Will Clark: The Best Baseball Player You’ve Never Heard Of

Will Clark was one of the best baseball players of his generation, but he’s largely been forgotten. In this blog post, we take a look at his career and try to figure out why.

Will Clark’s Early Life and Career

Will Clark was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 13, 1964. When he was three years old, his family moved to Brazos County, Texas. Clark played baseball and football in high school, but he excelled at baseball. In his senior year, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the state tournament and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft.

Will Clark’s childhood

Will Clark was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 13, 1964. His father worked as a longshoreman and his mother was a homemaker. When Clark was four years old, his family moved to Bonnabel Boulevard in the suburban neighborhood of Metairie. Bonnabel Boulevard was will’s first exposure to organized baseball. At Bonnabel High School, he played varsity baseball, basketball, and football. In his senior year, he was named All-American in baseball and All-State in football. He graduated from Bonnabel High School in 1982.

In 1982, Clark attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on a baseball scholarship. He played shortstop for the Demons for three years (1982–1984). In 1983, he hit .431 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs. In 1984, he hit .474 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs. He was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Southland Conference both years.

Will Clark’s college career

Will Clark played college ball at Mississippi State University from 1983 to 1985. He was an All-American in both his junior and senior years, and led the team to the College World Series in 1985. He was also named SEC Player of the Year twice. In his three years at MSU, Clark hit .376 with 45 home runs and 172 RBIs. He is still the school’s all-time leader in batting average, home runs, and slugging percentage.

Will Clark’s early professional career

Will Clark was drafted by the San Francisco Giants with the second overall pick in the 1986 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut on April 8, 1987, and quickly became one of the best players in baseball. In 1989, he was named the NL Rookie of the Year after hitting .333/.397/.587 with 22 home runs and 100 RBI. He was also named to the NL All-Star team that season.

Clark continued to be one of the best players in baseball over the next few years, making the NL All-Star team in each of his first five full seasons in the majors. He was especially good in 1989 and 1990, when he hit a combined .337/.425/.604 with 56 home runs and 213 RBI.

In 1991, Clark had his best season yet, hitting .330/.441/.662 with 34 home runs and 103 RBI. He finished second in NL MVP voting that year behind Atlanta Braves outfielder Terry Pendleton.

After a couple of down years, Clark rebounded in 1994 to hit .333/.429/.624 with 29 home runs and 104 RBI. He helped lead the Giants to their first World Series appearance since 1962, but they lost to the eventual champion Yankees in seven games.

Clark continued to be a very good player over the next few years, but he was limited by injuries in 1997 and 1998. He retired after the 1998 season at age 34 with a career batting line of .303/.384/.542.

Will Clark’s Prime Years

From 1987 to 1993, Will Clark was one of the best baseball players in the world. You may not have heard of him, but during those years, he was on par with the likes of Barry Bonds and Mike Piazza. In fact, some people even called him the best right-handed hitter in baseball. Let’s take a look at Will Clark’s prime years.

Will Clark’s best season

In his best season, 1989, Clark hit .333/.458/.667 with 34 home runs, 33 doubles, 103 RBI and 105 runs scored. He also stole 16 bases and was caught just four times. He finished second in the NL MVP voting to Kevin Mitchell and was named to the NL All-Star team for the second time.

Will Clark’s most memorable moments

Will Clark was one of the best baseball players of his generation, but he’s largely been forgotten in the annals of history. From his days as a young phenom with the San Francisco Giants to his later years as a key member of the Texas Rangers, Clark was always one of the best hitters in baseball. Here are some of his most memorable moments:

-In 1987, Clark hit a game-winning home run off future Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley to give the Giants a come-from-behind victory in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.

-In 1989, Clark had one of the best seasons ever by a first baseman, batting .333/.459/.647 with 29 home runs and 103 RBIs. He finished second in MVP voting to teammate Kevin Mitchell.

-In 1993, Clark hit a walk-off home run against future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera to give the Rangers a victory in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

While Will Clark’s career ultimately came to an end too soon due to injuries, there’s no doubt that he was one of the best hitters of his generation. If not for some bad luck, he could easily be remembered as one of the greatest players ever.

Will Clark’s Later Years

Will Clark’s retirement

Will Clark’s retirement was announced on October 3, 2000. In his final season, he batted .319 with 28 home runs and 103 RBIs. He played his last game on October 1, 2000, against the Milwaukee Brewers. After his retirement, he became a special assistant to San Francisco Giants’ general manager Brian Sabean.

Will Clark’s post-retirement life

Will Clark’s post-retirement life has been equally as impressive as his storied baseball career. After retiring from the game in 2000, Clark became a successful businessman, philanthropist, and community leader.

In 2002, Clark founded the Will to Succeed Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and mentorship to underprivileged youth. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over $1 million in scholarships to deserving students.

In 2005, Clark was inducted into the San Francisco Giants Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.

In recent years, Clark has served as a special assistant to the Giants organization and as a spring training instructor for the team. He currently resides in San Francisco with his wife and two daughters.