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Nig Clarke
From BR Bullpen
Jay Justin Clarke
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 8", Weight 165 lb.
- Debut April 26, 1905
- Final Game April 24, 1920
- Born December 15, 1882 in Amherstburg, ON CAN
- Died June 15, 1949 in River Rouge, MI USA
Contents |
[edit] Biographical information
[edit] Texas League career
On June 15, 1902, Nig Clarke was playing for Corsicana in the Texas League in a game against Texarkana. Playing away from their normal park to avoid blue laws, Clarke set the record for the most homers in a game in professional baseball. Clarke went 8 for 8 in Ennis Park that day, with each hit being a home run. Corsicana won the game 51-3. However, this fact has been disputed.
Clarke hit more home runs in that single game than in 506 major league games where he hit six career home runs.
According to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, he is "also often credited with introducing shin guards to the catcher’s position in professional baseball". [1] He was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in 1996.
[edit] Perfect game
Clarke's other claim to fame was as the catcher of a perfect game on October 2, 1908 for Addie Joss. It was just the fourth perfect game in major league history.
[edit] The Nickname
In the first half of the 20th Century, before the game was integrated, ball players with a dark complexion were sometimes nicknamed "Nig." [1] [2] In addition to Clarke, the following other major league players bore the nickname: Johnny Beazley (1941-49), Joe Berry (1921-22), Bobby Bragan (1940-48), Nig Cuppy (1892-1901), Nig Fuller (1902), Johnny Grabowski (1923-31), Nig Lipscomb (1937), Charlie Niebergall (1921-24), Nig Perrine (1907), and Frank Smith (1904-15).
