Tony Clark
A first round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 1990, Tony Clark spurned an offer to play professional basketball to pursue a baseball career. The six-foot-seven inch, switch-hitting first baseman put together four good seasons for the Tigers, peaking at 34 homers in 1998 and 117 RBI in 1997. A quiet man, Clark became a fan favorite, but fell out of favor in Motown due to his streakiness which was often accompanied by slow starts. He ended up bouncing around as a platoon player/pinch-hitter late in his career.
Quotes From Clark
"No matter how well I swing, I don't think I'll ever be as good as I think I should be. So my commitment is to the journey, not the end result." — Clark in 2005
Played For
Detroit Tigers (1995-2001)
Boston Red Sox (2002)
New York Mets (2003)
New York Yankees (2004)
Arizona Diamondbacks (2005)
Best Season: 1998
Though he suffered a typical slow start, Clark posted big power numbers: batting a career-high .291 with 37 doubles, 34 homers, and 103 RBI in 157 games.
Factoids
Despite a career .194 average in 64 career games against the Yankees, the team signed free agent Tony Clark in 2004.
Born
Anthony Christopher Clark was born on June 15, 1972, in Newton, KS.
Batted: Both
Threw: Right
Primary Position: 1B
Primary Team: DET
College: San Diego State
Major League Debut
September 3, 1995
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1995
Ray Durham
Johnny Damon
Edgardo Alfonzo
Derek Jeter
Bobby Higginson
Jason Giambi
Billy Wagner
Mariano Rivera
Troy Percival
Nicknames
Tony the Tiger
Nearly any Detroit player named Tony earned this nickname, often used by broadcaster Ernie Harwell.
Similar Players
Derrek Lee
Related Players
Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson, Lou Whitaker: three veterans on the Tigers who Clark credited with teaching him how to handle the "game within the game."
Post-Season Notes
Clark will undoubtedly be remembered by Yankee fans as the guy who hit just .143 against the Red Sox in the 2004 LCS. With Jason Giambi unavailable, Clark and John Olerud platooned at first base, but hit a dismal .151 for the series against the Yanks arch-rivals.
Feats
On August 28, 2004, Clark belted three homers in the Yankees 18-6 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto. The home runs came against three different pitchers.
Batting Feats
- April 5, 1997: Switch HR same game...
- June 17, 1998: Switch HR same game...
- July 26, 1998: Switch HR same game...
- August 1, 1998: Switch HR same game...
- July 18, 1999: Switch HR same game...
- July 25, 1999: Switch HR same game...
Notes
Through 2004, Clark had a .245 batting average and .436 slugging percentage in March/April/May, but had hit .273 with a .500 SLG mark.
Hitting Streaks
19 games (1999)
Home Run Facts
In 2004 with the Yankees, seven of Clark's 16 homers came in three games. He hit three against Toronto on August 28, two against the Mets on July3, and two against the Devil Rays on July 11.
All-Star Selections
2001 AL
Best Strength as a Player
Commitment and preparation, as well as from the right-side.
Largest Weakness as a Player
His long swing leaves Clark prone to strikeouts and the slumps that come with them.
Learn More about Tony Clark
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