Tommy Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tommy Clarke |
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: May 9, 1888 New York, New York |
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| Died: August 14, 1945 (aged 57) Corona, New York |
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| debut | |||
| August 26, 1909, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 21, 1918, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 6 | ||
| Runs batted in | 191 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Thomas Aloysius Clarke (born May 9, 1888, in New York, New York – died August 14, 1945, in Corona, New York) was a professional baseball player. He was a catcher, which is a player who squats behind home plate to catch pitches. Tommy played in Major League Baseball for nine seasons, from 1909 to 1918. He played for two different teams: the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs. After his playing career, he also became a coach and helped a team win the World Series.
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Tommy Clarke's Baseball Journey
Tommy Clarke started his journey in professional baseball in 1909. He joined the Cincinnati Reds as a catcher. A catcher is a very important player on a baseball team. They work closely with the pitcher and help guide the game from behind home plate.
Playing for the Reds
Tommy played for the Cincinnati Reds for most of his career, from 1909 to 1917. During his time as a player, he was known as a "backup catcher." This means he was ready to play whenever the main catcher needed a break or was injured. He played in many games over these years, showing his skill and dedication to the team.
Time with the Cubs
In 1918, Tommy Clarke moved to a new team, the Chicago Cubs. He played his final season in Major League Baseball with the Cubs. His last game was on August 21, 1918. Over his entire playing career, Tommy had a batting average of .265. This means he got a hit about 26.5% of the times he tried to hit the ball. He also hit 6 home runs and had 191 runs batted in (RBIs). An RBI is when a player's hit allows a teammate to score a run.
Becoming a World Series Champion Coach
After he stopped playing, Tommy Clarke continued his career in baseball as a coach. He became a coach for the New York Giants. In 1933, he was part of the coaching staff for the Giants team that won the World Series. The World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball, where the best teams from different leagues play against each other to find the ultimate champion. Being a World Series champion is a huge achievement in baseball! Tommy coached the Giants for several years, from 1932 to 1935, and again in 1938.
