Tony Clark

From SoSH

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Career Post-Detroit 3 Awards 4 SoSH Nickname 5 Trivia 6 Transactions 7 External Links

Overall Career

Clark was a standout two sport athlete in college. He played on both the Arizona and San Diego State's men's basketball team where he led the team (San Diego State) in scoring in 1991-1992. Clark was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 1990 amateur draft, and six years later established himself as a star on the major league roster. He was a combination of both solid defense and power hitting, hitting 27, 32, 34, 13 and 16 home runs from 1996. Effectionately dubbed, "Tony the Tiger", by most accounts Clark was the face of the Tigers in the mid-to-late 90's.

Career Post-Detroit

On November 20, 2001, Clark was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox. He made a splash in his first game with the Sox by hitting a home run, but quickly regressed to a player the Sox could realistically only depend on for defensive purposes. He ended up batting .207 (57-for-275) with 3 HR and 29 RBI, playing in 85 games.

In 2003, Clark signed with the New York Mets, and regained some of his power with 16 home runs, but only batted .232.

In 2004, clark joined the MFY, where he hit 16 home runs and batted .221. Sox fans re-realized their love for him during two particular instances in the 2004 ALCS. In the first, he defied physics by hitting a ground rule double that advanced Ruben Sierra to third. The ball bounced on the field, grazed the wall and still managed the reach the seats. It should have stayed in play, allowing Sierra to score and perhaps changing the outcome of the series. The second instance came when he swung through a Keith Foulke fastball with 2 runners on to end Game 6.

Since then, Clark signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks where he briefly resurrected his career with .307-30-87 line in 2005. During 2006, Clark was sidelined for much of the season with injuries (mainly to his shoulder).

Awards

• 2001 American League All-Star
• 1998 Detroit Tigers Player of the Year

SoSH Nickname

• Thermos

Trivia

• Created the Tony Clark Equipment Grant to supply Detroit public schools with baseball and softball equipment

• Played for all three major league teams that at one time were affiliated with the Trenton Thunder (AA) where his uniform number 33 is retired.

Transactions

• June 4, 1990: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 1990 amateur draft.
• November 20, 2001: Selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Detroit Tigers.
• October 30, 2002: Granted Free Agency.
• January 20, 2003: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Mets.
• October 27, 2003: Granted Free Agency.
• January 12, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
• October 29, 2004: Granted Free Agency.
• January 24, 2005: Signed as a Free Agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis