Dad Clarke
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1888-1898)
Dad Clarke was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1898 for 4 teams, including the Chicago Cubs, a span of 11 seasons. Across 121 career appearances, he went 44-51 with a 4.16 ERA and 175 strikeouts. He also batted .217 with 1 home runs. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 9101.5.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'7" / 160 lb
- Died
- 6/3/1911 in Lorain, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1888-04-23
- Last Game
- 1898-10-15
Full name: William H. Clarke
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CHN | NL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16.0 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5.06 | 2.95 (-72%) | -805.2 |
| 1891 | CL6 | AA | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23.0 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 6.26 | 3.52 (-78%) | -551.3 |
| 1894 | NY1 | NL | 3 | 4 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 84.0 | 114 | 46 | 26 | 15 | 4.93 | 5.33 (+7%) | 789.5 |
| 1895 | NY1 | NL | 18 | 15 | 37 | 30 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 281.2 | 336 | 106 | 60 | 67 | 3.39 | 4.77 (+29%) | 5109.2 |
| 1896 | NY1 | NL | 17 | 24 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 351.0 | 431 | 166 | 60 | 66 | 4.26 | 4.36 (+2%) | 4769.9 |
| 1897 | NY1 | NL | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31.0 | 43 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 6.10 | 4.30 (-42%) | -34.9 |
| 1897 | LS3 | NL | 2 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 54.2 | 74 | 24 | 10 | 7 | 3.95 | 4.30 (+8%) | -175.7 |
| 1898 | LS3 | NL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5.00 | 3.59 (-39%) | 0.0 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 44 | 51 | 121 | 92 | 77 | 2 | 3 | 850.1 | 1,063 | 393 | 191 | 175 | 4.16 | — | 9,102 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 360 | 41 | 78 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 28 | 50 | .217 | .277 | .261 | .538 | -1,329 |
Career AVG .217 vs. league average .276 across their career seasons — 21.4% below league average.
Career OBP .277 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — 18.8% below league average.
Career SLG .261 vs. league average .370 across their career seasons — 29.5% below league average.
Career OPS .538 vs. league average .711 across their career seasons — 24.3% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CHN | NL | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1891 | CL6 | AA | 5 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .100 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1894 | NY1 | NL | 16 | 37 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | .216 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1895 | NY1 | NL | 37 | 121 | 16 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 15 | .240 | .296 (-19%) | .361 (-19%) | .399 (-32%) | .761 (-26%) | -518.6 |
| 1896 | NY1 | NL | 49 | 147 | 11 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 19 | .204 | .290 (-30%) | .354 (-24%) | .387 (-44%) | .741 (-34%) | -810.8 |
| 1897 | NY1 | NL | 6 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .231 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1897 | LS3 | NL | 7 | 22 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .227 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1898 | LS3 | NL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 123 | 360 | 41 | 78 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 28 | 50 | .217 | — | — | — | — | -1,329 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1 | 9.0 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5.00 |
Last 1 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898-04-18 | LS3 | PIT | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Last 1 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898-04-18 | LS3 | PIT | L | 9.0 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 121 |
| Center Field | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dad Clarke (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Dad Clarke: the record in brief
April 23, 1888 and October 15, 1898 bracket Dad Clarke's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. By club, Clarke's seasons break down as the Chicago White Stockings (1888), the Columbus Solons (1891), the New York Giants (1894 through 1897), and the Louisville Colonels (1897 to 1898). At 5'7" and 160 pounds, Clarke is listed as a pitcher. The bio says Clarke batted from both sides and threw right-handed. The recorded birth is January 7, 1865, in Oswego, NY, USA. The bio records the death on June 3, 1911, in Lorain, OH, USA. The given name on file is William H. Clarke.
Clarke went 44-51 with a 4.16 ERA in 121 games, 92 of them starts. The totals include 175 strikeouts and 77 complete games. Clarke's 4.16 ERA was close to the 4.02 league figure for those seasons. 1895 brought Clarke a season-high 18 wins. In 1895, one of the busiest seasons, Clarke posted a 3.39 ERA; the league figure that year was 4.77.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dad Clarke
- What years did Dad Clarke play?
- Dad Clarke played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1898.
- Was Dad Clarke a pitcher?
- Yes. Dad Clarke pitched in the major leagues, recording 44 wins and 175 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Dad Clarke hit?
- Dad Clarke hit 1 career home run with 78 hits.
- What teams did Dad Clarke play for?
- Dad Clarke played for 4 teams: the Chicago White Stockings (1888), the Columbus Solons (1891), the New York Giants (1894–1897), and the Louisville Colonels (1897–1898).
- What were Dad Clarke's career stats?
- In 121 games, Dad Clarke went 44-51 with a 4.16 ERA, 175 strikeouts, 850.1 innings pitched, and 3 saves. At the plate he had 78 hits and 1 home runs.
- What position did Dad Clarke play?
- Dad Clarke played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Dad Clarke and how much did he weigh?
- Dad Clarke was listed at 5 feet 7 inches and 160 pounds.
- What was Dad Clarke's career ERA?
- Dad Clarke finished with a 4.16 career ERA, going 44-51 with 175 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Dad Clarke have?
- Dad Clarke recorded 175 career strikeouts.
- Is Dad Clarke in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dad Clarke has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.