Dave Clark (baseball)
Encyclopedia
David Earl Clark is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball
who played from 1986 to 1998. He served as manager of the Houston Astros Double-A affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks
, from 2005 to 2007, and led them to the Texas League
Championship in 2006. He also served as the manager of the Houston Astros
' Pacific Coast League
Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express
. He was the interim Manager for the Houston Astros
at the end of the 2009 season.
in , and made his major league debut with the club as a September call up in 1986. For his career, Clark batted .264 with 62 home run
s and 284 runs batted in over twelve plus seasons. His best season was with the Pittsburgh Pirates
in , when he batted .296 with ten home runs and 46 RBIs.
Clark's first coaching job was within the Pirates organization in . Originally hired as the hitting coach for their rookie club in the Gulf Coast League
, by the end of the season he found himself holding the same job with their Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds
. A season later, he was the hitting coach for the Pirates at the major league level.
After two years as the Pirates' hitting coach, Clark was offered the managerial position with their advanced A affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats
. After leading the Hillcats to the Carolina League
playoffs, he moved on to the Hickory Crawdads
the following season, and lead the team to a South Atlantic League
championship.
In , the opportunity to manage at the double-A level lured him away to the Houston Astros
' organization. In three seasons managing the Corpus Christi Hooks
, Clark produced a 207–212 record, and in , led the team to its first ever Texas League
Championship.
On September 21, 2009, Dave Clark took over as an interim manager of the Houston Astros, replacing Cecil Cooper.
Currently, Clark serves as the Third Base Coach for the Houston Astros, and Dominican Winter League head coach for Los Tigres del Licey of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
for the Seattle Seahawks
(1987
–1992
) and Green Bay Packers
(1993
).
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played from 1986 to 1998. He served as manager of the Houston Astros Double-A affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks
Corpus Christi Hooks
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a minor league baseball team of the Texas League, and are the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team's ownership group is headed by Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan...
, from 2005 to 2007, and led them to the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
Championship in 2006. He also served as the manager of the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
' Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
. He was the interim Manager for the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
at the end of the 2009 season.
Baseball career
Clark was a first round draft pick for the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in , and made his major league debut with the club as a September call up in 1986. For his career, Clark batted .264 with 62 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 284 runs batted in over twelve plus seasons. His best season was with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
in , when he batted .296 with ten home runs and 46 RBIs.
Clark's first coaching job was within the Pirates organization in . Originally hired as the hitting coach for their rookie club in the Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
, by the end of the season he found himself holding the same job with their Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
. A season later, he was the hitting coach for the Pirates at the major league level.
After two years as the Pirates' hitting coach, Clark was offered the managerial position with their advanced A affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
. After leading the Hillcats to the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
playoffs, he moved on to the Hickory Crawdads
Hickory Crawdads
The Hickory Crawdads are a Minor League Baseball team in Hickory, North Carolina, USA. They are a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and have been a farm team of the Texas Rangers since 2009. Previously, they were a Class A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Crawdads play home games...
the following season, and lead the team to a South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
championship.
In , the opportunity to manage at the double-A level lured him away to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
' organization. In three seasons managing the Corpus Christi Hooks
Corpus Christi Hooks
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a minor league baseball team of the Texas League, and are the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team's ownership group is headed by Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan...
, Clark produced a 207–212 record, and in , led the team to its first ever Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
Championship.
On September 21, 2009, Dave Clark took over as an interim manager of the Houston Astros, replacing Cecil Cooper.
Currently, Clark serves as the Third Base Coach for the Houston Astros, and Dominican Winter League head coach for Los Tigres del Licey of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Personal life
His brother, Louis, is a former wide receiverWide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
(1987
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
–1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
) and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
).