Jack Clark

Birthdate	11/10/1955
Death Date
Debut Year	1975
Year of Induction
Teams	Cardinals, Giants, Padres, Red Sox, Yankees
Positions	First Base, Right Field

The 26-game hitting streak in 1978 by four-time All Star and two-time Silver Slugger Jack Clark remains the longest in San Francisco Giants history.

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Two-time Silver Slugger Jack Clark was one of the the NL's most feared sluggers

Jack Clark broke in with the San Francisco Giants at age 19. By the end of his age-22 season he was one of the league’s most feared hitters. From 1978-1991, Clark terrorized pitchers to the tune of a 143 OPS+. That’s right, for the 14-year period, Clark was 43% better than league average

Clark enjoyed 11 seasons of at least 20 home runs. In 8 of those 11 he hit at least 25 dingers, highlighted by his 35-home run campaign in 1987. Disciplined at the plate, the fastball hitter drew 100 or more walks in four straight seasons from 1987-1990. Clark led the NL in base on balls three times.

The four-time All Star earned two Silver Slugger Awards and received votes in MVP balloting six times. Clark finished in the top-10 in the MVP race four times and also recorded a 5th and a 3rd place finish.

By the time his career ended in 1992, Clark had 1,826 hits, 340 homers, 1,262 walks, and 1,180 RBI. His career OPS+ of 137 puts him ahead of many Cooperstown men including renowned batsmen Ken Griffey Jr., George Brett, and Al Kaline.

While few believe Jack Clark is worthy of Hall of Fame induction, it’s clear that he had an outstanding career.

Shown here is Clark’s autographed Topps rookie card from 1977.

Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda elected to pitch to Clark in the Game 6 of the 1985 NLCS

Baseball managers are tasked with making on-field decisions for their clubs. Their success as skippers is measured in wins in losses based on those decisions. In 1997 the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee recognized the career of Dodger skipper Tom Lasorda as worthy of baseball’s highes

Baseball managers are tasked with making on-field decisions for their clubs. Their success as skippers is measured in wins in losses based on those decisions.

In 1997 the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee recognized the career of Dodger skipper Tom Lasorda as worthy of baseball’s highest honor – election to Cooperstown.

One decision the Los Angeles pilot would like to take back involves Jack Clark.

Clark’s Cardinals squared off against Lasorda’s Dodgers in the 1985 National League Championship Series, the first played under today’s 7-game format. The initial five games were won by the home team, giving St. Louis a 3-games-to-2 advantage.

With the Dodgers on the brink of elimination, the Series came back to Los Angeles. A Dodger win would force the decisive Game 7 the next day in front of the Los Angeles faithful.

It was blue skies and a pleasant 78° to begin Game 6 on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in LA. Chavez Ravine rocked as the Dodgers scored in each of the first two innings. After St. Louis broke through with a third-inning run, LA third baseman Bill Madlock answered with a solo shot in the 5th.

The contest got tense when the Cardinals scored three in the 7th to tie the game.

Los Angeles quickly responded. Dodger Vin Scully announcer described the scene as LA right fielder Mike Marshall led off the bottom of the 8th.

“Fifty-five thousand, two-hundred and eight have filled Dodger Stadium and they’re looking at a gem. A 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth.”

As the Todd Worrell pitch reached the plate, Marshall swung hard and lifted the ball into the air.

“High fly ball into right-center. (Andy) Van Slyke and (Willie) McGee. And it’s going to be…over the wall!”

The fans went wild. Lasorda put a bear hug on Marshall at the top step of the dugout. The Dodgers were now just three outs away from forcing Game 7.

Los Angeles closer Tom Niedenfuer struck out St. Louis pinch hitter Cesar Cedeno to start the 9th. Willie McGee singled and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position with one out. After an Ozzie Smith walk, Tommy Herr moved the runners to second and third on a groundout.

With runners on second and third with two out, Jack Clark stepped to the plate. In the regular season Clark owned .393 on-base percentage and a .502 slugging mark. He also swatted a team-leading 22 homers.

Rather than put Clark aboard and create a force play at every base, Lasorda instructed Niedenfuer to go after him.

On some levels the move made sense. Clark was 1-for-his-last-7 in the Series including a strikeout two innings earlier against Niedenfuer.

The Dodger power pitcher toed the rubber and eyed Clark, a dead-red fastball hitter. Believing Clark would expect an off-speed pitch, Niedenfuer decided to throw a fastball low and away.

Unfortunately for Niedenfuer and the Dodgers, the pitch was belt-high and caught too much of the plate.

Hunting a heater, Clark hammered the offering into the left-field pavilion for a three-run homer. The only long ball in Clark’s 55 career postseason plate appearances gave the Cardinals a two-run lead they never relinquished.

Shown here is a letter from Lasorda writing about his Cooperstown induction. On the familiar Dodger letterhead, he writes, “Dear Jim, Baseball and the Dodgers have been very good to me. In 1997 I became the 14th manager and the 15th Dodger to be elected to the Hall of Fame. It was one of the proudest days of my life! Best wishes. Sincerely, Tommy Lasorda, Senior Vice President”

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