Will Clark
Born: 3/13/1964 in New Orleans, LA, USA
MLB Debut: 1986-04-08 | Final Game: 2000-10-01
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: William Nuschler Clark
Biography
Will Clark, born in 1964, was a prominent first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1986 until 2000. Known for his powerful left-handed swing and exceptional batting skills, Clark became a key figure in the game during the late 1980s and 1990s. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,976 games, accumulating 2,176 hits and achieving an impressive batting average of .303. His offensive prowess was highlighted by 284 home runs and 1,205 runs batted in (RBIs), alongside 67 stolen bases, showcasing both his power and speed for a player of his position.
Clark was selected to the All-Star team six times and earned the NLCS MVP award, underscoring his ability to perform in high-pressure situations. His playing style combined a mix of technical skill and competitive spirit, making him a fan favorite and a respected opponent. As a player during a transformative era in baseball, Clark's contributions helped pave the way for future generations of athletes, and his legacy continues to be celebrated by baseball enthusiasts.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 7173 | 1186 | 2176 | 440 | 47 | 284 | 1205 | 67 | 937 | 1190 | 0.303 | 0.384 | 0.497 | 0.880 | 29924.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | SFG | NL | 111 | 408 | 66 | 117 | 27 | 2 | 11 | 41 | 4 | 34 | 76 | 0.287 | 659.6 |
| 1987 | SFG | NL | 150 | 529 | 89 | 163 | 29 | 5 | 35 | 91 | 5 | 49 | 98 | 0.308 | 2941.2 |
| 1988 | SFG | NL | 162 | 575 | 102 | 162 | 31 | 6 | 29 | 109 | 9 | 100 | 129 | 0.282 | 3505.8 |
| 1989 | SFG | NL | 159 | 588 | 104 | 196 | 38 | 9 | 23 | 111 | 8 | 74 | 103 | 0.333 | 4416.5 |
| 1990 | SFG | NL | 154 | 600 | 91 | 177 | 25 | 5 | 19 | 95 | 8 | 62 | 97 | 0.295 | 1574.6 |
| 1991 | SFG | NL | 148 | 565 | 84 | 170 | 32 | 7 | 29 | 116 | 4 | 51 | 91 | 0.301 | 2795.3 |
| 1992 | SFG | NL | 144 | 513 | 69 | 154 | 40 | 1 | 16 | 73 | 12 | 73 | 82 | 0.300 | 2412.2 |
| 1993 | SFG | NL | 132 | 491 | 82 | 139 | 27 | 2 | 14 | 73 | 2 | 63 | 68 | 0.283 | 982.6 |
| 1994 | TEX | AL | 110 | 389 | 73 | 128 | 24 | 2 | 13 | 80 | 5 | 71 | 59 | 0.329 | 2012.1 |
| 1995 | TEX | AL | 123 | 454 | 85 | 137 | 27 | 3 | 16 | 92 | 0 | 68 | 50 | 0.302 | 1482.9 |
| 1996 | TEX | AL | 117 | 436 | 69 | 124 | 25 | 1 | 13 | 72 | 2 | 64 | 67 | 0.284 | 663.4 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | 110 | 393 | 56 | 128 | 29 | 1 | 12 | 51 | 0 | 49 | 62 | 0.326 | 1542.8 |
| 1998 | TEX | AL | 149 | 554 | 98 | 169 | 41 | 1 | 23 | 102 | 1 | 72 | 97 | 0.305 | 2169.9 |
| 1999 | BAL | AL | 77 | 251 | 40 | 76 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 29 | 2 | 38 | 42 | 0.303 | 698.9 |
| 2000 | BAL | AL | 79 | 256 | 49 | 77 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 28 | 4 | 47 | 45 | 0.301 | 825.7 |
| 2000 | STL | NL | 51 | 171 | 29 | 59 | 15 | 1 | 12 | 42 | 1 | 22 | 24 | 0.345 | 825.7 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 117 | 20 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 19 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | NLCS | SLN | 5 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.412 |
| 2000 | NLDS1 | SLN | 3 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.250 |
| 1998 | ALDS2 | TEX | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.091 |
| 1996 | ALDS2 | TEX | 4 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.125 |
| 1989 | WS | SFN | 4 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.250 |
| 1989 | NLCS | SFN | 5 | 20 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0.650 |
| 1987 | NLCS | SFN | 7 | 25 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.360 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1889 | 1865 | 16695 | 1294 | 136 | 1571 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | SFN | 1B | 102 | 99 | 942 | 72 | 11 | 76 |
| 1987 | SFN | 1B | 139 | 133 | 1253 | 103 | 13 | 130 |
| 1988 | SFN | 1B | 158 | 157 | 1492 | 104 | 12 | 126 |
| 1989 | SFN | 1B | 158 | 157 | 1445 | 111 | 10 | 117 |
| 1990 | SFN | 1B | 153 | 152 | 1456 | 119 | 12 | 118 |
| 1991 | SFN | 1B | 144 | 143 | 1273 | 110 | 4 | 115 |
| 1992 | SFN | 1B | 141 | 141 | 1275 | 105 | 10 | 130 |
| 1993 | SFN | 1B | 129 | 129 | 1078 | 88 | 14 | 113 |
| 1994 | TEX | 1B | 107 | 106 | 968 | 73 | 10 | 87 |
| 1995 | TEX | 1B | 122 | 122 | 1076 | 88 | 7 | 125 |
| 1996 | TEX | 1B | 117 | 116 | 956 | 73 | 4 | 90 |
| 1997 | TEX | 1B | 100 | 98 | 880 | 62 | 4 | 86 |
| 1998 | TEX | 1B | 134 | 133 | 1079 | 73 | 13 | 112 |
| 1999 | BAL | 1B | 63 | 62 | 575 | 42 | 3 | 54 |
| 2000 | BAL | 1B | 72 | 71 | 583 | 44 | 6 | 58 |
| 2000 | SLN | 1B | 50 | 46 | 364 | 27 | 3 | 34 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1888 |
| Designated Hitter | 33 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Player of the Week | Week of 2000-08-05 |
| 1994 | Player of the Week | Week of 1994-05-07 |
| 1991 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1991 | Player of the Month | August |
| 1991 | Player of the Week | Week of 1991-07-13 |
| 1991 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 1991 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1989 | NLCS MVP | |
| 1989 | Player of the Month | September |
| 1989 | Player of the Month | May |
| 1989 | Player of the Week | Week of 1989-04-22 |
| 1989 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 1989 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1988 | Player of the Month | June |
| 1988 | Player of the Week | Week of 1988-08-05 |
| 1988 | Player of the Week | Week of 1988-06-24 |
| 1988 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1987 | Player of the Week | Week of 1987-09-18 |
| 1987 | Player of the Week | Week of 1987-08-06 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | BAL | AL | $6,000,000 |
| 1999 | BAL | AL | $4,920,840 |
| 1998 | TEX | AL | $5,812,595 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | $5,657,365 |
| 1996 | TEX | AL | $5,657,365 |
| 1995 | TEX | AL | $5,647,726 |
| 1994 | TEX | AL | $3,875,972 |
| 1993 | SFN | NL | $4,750,000 |
| 1992 | SFN | NL | $4,275,000 |
| 1991 | SFN | NL | $3,750,000 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | $2,250,000 |
| 1989 | SFN | NL | $1,125,000 |
| 1988 | SFN | NL | $320,000 |
| 1987 | SFN | NL | $120,000 |
| 1986 | SFN | NL | $60,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $54,221,863 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State | MS | 1983, 1984, 1985 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 17.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1991 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 4th | 118.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1989 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 225.0 | 336 | 3 |
| 1988 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 135.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1987 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 128.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1986 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 5th | 5.0 | 120 | 0 |