Will Clark (2003) - Hall of Fame

Will Clark

Induction:
2003
Class:
1985

Known as one of the best baseball players to come through Mississippi State, Will Clark lettered for the Bulldogs from 1983 to 1985 before being drafted second overall in the MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants.

Clark was a part of the legendary "Thunder and Lightning" duo at MSU and was known for his impeccable bat. While at Mississippi State, Clark hit 56 home runs, 28 of them coming in 1984. He was a First Team All-American in 1984 and a First Team All-SEC selection for two-consecutive years. He helped lead the 1984 U.S. Olympic team to a silver medal, where he had three home runs and batted .429. He was the first baseball player to be named Athlete of the Year in the SEC and also earned amateur baseball's top honor, the Golden Spikes Award.

In 1985, he helped lead the Bulldogs to tie their longest run in the College World Series, where he also earned first-team All-NCAA College World Series Tournament Team honors. Baseball America tabbed him as Co-Amateur Baseball Player of the Year in 1984 and Sugar Bowl Male Athlete of the Year, and he was also a consensus All-American in 1985.

Once he entered his professional career with the Giants in 1985, the accolades did not stop. He dubbed the nickname "Will the Thrill" due to his outstanding performances. From 1988-92, he was named to five-straight NL All-Star teams, finished in the top five of the NL MVP vote three times, won two Silver Slugger Awards and also earned a Gold Glove Award. In 1989, he received over a million votes for the All-Star Game and was the first leading vote-getter in Giants history. He went to the Rangers in 1993 and earned his sixth All-Star selection. After a brief stint with the Orioles, Clark was traded to the Cardinals, where he retired in 2000.

He has been named to the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame and had his jersey number retired both at MSU and for the San Francisco Giants. He still works for the Giants organization and has since 2009.