Rickey Clark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rickey Clark | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: March 21, 1946 Mount Clemens, Michigan, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 22, 1967, for the California Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 7, 1972, for the California Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 19–32 |
| Earned run average | 3.38 |
| Strikeouts | 236 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Rickey Charles Clark (born March 21, 1946) is a retired American professional baseball player and right-handed pitcher who appeared in all or parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball for the California Angels. At 21, Clark had a highly promising rookie season for the pennant-contending 1967 Angels, but struggled thereafter during his big league career.
Born in Mount Clemens, Michigan, Clark was signed by his hometown Detroit Tigers in 1965, after graduating from Redford Union High School and just prior to the institution of the Major League Baseball draft. After two seasons in the Tiger farm system, the Angels selected the 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 170 lb (77 kg) pitcher in the 1966 Rule 5 draft.
Rule 5's terms (then as now) dictated that the Angels keep Clark on their 25-man big-league roster for the entire 1967 season or offer him back to the Detroit organization, but Clark would earn his place in the Angels' starting rotation on merit.
After he won his MLB debut on April 22 with four scoreless innings in relief against the Cleveland Indians, Clark made his first start eight days later against the New York Yankees; he went seven innings, allowed only four hits and two earned runs, and collected his second big-league triumph. Manager Bill Rigney then kept Clark as a regular member of the Angel starting staff through the remainder of the season, in which the Angels battled for the American League pennant before fading in September. Clark won 12 games, tying him with staff ace Jim McGlothlin and closer Minnie Rojas for the team lead in victories. His 2.59 earned run average also was best among Angel starters. He threw a two-hit, complete game shutout against the Washington Senators on September 8 at D.C. Stadium.[1] It was his only complete game and shutout of the season.