Will Clark
After starring in college and on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Will Clark made an immediate impression as a professional ballplayer. He hit a home run in his first swing in the minor leagues and later in his first swing for the Giants at the big league level (against Nolan Ryan). Clark was a fierce competitor known for his glare and intensity. His focus paid off - he was one of the best clutch hitters in the game, driving in at least 90 runs in each of his first five full seasons in the majors. In the 1987 NLCS, he banged out nine hits in seven games and hit .360. Two years later he topped that performance when he absolutely destroyed Cubs' pitching in the NLCS for a .650 average (13 hits in five games), including six extra-base hits and eight RBI. In all, "The Thrill" batted .333 in seven post-season series, with five homers and 16 RBI. After a few off-seasons in which he battled nagging injuries, Clark began an odyssey which brought him to Texas (five seasons and four at .300), Baltimore (twice more over .300 in part-time duty), and finally St. Louis. Acquired by the Cardinals in the midst of a pennant race to replace injured first baseman Mark McGwire, Clark returned to his dramatic ways - homering in his first at-bat for his new team.
| Career Batting Stats |
| G |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
AVG |
SLG |
OBP |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 1976 |
7173 |
2176 |
1186 |
284 |
1205 |
67 |
.303 |
.497 |
.384 |
.880 |
118.6 |
|
Quotes From Will Clark
"If some people perceive me as being arrogant, then I'm sorry."
Where does Will Clark rank among baseball greats?
Will Clark ranks #26 among the Top 50 all-time at 1B. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1989
Clark ran his consecutive-games played streak to 320 games. He hit .333, a career-high for a full-season, and then had his amazing post-season.
Born
William Nuschler (Jr.) Clark was born on March 13, 1964, in New Orleans, LA.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
College: Mississippi State
Major League Debut
4 8,
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1986
Rafael Palmeiro
Barry Bonds
Fred McGriff
Barry Larkin
Bobby Bonilla
Ruben Sierra
Mark McGwire
Greg Maddux
David Cone
Nicknames
the Thrill
Related Players
Rafael Palmeiro was a teammate at Mississippi State University.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 2006 |
BBWAA |
23 |
4.4% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1987 National League Championship Series
1989 National League Championship Series
1989 World Series
1996 American League Divisional Series
1998 American League Divisional Series
2000 National League Championship Series
2000 National League Divisional Series
Awards and Honors
1989 NL NLCS MVP
1991 NL Gold Glove
All-Star Selections
1988 NL
1989 NL
1990 NL
1991 NL
1992 NL
1994 AL
Learn More about Will Clark
Search Amazon.com for Books about Will Clark ⇒
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View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒