Serious demeanor paid off for Clark
Ron Polk’s memories of Will Clark, the Mississippi State first baseman, aren’t a whole lot different than pro baseball fans’ memories of Will Clark, the six-time Major League Baseball all-star.
“Intense,” said Polk, the former MSU coach. “Great work ethic. Never had to say anything to Will for not running out a ball or anything in practice.”
In large part due to that work ethic, Clark had a career .303 batting average, hit 284 home runs and drove in 1,205 runs. The 1989 NLCS most valuable player and former San Francisco Giant, Texas Ranger, Baltimore Oriole and St. Louis Cardinal will be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Friday night at the Jackson Hilton.
It’s an honor that he says is treasured despite growing up in and still living in Louisiana.
“It’s very special because Mississippi State was what sort of propelled me into my professional career,” Clark said. “To be honored by the state of Mississippi as a hall of famer is pretty darn special.”
clarionledger.com
7/27/08
