Just 42 years old, Clarke — and Larry Colbourne — were announced as the latest inductees into the provincial shrine during Baseball NL’s annual general meeting last weekend.
Born and raised in Corner Brook, Clarke first started playing baseball in the Corner Brook Minor Baseball Association at the age of five. He suited up for the midget all-stars and Junior Hawks in the junior league, before graduating to the Junior Barons and Town Aces in the Corner Brook Molson Senior Baseball League, where he continued to play until 2011.
He also represented Corner Brook provincially with the Barons and dressed for the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial team for the U16, U18 and U21 Canada Games team.
In 1991-92, he went to the National Baseball Institute in Vancouver, B.C. and also played three seasons with Dalhousie University in the Atlantic Baseball and National Collegiate leagues.
A second baseman, who played shortstop and pitched as well, Clarke was forced to step away from the game due to a shoulder injury that was getting progressively worse. Plus, after 20 years of playing, coaching and volunteering, he figured he was due for a break.
Clarke, who is vacationing outside the country, said via email that he is both honoured and humbled by the induction.
“I ... have friends and teammates still playing at a high level (and) I feel it could easily be their names as the recipient,” he said.
Clarke thanked the local baseball association, as well as his coaches and teammates over the years who contributed to any success he was a part of.
“As it is a team sport, I always focused on team success rather than individual accolades,” he said.
