William Nuschler Clark, Jr. (born March 13, 1964 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball best known for his play with the San Francisco Giants from 1986 to 1993. He was recognized by his peers as being one of the best clutch players of his time, and possessed a fiery intensity. He earned the nicknames of "Will the Thrill" (a name given to him by his classmates at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, where he played both varsity baseball and varsity basketball) and "The Natural" because of his talents. He was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In Major League Baseball history, Ty Cobb had a record 4,191 hits by 1928; Pete Rose would surpass it 57 years later, and finish with 4,256 career hits. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 8 - Willie McCovey is the only player elected this year to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, and becomes the 16th player elected in his first year of eligibility. ... // This year in baseball Events January - Reggie Jackson is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, receiving 94% of the vote. ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26, 34, 42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Ballpark Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... The following are the events of the year 1994 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... This year in baseball 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 5 - Don Sutton, a 324-game winner is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his fifth try. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 5, 8, 20, 22, 33, 42 Name Baltimore Orioles (1954–present) St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1999 throughout the world. ... This year in baseball: 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 6 - Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... This year in baseball: 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 6 - Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. ... The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur player. ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager (the managers from the previous years... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager (the managers from the previous years... In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to baseballs championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. ... Silver Slugger Award In Major League Baseball, the Louisville Silver Slugger award is given annually to the best offensive player at each position in each league. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Nickname: Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Government  - Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area  - City  350. ... The position of the first baseman First base redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 8 - Willie McCovey is the only player elected this year to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, and becomes the 16th player elected in his first year of eligibility. ... // This year in baseball Events January - Reggie Jackson is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, receiving 94% of the vote. ... Jesuit High School is an all-male Catholic high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... The College Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Lubbock, Texas, is a museum operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States. ...

College and first Pro MLB at bat

In 1985, as a member of the Mississippi State University baseball team, Clark was named the first baseman on The Sporting News' All-American team, as well as the winner of the Golden Spikes Award from USA Baseball. Clark was drafted with the second overall pick in the 1985 draft by the San Francisco Giants. This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 7 - Outfielder Lou Brock and knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. ... Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in north east-central Mississippi, United States, in the town of Starkville and is situated 125 miles northeast of Jackson and 23 miles west of Columbus. ... The Sporting News (TSN) is an American-based sports newspaper. ... The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur player. ... USA Baseball was founded in 1978 and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 7 - Outfielder Lou Brock and knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ...

He had a flair for the dramatics and was said to have the best swing in Baseball. In his Minor League debut and first at bat, Will Clark homered on his first swing off famous pitcher Fernando Valenzuela. To take it one step further, in his first Major League at bat on April 8, 1986, Clark also hit a home run off Nolan Ryan. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 8 - Willie McCovey is the only player elected this year to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, and becomes the 16th player elected in his first year of eligibility. ... Mark McGwire swinging for the fences. ... Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. ...

Career with the Giants

In 1989, Clark and the Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series. In Game 1, Clark hit a grand slam off of Greg Maddux^[1], and in the decisive Game 5, drove in two runs off of pitcher Mitch Williams to break up a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 8th inning. Clark also recorded the final putout of the game. Clark's efforts, which included a .650 batting average and two home runs, resulted in him being named MVP for the series. The Giants went on to face the Oakland Athletics in the 1989 World Series, but were swept in 4 games. In the only World Series appearance of his career, Clark failed to contribute significantly at the plate, with no runs batted in and a .250 batting average. In each of Clark's remaining four years with the Giants they failed to reach the playoffs. The closest Clark came to once again reaching the postseason as a San Francisco Giant was in his final year with the team, 1993. That year, the Giants won 103 games, which was only one less than the Atlanta Braves. 1989 in baseball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 10, 14, 23, 26, 42 Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) (a. ... The 1989 National League Championship Series was played between the National League West champion San Francisco Giants and the National League East champion Chicago Cubs. ... In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all the bases occupied, thereby scoring 4 runs - the most possible on a single play. ... Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. ... Mitchell Steven Williams (born November 17, 1964, in Santa Ana, California) was a baseball relief pitcher who appeared for six teams in Major League Baseball from 1986 to 1997. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 9, 27, 34, 42, 43, (As) Name Oakland Athletics (1968–present) Kansas City Athletics (1955-1967) Philadelphia Athletics (1901-1954) (Referred to as As) Ballpark McAfee Coliseum (1968–present) a. ... Dates October 14, 1989–October 28, 1989 MVP Dave Stewart (Oakland) Television network ABC Announcers Al Michaels, Tim McCarver, Jim Palmer Umpires Rich Garcia (AL), Paul Runge (NL), Al Clark (AL), Dutch Rennert (NL), Vic Voltaggio (AL), Eric Gregg (NL) The 1989 World Series was played between the Oakland Athletics... A playoff in sports (North American professional sports in particular) is a game or series of games played after the regular season is over with the goal of determining a league champion, or a similar accolade. ... // This year in baseball Events January - Reggie Jackson is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, receiving 94% of the vote. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston...

With the Rangers

After the 1993 season, Clark signed with the Texas Rangers, near his home in Louisiana. Clark helped the Rangers reach the playoffs in 1996 and 1998, but in both years the team was defeated in the American League Divisional Series by the New York Yankees. // This year in baseball Events January - Reggie Jackson is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, receiving 94% of the vote. ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26, 34, 42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Ballpark Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... The following are the baseball events of the year 1996 throughout the world. ... This year in baseball 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 5 - Don Sutton, a 324-game winner is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his fifth try. ... In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determine which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as...

Final two years

Clark joined the Baltimore Orioles for the 1999 season, and spent nearly two years with the club, but was plagued by injuries. The lone bright spot of those seasons was collecting his 2000th hit on June 15 versus the Kansas City Royals. Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 5, 8, 20, 22, 33, 42 Name Baltimore Orioles (1954–present) St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1999 throughout the world. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Major league affiliations American League (1969–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 10, 20, 42 Name Kansas City Royals The Boys in Blue (1969–present) Nicknames The Boys in Blue Ballpark Kauffman Stadium (1973–present) a. ...

Clark was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals near the end of the 2000 season, acquired in part to play in place of the injured Mark McGwire. A rejuvenated Clark (.964 OPS) helped the Cardinals reach the playoffs, (which included hitting a home run in each of his first four games with his new club), and the team swept the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. In the NLCS the Cardinals faced the New York Mets, who would go on to win the pennant, and lost in five games. Clark performed better in these playoffs (.345 BA) than in recent years. After announcing that his retirement would come when the Cardinals' playoff run ended, Clark went 1 for 3 in his final game on October 16, 2000. Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... This year in baseball: 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 6 - Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. ... Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963 in Pomona, California) is a former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and St. ... In baseball statistics, on-base plus slugging (denoted by OPS) incorporates on base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage (SLG). ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... The 2000 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2000 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Sunday, October 8, with the champions of the three NL divisions – along with a wild card team – participating in two best-of-five series. ... The 2000 National League Championship Series, to determine the champion of Major League Baseballs National League, was played between the Central Division champion St. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league titles World Series titles... A pennant is usually a narrow tapering flag most commonly flown by ships at sea. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years). ... This year in baseball: 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 6 - Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. ...

Honors

• On July 4, 2006, Clark was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in its inaugural class.
• MVP of the 1989 National League Championship Series
• 1991 National League Gold Glove Award at First Base.
• Two-time National League Silver Slugger Award at First base (1989 and 1991).

is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The College Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Lubbock, Texas, is a museum operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States. ... The 1989 National League Championship Series was played between the National League West champion San Francisco Giants and the National League East champion Chicago Cubs. ...

Statistics

His Regular season stats: Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. ...

In baseball statistics, games played (denoted by G) indicates the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity). ... In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ... In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around all three bases and returns safely to home plate. ... In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ... In baseball, a double is the act of a batter safely reaching second base by striking the ball and getting to second before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ... In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base by striking the ball and getting to third before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ... Mark McGwire swinging for the fences. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ... The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1985 In baseball statistics, stolen bases (denoted by SB) is a count of the number of bases successfully stolen by a player. ... In baseball, a player is charged with a caught stealing when, as a runner, the player attempts to advance from one base to another without the ball being struck by a batter, but is put out by a fielder while making the attempt. ... In baseball statistics, a base on balls (BB), also called a walk, is credited to a batter and against a pitcher when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In baseball statistics, on base percentage (OBP) (sometimes referred to as on base average (OBA)) is a measure of how often a batter gets to first base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielders choice. ... In baseball statistics, slugging average (SLG) is a measure of the power of a hitter. ... In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i. ... In baseball, a sacrifice hit is the act of deliberately striking the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base, while the batter is himself put out. ... In baseball, being hit by a pitch refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the pitcher. ...

See also

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time

In the sport of baseball, a home run is the act of hitting the ball in such a manner, whether out of the park or in (see inside the park home run), that allows the batter to safely reach home and score in one play. ...

References

1. ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_89nlcs_gm1_sfnchn

External links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Major league career statistics and analysis
• Baseball library entry
• 2006 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot
• Thrill22.com - The Will Clark Gallery
• Will Power