Jerald Clark facts for kids

Jerald Dwayne Clark, born on August 10, 1963, is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He was an outfielder, which means he played in the large grassy area of the baseball field. Jerald went to Lamar University and played for their baseball team, the Lamar Cardinals.

He was chosen by the San Diego Padres in the 12th round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. Jerald started playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Padres on September 19, 1988. His last game was on July 17, 1995. Interestingly, Jerald's brother, Phil Clark, also played in the major leagues!

Jerald Clark was also a part of history. He joined the very first team for the Colorado Rockies when they started playing in Major League Baseball in 1993.

Joining a New Team

On November 17, 1992, something exciting happened for Jerald. He was chosen by the Colorado Rockies in a special event called an expansion draft. This draft helps new teams pick players from other teams. Jerald was the 7th player picked from the San Diego Padres.

The Amazing Steal Home

In 1992, while playing for the San Diego Padres, Jerald Clark did something very rare in baseball: he stole home base. Stealing home means running from third base to home plate and scoring a point while the pitcher is getting ready to throw. It's very tricky to do!

During a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, their catcher Mike Scioscia and manager Tommy Lasorda walked to the pitcher's mound to talk about their strategy. They forgot to call a time-out. Jerald Clark noticed this right away! He quickly sprinted home and scored a run. It was a very smart play by Jerald and a surprising moment for the Dodgers team.