(#90) My final team lost our last 9 games, a record setting feat which included a conference game played the afternoon after the prom, pitching a no-hitter against an opponent and still losing 1-0, extra inning and other close losses, a couple of blowouts and embarrassments, having my insubordinate assistant coach promoted to my athletic … Continue reading Records are Made to be Broken
Category: Stories 81-90
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix it
(#89) In 1992, Steve Bourgeois, a right-hander from Reserve, Louisiana started both games of a double-header against Southwest Mississippi. He went the distance in each 5 inning game, was the winning pitcher in each, and struck out 24 batters on the day. That would have been 21.6 strikeouts in a nine inning game! He was … Continue reading If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix it
Eagles in the Big Leagues – Chad Bradford
(#88) Chadwick Lee Bradford, a side-winding right-handed pitcher from Byram, Mississippi, came to Hinds as a freshman in the fall of 1993. He was the workhorse for the Eagles for the next two seasons. He led Hinds to post-season play in both seasons, including the Region 23 and District Championships and back-to-back appearances in the … Continue reading Eagles in the Big Leagues – Chad Bradford
Teamwork
(#87) My dad gave me this great illustration of teamwork. Given to me by my dad, Robert (Bob) Clarke early in my coaching career.
Dreams Really Can Come True
#86 Chapter 10 in Michael Lewis' best-selling novel, Moneyball, is called "Anatomy of an Undervalued Pitcher" and that "undervalued pitcher" he writes about is former Hinds ace right-hander Chad Bradford. He features an "autobiographical essay" that Chad wrote as a school assignment at age eight: What I Want to Be When I Grow Up If … Continue reading Dreams Really Can Come True
The Historic Path to Grand Junction – 1989 (Part 1)
(#85) Commissioner Mac McClellan presents trophy after Eagles defeat Pearl River 5-3 for the 1989 MACJC State Championship at Mississippi College. The Region 23 Championship and Eastern District Championship and a trip to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado were to follow in the next 3 weeks. George McQuitter, Dr. Clyde Muse, Renee … Continue reading The Historic Path to Grand Junction – 1989 (Part 1)
Baseball is Not Life
(#84) Baseball has been a Clarke family tradition for as long as I can remember. I coached for 32 years and my oldest son Josh was hitting off a batting tee at the age of two. He started playing youth baseball at 9 years old (we skipped tee ball). I helped coach some of his … Continue reading Baseball is Not Life
Smooth, Flap, Mac, Kid, and Jaybird
(#83) "Magnolia Academy Baseball - Striving for Baseball Excellence." These words, which appear in Magnolia's game program, are the best way to describe the efforts of Coach Rick Clarke's Raiders, who captured their third straight Academy State AA baseball championship. Last week Magnolia brought the year to a climax by blasting Kirk Academy of Grenada … Continue reading Smooth, Flap, Mac, Kid, and Jaybird
Keep It Simple
(#82) Here's a simple hitting philosophy from a young Jeff Long for the hardest thing to do in sports... "hitting a round ball with a round bat and hitting it squarely." It certainly worked well for him. The Great Jeff Long Call the Coach!
From the Desk of Boo Ferris
(#81) Here's a priceless handwritten note from the legendary Boo Ferriss. (May, 1989) And we did win the Eastern District Tournament in South Carolina and advance to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. And here's a priceless type-written note from Ron Polk from the same period. Call the Coach!
Rick Clarke's Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach 