Author: Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach (Rick Clarke)

My name is Rick Clarke. I'm an old, retired baseball coach with a lot of stories to tell. This will be a fun blog. A little bit of this...a little bit of that. Great Mississippi baseball stories, especially about the players and teams at Magnolia Academy and Hinds Community (& Junior) College. And some funny stuff and lots of savvy observations.

払って Ohtani (Paying Ohtani)

(#149) Should the Angel's Shohei Ohtani be paid like a top line MLB starting pitcher like Matt Scherzer, an every day power hitting position player like Mike Trout, or both? Scherzer is the highest paid pitcher currently earning $43 million a season. (that's $4,777,778 per win; 9) so far this season for the Mets. Trout … Continue reading 払って Ohtani (Paying Ohtani) →

Swinging for History

(#148) Here's two MLB home run races worth watching. Pujols races to 700 (697) and Judge races to surpass Roger Maris' 61 (57). 2 more at Boston on 9/13/22. Updated totals as of 9/13/22) Aaron Judge going for Roger Maris' single season American League and Yankee record of 61, Albert Pujols going for 700 career … Continue reading Swinging for History →

MLB Career Home Run Asterisks Club

(#147) MLB Career Home Runs: Barry Bonds* - 762 Hank Aaron** - 755 Babe Ruth** - 714 Albert Pujols*** - 703 Alex Rodriguez**** - 696 * - Numbers tainted by steroids. Not in the Baseball HOF. ** - Numbers not tainted by steroids. Hall of Famer. *** - Numbers not tainted by steroids. Future Hall … Continue reading MLB Career Home Run Asterisks Club →

The Official, Unofficial Hinds Baseball Hall of Fame

(#145) Established September 1, 2022 Welcome to The Official, Unofficial Hinds Baseball Hall of Fame webpage for those who played at Hinds from 1973 through 2005. Our goal is to make sure that outstanding individual and team performances have a place to be remembered and honored. We are just getting started. If you would like … Continue reading The Official, Unofficial Hinds Baseball Hall of Fame →

The Story of My Friend “Moose” – by Kendall Smith

(#144) Here's a great story I found on online about Coach Bill "Moose" Perry. It is written by his friend Kendall Smith and posted on MississippiScoreboard.com in April 18, 2022. Click here to read the story. It's great! Call the Coach! rickclarke.com

Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Cardiac Arrest Will Keep the Spaceman from Making His Rounds

(#143) Bill "Spaceman" Lee, father of former Hinds Eagle player and coach, Andy Lee. Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee had stopped breathing after collapsing in the bullpen during an exhibition game, but paramedics and two shocks with a defibrillator helped resuscitate the 75-year-old pitcher, according to a witness at the scene. "Without immediate intervention, I … Continue reading Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Cardiac Arrest Will Keep the Spaceman from Making His Rounds →

Hinds Eliminates Top-Ranked Kirkwood (1999)

(#141) There is not a Cinderella baseball story better than the 1999 Hinds Eagles, who suffered through a miserable first half of the season, got better as the season went along, won just enough south division games to get into the Division 2, Region 23 tournament, had a post-season attitude adjustment, and then proceeded to … Continue reading Hinds Eliminates Top-Ranked Kirkwood (1999) →

The Clarke Baseball Museum and Garage

(#140) You work half your life coaching baseball and as you get older all the trophies and collectibles eventually end up in boxes in the attic or in a closet or on a garbage truck. So I decided to find a special place for all the mementos representing 41 championships, 26 at Magnolia Academy, 14 … Continue reading The Clarke Baseball Museum and Garage →

Well, Almost!

(#139) I found my name in the book Moneyball in Chapter 10, Anatomy of an Undervalued Pitcher, featuring the great Chad Bradford. I never knew it was in there. "He went over and talked to the coach at Hinds Community College, a few miles down the road. The 'coach there' (that's me!) said he thought … Continue reading Well, Almost! →