Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Emotional Will Clark has No. 22 retired by SF Giants: ‘This is my Hall of Fame’

Will Clark seemingly always saved his best for when the lights were brightest. On Saturday at Oracle Park, a fitting 22 years since he hung ’em up and nearly three decades since his last game in orange and black, an emotional Clark was, once again, ready for the moment.

Fifty minutes into a pregame ceremony Saturday, the southern kid turned Bay Area icon punctuated his speech by punching the air with his left fist and declaring, “I am Will ‘The Thrill’ Clark. I am a part of San Francisco. And I am forever a Giant.”

Moments earlier, a black cloth draped over his number in left field dropped to reveal Clark’s No. 22 hanging between Monte Irvin’s No. 20 and Willie Mays’ No. 24, making his the 13th number retired by the franchise — more than any club but the Yankees — and a long time coming.

Clark, who became the face of a generation of Giants baseball in the late ’80s, said he had written the speech within a day or two after receiving the news that his number would one day go up in the rafters (or, more accurately, hanging from the third terrace in left-field foul territory). But he was forced to wait once the ceremony, originally scheduled for 2020, was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I had two years to practice it,” Clark laughed afterward, adding his most emotional moment came while addressing Mike Krukow, his former teammate and the current Giants broadcaster, whom he called his “best friend and mentor.”

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 31, 2022 at 10:46 PM | 22 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: giants, will clark

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

   1. FernandoPoplar Posted: August 01, 2022 at 08:45 AM (#6089156)
When it comes to parenting, being a good example is always the best way to go. By following your own dreams and pursuing what you love, you can visit https://www.proessaywriting.com/research-paper/ to get help from experts and you can help your children learn early on that anything is possible.
   2. BDC Posted: August 01, 2022 at 11:15 AM (#6089179)
I can only conclude that Will Clark’s storied baseball career was based on a firm foundation of plagiarism.
   3. BDC Posted: August 01, 2022 at 11:16 AM (#6089180)
“Grampa, I want to be a major league baseball player.”

“Well, just sure as hell don’t write any of your own term papers.”
   4. Mefisto Posted: August 01, 2022 at 12:12 PM (#6089189)
I wonder how Jack Clark, also #22, feels about this. Maybe they should just retire "Clark, 22". Combine the two and it's a hell of a career.
   5. SoSH U at work Posted: August 01, 2022 at 12:22 PM (#6089192)
I wonder how Jack Clark, also #22, feels about this.


My guess is he's angry. But that would be my guess about any subject and Jack Clark: steroid users, hard-sell luxury car dealers, pitchers who struck him out, rainbows, etc.
   6. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: August 01, 2022 at 01:28 PM (#6089194)
What was the peak moment for Will Clark's Hall of Fame prospects? What was the peak of his career in that regard?

I think I'd say after the 1991 season (age 27) where he had finished his 4th season of the last 5 where he placed in the top five for MVP.

Also, why did he retired after the 2000 season? He was 36 years old, had been traded to St. Louis at the deadline, and then went bananas:

51 games
197 PAs
15 doubles
12 HRs
45 RBIs
22/24 BB/K
.345/.426/.655 slash line
167 OPS+

Traded straight up by Baltimore for Jose Leon.


   7. Ron J Posted: August 01, 2022 at 01:45 PM (#6089196)
#6 He said he simply wanted to spend more time with his family (specifically his son with autism) and was in a position to be able to do so.
   8. The Yankee Clapper Posted: August 01, 2022 at 01:57 PM (#6089199)
I can only conclude that Will Clark’s storied baseball career was based on a firm foundation of plagiarism.
It’s getting worse. Another thread seems to suggest phony term papers could be part of some of the trade deadline deals.
   9. Tom Nawrocki Posted: August 01, 2022 at 02:03 PM (#6089202)
I seem to recall that Will Clark was one of those players who never liked baseball all that much. He was rather famous for spending the entire off-season huntin' 'n' fishin' and never picking up a bat.
   10. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: August 01, 2022 at 02:17 PM (#6089205)
Also IIRC, his back was killing him.
   11. My name is Votto, and I love to get Moppo Posted: August 01, 2022 at 02:52 PM (#6089218)
Tom, I had a different memory, so I looked up the SI cover story from 1990. The article definitely discusses Clark's game face, but also mentions the activity you mention (plus skeet). Maybe he just had a general competitive streak?

https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/05/28/will-clark-giants-1990
   12. Howie Menckel Posted: August 01, 2022 at 03:04 PM (#6089220)
I seem to recall that Will Clark was one of those players who never liked baseball all that much. He was rather famous for spending the entire off-season huntin' 'n' fishin' and never picking up a bat.

Kevin McReynolds enters the room.
   13. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: August 01, 2022 at 03:08 PM (#6089222)
I had Clark on my Roto teams back in those days(late 80s--NL-only league). He was a fun guy to watch hit.
   14. . Posted: August 01, 2022 at 04:18 PM (#6089243)
With the way the Cooperstown Hall of Fame has ... cough ... changed, I actually have come to find the team retired numbers and the team Halls and Walls of Fame more enjoyable. Extremely deserving honor. Career batting average (with slugging percentage, all that really matters for these purposes) over .300. Strafed the Cardinals in the 1987 NLCS, strafed the Cubs in the 1989 NLCS. Probably not *quite* enough pop at a corner to get him to Cooperstown, plus his back went a little balky and, rather like termites, the dumbass, roided up silly ball numbers infiltrated and wormed their way into the second half of his career.

But a great hitter. And "The Thrill is Gone" on his answering machine was a great early-career touch. Good for him.
   15. The Honorable Ardo Posted: August 01, 2022 at 06:31 PM (#6089277)
Combine the two and it's a hell of a career.
Spot on. Combine the Clarks' performance as Giants only and you get a 67 WAR player: about 9000 PA with a 141 OPS+, half in RF and half at 1B while being above average defensively at both positions.

The best comp to that is "Larry Walker with more in-season durability and, therefore, 1,000 more PA at his career rate" - an obvious Hall of Famer.
   16. . Posted: August 01, 2022 at 06:42 PM (#6089281)
Thrill had Walker beat in OPS+ by 13 OPS+ points (141 to 128) and HRs (141 to 99) through their age-27 seasons (*) ... and then Larry Walker went to Coors Field.

I mean ... I suppose. OK. Whatever.

(*) Thrill in about 1100 extra ABs -- 3700 to 2600.
   17. Baldrick Posted: August 02, 2022 at 05:16 AM (#6089380)
My impression was never that Clark disliked baseball. Just that he had other interests and genuinely did want to spend time with his family, and either didn't particularly care about the idea of trying to scrape his way into the Hall, or just felt he didn't have any realistic chance.
   18. McCoy Posted: August 02, 2022 at 06:42 AM (#6089382)
For whatever reason I've always had Wally Joyner and Will Clark in the same boat.

I think it's because of Donruss
   19. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: August 02, 2022 at 08:11 AM (#6089383)
as a 12-year-old in 1986, I constantly saw hyperbole that this was one of - if not the greatest - year for rookies ever. Players who got votes for ROY in 1986:

Will Clark, Barry Bonds, Barry Larkin, John Kruk, Jose Caneeco, Wally Joyner, Danny Tartabull, Ruben Sierra, Todd Worrell, Mark Eichorn (who I forgot how awesome he was that year, a time when people didn't strike out a guy an inning: 69 games, 157 IP, 166/45 K/BB, 14-6, 1.72 ERA, .955 WHIP...he finished third in ROY behind Canseco and Joyner).
   20. Lassus Posted: August 02, 2022 at 09:21 AM (#6089390)
My enduring memory of Will Clark is only that I was at a number of games the last year of Candlestick and they showed clips to the stadium of various players and notables throughout the years talking (good-naturedly, mostly) about the cold and misery. Then they showed a clip of Clark talking with sincere befuddlement about how much everyone hated the place and how he didn't understand it at all and that he had really loved playing there. The entire stadium was laughing at the Jumbotron over that one.
   21. Pat Rapper's Delight (as quoted on MLB Network) Posted: August 02, 2022 at 09:57 AM (#6089398)
Mark Eichorn (who I forgot how awesome he was that year, a time when people didn't strike out a guy an inning: 69 games, 157 IP, 166/45 K/BB, 14-6, 1.72 ERA, .955 WHIP...he finished third in ROY behind Canseco and Joyner)

Not to mention being a pretty stand-up dude. IIRC, Jimy Williams had offered to pitch him in enough games down the stretch to get him to 162 innings to qualify for the ERA title (would have bumped Clemens to 2nd place at 2.48), and Eichhorn said he didn't want to win it that way.
   22. Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: August 02, 2022 at 11:57 AM (#6089426)

For whatever reason I've always had Wally Joyner and Will Clark in the same boat.


Same here. Joyner was kind of a poor man's Will Clark. An All Star and power hitter for a couple of years, then stuck around for a long time as an above average hitter for a while. He was underrated as a 1B without big power numbers during the sillyball era. Clark was obviously better for longer, but there was a similarity.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

 

<< Back to main

BBTF Partner

Dynasty League Baseball

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
Forsch 10 From Navarone (Dayn)
for his generous support.

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Hot Topics

NewsblogRed Sox will host first scheduled doubleheader since 1978 this Sat.; here’s why
(25 - 8:10pm, Jun 05)
Last: Srul Itza

NewsblogReport: Nationals' Stephen Strasburg has 'severe nerve damage'
(20 - 7:52pm, Jun 05)
Last: Slivers of Maranville descends into chaos (SdeB)

Newsblog2023 NBA Playoffs Thread
(2572 - 7:45pm, Jun 05)
Last: KronicFatigue

NewsblogOMNICHATTER for June 2023
(138 - 7:37pm, Jun 05)
Last: The Yankee Clapper

NewsblogArraez and Let Us Swing
(8 - 7:02pm, Jun 05)
Last: Walt Davis

NewsblogHoward Johnson, Al Leiter headline Mets hall of fame class
(11 - 7:00pm, Jun 05)
Last: Doug Jones threw harder than me

NewsblogHitters Are Losing More Long Plate Appearances
(1 - 6:20pm, Jun 05)
Last: Jose Canusee

NewsblogRoger Craig, Teacher of an Era-Defining Pitch, Is Dead at 93
(3 - 5:44pm, Jun 05)
Last: Itchy Row

NewsblogNestor Cortes Likely To Be Placed On IL With Shoulder Issue
(4 - 5:37pm, Jun 05)
Last: Howie Menckel

NewsblogRed Sox place Chris Sale on IL with left shoulder inflammation
(5 - 2:00pm, Jun 05)
Last: jacksone (AKA It's OK...)

NewsblogMarcell Ozuna removed for not hustling in Braves' 8-5 victory
(2 - 1:39pm, Jun 05)
Last: SoSH U at work

NewsblogBeloved ex-Met Bartolo Colon finally retires from baseball at 50
(18 - 12:07pm, Jun 05)
Last: JJ1986

Hall of MeritReranking First Basemen: Discussion Thread
(36 - 11:28am, Jun 05)
Last: Alex02

NewsblogAaron Boone’s Rate of Ejections Is Embarrassing ... And Historically Significant
(19 - 10:59am, Jun 05)
Last: Rob_Wood

NewsblogOT Soccer Thread - The Run In
(441 - 10:16am, Jun 05)
Last: jmurph

Page rendered in 0.3761 seconds
48 querie(s) executed