick</span> American baseball player

Ryan Andrew Ludwick is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. His brother Eric also played four MLB seasons as a pitcher.

The 1999 Major League Baseball season ended with the New York Yankees sweeping the Atlanta Braves in the World Series.

The 1982 San Diego Padres season was the 14th in franchise history. The Padres finished with a record of 81 wins and 81 losses (.500), good for fourth place in the National League West, eight games behind the division champion Atlanta Braves.

The 1989 San Diego Padres season was the 21st season in franchise history. The Padres improved on their previous season record of 83–78, and were in contention for the National League West title until the final week of the regular season. However, a 2-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on September 27 ended their postseason hopes. The Padres finished in second place at 89–73, three games behind the San Francisco Giants.

The 1987 Major League Baseball season ended with the American League Champion Minnesota Twins winning the World Series over the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three, as all seven games were won by the home team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game</span> 1985 American baseball competition

The 1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 56th playing of the game, annually played between the All-Stars of the National League and the All-Stars of the American League. The game was played on July 16, 1985, in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, home of the Minnesota Twins.

The following are the baseball events of the year 2009 throughout the world.

The following is a franchise history of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. Prior to joining Major League Baseball as one of four expansion teams in 1969, the San Diego Padres were a Minor League franchise in the Pacific Coast League.

The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Brewing magnate Gussie Busch's 37-year-long ownership of the club ended with his death in 1989, and his brewery, Anheuser-Busch (AB) took over. In 1995, an investment group led by Drew Baur and William DeWitt, Jr., purchased the team and have owned the club since. Shortstop Ozzie Smith – nicknamed "The Wizard" – collected a staggering array of defensive records and awards while performing acrobatic spectacles such as somersaults and flips that mesmerized Cardinal and non-Cardinal fans alike. In 1998, Mark McGwire and the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa collocated national attention with their chase of Roger Maris' single-season home run record of 61. In addition, McGwire also set numerous team home run records. For the 1990s, the Cardinals captured one division title and finished above .500 five times for a .488 winning percentage

References

  1. ↑ Norman MacLean, ed. (1988). 1988 Who's Who in Baseball. New York: Who's Who in Baseball Magazine Company, Inc.
  2. ↑ "GIANTS SEASON RECORDS". MLB.com . Archived from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Shaughnessy, Dan (April 14, 1991). "Wait till this year For Jack Clark, there are only a few baseball Octobers left. Is this the man who can take the Red Sox all the way?". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2012.(subscription required)
  4. ↑ Martinez, Michael (September 5, 1988). "Miserable Week For the Yankees". The New York Times.
  5. ↑ Martinez, Michael (September 21, 1988). "Steinbrenner Is Willing to Trade Clark". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ Chass, Murray (October 25, 1988). "Yankees Trade Clark to the Padres". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ Naiman, Joe; Porter, David (2003). The San Diego Padres Encyclopedia. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 126. ISBN   9781582610580 . Retrieved June 4, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 Kurkjian, Tim (March 11, 1991). "Beginning Again". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  9. ↑ Fainaru, Steve (April 11, 1991). "Clark is ready to make a powerful statement". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2012.(subscription required)
  10. ↑ Boswell, Thomas (June 30, 1991). "Season just perfect for true fans of baseball". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2012.(subscription required)
  11. ↑ Cafardo, Nick; Fainaru, Steve (March 15, 1991). "Kiecker looks impressive again". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2012.(subscription required)
  12. ↑ "Gwynn says he'll play with Padres, Clark". Chicago Sun-Times. October 11, 1990. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2012.(subscription required)
  13. ↑ Stone, Larry (September 19, 2010). "Cardinals bear the wrath of Jack the Ripper". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2012.(subscription required)
  14. ↑ Nightengale, Bob (March 5, 1991). "Gwynn Rips Clark, Cites 'Jealousy'". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Mets get confirmation of bone spurs in Viola's elbow". Chicago Sun-Times. March 5, 1991. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2012.(subscription required)
  16. ↑ "Top South Florida News, Sports, Weather and Entertainment - South Florida Sun-Sentinel". sun-sentinel.com. South Florida SunSentinel. March 24, 1993. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ Madden, Bill (June 6, 2009). "Where are they now? It's been a rough road for ex-Yankee Jack Clark". Daily News. Archived from the original on September 19, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  18. ↑ State Journal-Register
  19. ↑ Montville, Leigh. "The 18-Car Barrage," Sports Illustrated (August 24, 1992).
  20. ↑ "Former Big-League Star Clark Rebuilds After Bankruptcy," The Seattle Times (May 11, 1997).
  21. 1 2 "Eye on Baseball: Former MLBer Jack Clark Accuses Albert Pujols of Using PEDs," CBS Sports. Archived 2013-08-11 at archive.today
  22. ↑ Venta, Bruce (June 28, 2013). "WGNU St. Louis To Flip To Sports". Radio Insight. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Albert Pujols: I'll sue Jack Clark," ESPN.com news services (Aug 9, 2013).
  24. ↑ "Pujols, Verlander Respond to Clark's Claims - ESPN Video - ESPN". Archived from the original on August 11, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Albert Pujols sues Jack Clark". ESPN. October 4, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Clark challenges Pujols to dueling polygraphs over steroids claims". St. Louis Post-Dispatch . October 14, 2013.
  27. ↑ Goold, Derrick (February 11, 2014). "Jack Clark apologizes; Pujols will drop lawsuit". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Jack Clark
Jack Clark 2008.jpg
Clark in 2008
Right fielder / First baseman
Born: (1955-11-10) November 10, 1955 (age 68)
New Brighton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 12, 1975, for the San Francisco Giants
Last MLB appearance
August 28, 1992, for the Boston Red Sox
Preceded by National League Player of the Month
May, 1978		Succeeded by
Preceded by Los Angeles Dodgers Hitting Coach
2001–2003		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.