Horace Clarke

Born: 6/2/1939 in Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Died: 8/5/2020 in Laurel, MD, USA

MLB Debut: 1965-05-13 | Final Game: 1974-09-15

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Horace Meredith Clarke

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Biography

Horace Clarke was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1965 until his retirement in 1974. Born in 1939, Clarke played primarily as a second baseman and was known for his versatility and speed on the base paths. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,272 games, accumulating 1,230 hits and finishing with a batting average of .256. Clarke contributed 27 home runs and 304 RBIs, while also showcasing his agility with 151 stolen bases, making him a notable threat on the base paths during his era. Clarke played the majority of his career with the New York Yankees, a team that was transitioning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His playing style combined a solid defensive skill set with an emphasis on contact hitting and base running, which complemented the Yankees' lineup during a time of significant change in the franchise. Although he was often overshadowed by more prominent teammates, Clarke's contributions were essential in shaping the team's dynamic during a pivotal period in baseball history. His legacy remains as a key figure in the evolution of second base play, illustrating the importance of speed and defensive prowess in the game.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1272	4813	548	1230	150	23	27	304	151	365	362	0.256	0.308	0.313	0.621	-7712.6

Career AVG .256 vs. league average .249 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .308 vs. league average .316 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .313 vs. league average .367 across their career seasons — 14.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.621 vs. league average 0.683 across their career seasons — 9.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1965	NYY	AL	51	108	13	28	1	0	1	9	2	6	6	0.259	.245 (+6%)	.310 (-5%)	.371 (-20%)	.682 (-13%)	-230.5
1966	NYY	AL	96	312	37	83	10	4	6	28	5	27	24	0.266	.248 (+7%)	.309 (+5%)	.376 (+1%)	.685 (+3%)	154.2
1967	NYY	AL	143	588	74	160	17	0	3	29	21	42	64	0.272	.242 (+12%)	.306 (+5%)	.357 (-11%)	.663 (-4%)	-321.8
1968	NYY	AL	148	579	52	133	6	1	2	26	20	23	46	0.230	.236 (-3%)	.298 (-14%)	.340 (-25%)	.638 (-20%)	-2088.0
1969	NYY	AL	156	641	82	183	26	7	4	48	33	53	41	0.285	.248 (+15%)	.320 (+6%)	.369 (-1%)	.689 (+2%)	289.6
1970	NYY	AL	158	686	81	172	24	2	4	46	23	35	35	0.251	.253 (-1%)	.325 (-12%)	.385 (-20%)	.711 (-16%)	-2374.3
1971	NYY	AL	159	625	76	156	23	7	2	41	17	64	43	0.250	.249 (avg)	.316 (+1%)	.365 (-13%)	.682 (-6%)	-655.1
1972	NYY	AL	147	547	65	132	20	2	3	37	18	56	44	0.241	.243 (-1%)	.310 (+1%)	.353 (-15%)	.664 (-7%)	-607.0
1973	NYY	AL	148	590	60	155	21	0	2	35	11	47	48	0.263	.256 (+2%)	.325 (-3%)	.378 (-19%)	.703 (-11%)	-1239.6
1974	NYY	AL	24	47	3	11	1	0	0	1	1	4	5	0.234	—	—	—	—	-146.8
1974	SDP	NL	42	90	5	17	1	0	0	4	0	8	6	0.189	.256 (-26%)	.324 (-21%)	.369 (-46%)	.693 (-34%)	-146.8

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	1102	1058	2682	3179	104	695
3B	21	20	17	49	6	6
SS	64	59	103	155	8	37

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1965	NYA	2B	7	4	5	10	0	1
1965	NYA	3B	17	17	15	45	5	4
1965	NYA	SS	1	0	1	1	0	0
1966	NYA	2B	16	14	42	38	3	9
1966	NYA	3B	4	3	2	4	1	2
1966	NYA	SS	63	59	102	154	8	37
1967	NYA	2B	140	139	348	410	8	79
1968	NYA	2B	139	137	357	444	13	80
1969	NYA	2B	156	156	373	429	15	112
1970	NYA	2B	157	157	379	478	18	95
1971	NYA	2B	156	153	386	455	16	97
1972	NYA	2B	143	134	347	399	11	104
1973	NYA	2B	147	141	378	442	18	107
1974	NYA	2B	20	9	27	27	0	5
1974	SDN	2B	21	14	40	47	2	6