Horace Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Horace Clarke |
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Clarke in 1970
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: June 2, 1939 Frederiksted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands |
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| Died: August 5, 2020 (aged 81) Laurel, Maryland |
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| debut | |||
| May 13, 1965, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 15, 1974, for the San Diego Padres | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .256 | ||
| Home runs | 27 | ||
| Runs batted in | 304 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Horace Meredith Clarke (born June 2, 1939 – died August 5, 2020) was a professional baseball player. He was a second baseman who played for ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Horace played for the famous New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres from 1965 to 1974. He was a special kind of player called a switch hitter, meaning he could hit the baseball with both his left and right hands. He threw the ball with his right hand.
Horace Clarke joined the New York Yankees in 1958. He was an amateur free agent, which means he wasn't drafted but signed directly. He played for several of their minor league teams before joining the main Yankees team in 1965. After many years with the Yankees, he was traded to the San Diego Padres in 1974. He played his very last game on September 15 of that year.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Horace Clarke was born in Frederiksted, on the island of Saint Croix. This is part of the United States Virgin Islands. He was born on June 2, 1939. He was the youngest of six children in his family.
When he was young, Horace played softball because there were no Little Leagues where he lived. He became a switch hitter because of how the baseball field was set up. If he hit from the right side, the ball might land in the ocean! So, he learned to hit from both sides. He went to Christiansted High School. A scout for the New York Yankees named José "Pepe" Seda noticed his talent. Horace signed with the Yankees in January 1958.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Horace Clarke played his first Major League Baseball game on May 13, 1965. It was against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. In his very first time at bat in the major leagues, he hit a single!
In 1966, his first full year, Horace shared the shortstop position. He had a batting average of .266. He also hit six home runs and had 28 runs batted in (RBI). In 1967, he became the main second baseman for the Yankees. That year, he was the best American League second baseman for fielding percentage, which means he made very few errors.
Horace was known for breaking up "no-hitters." A no-hitter is when a pitcher doesn't let any opposing player get a hit during a whole game. In 1970, Horace stopped three possible no-hitters in the ninth inning! This is very rare and shows how tough he was to get out. He and another player named Joe Mauer are the only ones to break up three no-hit tries in the ninth inning.
On May 31, 1974, Horace was traded to the San Diego Padres. He finished his baseball career at the end of the 1974 season.
Horace Clarke's Career Stats
Horace Clarke played for ten years in Major League Baseball. He finished his career with a .256 batting average. He hit 27 home runs and had 304 runs batted in (RBI).
Horace was a well-known player for the Yankees during the late 1960s and early 1970s. This time in Yankees history is sometimes called "The Horace Clarke Era." As a fielder, Horace was very good. He led American League second basemen in turning double plays in 1969 and 1972. He was also among the top five players for double plays from 1967 to 1973. He led AL second basemen in putouts and assists from 1967 to 1972. Horace also had a unique way of standing when he batted, with his legs spread wide apart.
Later Life and Passing
After he stopped playing baseball, Horace Clarke worked as a baseball teacher. He also helped scout new players for the Kansas City Royals team. Both of his sons, Jeff and Jason, also played baseball in the minor leagues.
Horace Clarke passed away on August 5, 2020, at his home in Laurel, Maryland. He was 81 years old and had been dealing with Alzheimer's disease.
Images for kids
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Clarke in 1970
Sources
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
