Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-05
DAD CLARKE OUT FOR GOOD
Famous Old Pitcher Dies from Strok,
of Paralysis.
WON oMAHA'S FIRST REMNANT
Was star on Team I'm 80, 30 and
'O1, and Afterwards Pitched
for the New York
Giants.

Here passes one of the veterans Of the
game,ra man whose name will be recalled
by the older fans, and always with pleas
ure, for Dad" Clarke was a pitcher Of
those good old days of base ball to which
all cling so fondly His passing is thus
briefly told by an Associated Press dis
patch received at The Bee office last night:
LoRAIN, o., June 3--william Clarke
well known TO base ball followers years
ago as Dad Clarke pitcher of the New
YORK Nationals died IN a hospital here to,
several days ago on the street.
Dad Clarke pitched for Omaha in 1889
under the management Of Frank Selee, and
with Charlie Nichols, he was the cause
OF the pennant coming to Omaha, the
team winning the championship OF the
Western league in decisive fashion. Just
before the season closed, Clarke was re-
leased, that he might join the San Fran
cisco team, which needed help. The pen
nant was safe for Omaha, and so Dad"
journeyed to the coast and by his wonder
full work pitched San Francisco into the
championship OF the Coast league This is
perhaps the only time on record when one
pitcher was a factor in winning two pen
nants in different leagues in the same sea-
son.
Two More Seasons Here.
In 1890 and 1891 Clarke was again a men,
Der Of the. Omaha team, and with Eddie
Eiteljorg was the mainstay of the celebrated
Danny Shannon bunch that was leading
the race when the season exploded in the
latter year His last game for Omaha
was pitched against the Lincoln team, on
which were such celebrities as Jesse
Burkett. Jack Rowe. Dave Rowe, Harry
Raymond. Hank o'Day, Red Ehrct. Parke
Wilson, Monkey" Kline and others whose
names are famous in the annals Of base
ball, and who were unable to score a run
off Dad" that day.
From Oniaha'he went east, and turned
up the next year, on the New York Giants,
for whom he did much excellent service
and with whom. he spent couple of sea-
sons IT was while he was with the New
Yorks that he got his revenge on Pop"
Arson of Chicago. Before Dad ever came
to Omaha he had hired to Arson as a
pitcher for Chicago. Arson watched him
pitch part of an inning and then chased
him.
Get out of. here!' roared Arson, as he
hustled Dad off the field, you couldn't
even pitch hay!"
Struck AnsOn out.
Dad remembered this, and the first time
he faced Arson, and II was on the Chicago
grounds, he saluted him with some reflec-
ton on his ancestry. Anyone whoever
listened TO Dad in one of his explosive
moods need not be told just what he said.
He had a most picturesque vocabulary
and was never at loss. for an epithet, for
he coined them as readily as he needed
them. Along with one Of his most min
utely descriptive and extensively objurga-
VaFhal noA uhn
at Arson. and the latter in surprise let it
go by. 1t was a strike Dad grinned, and
sent up another. with another round of
abuse. Arson let 1t go by, and II was a
strike, too. Then Dad was beside himself
with glee, He danced around the box,
calling on all the catalogued gods and
some unknown to watch him strike out
the great slugger. and then he turned to
the plate.
Here, you blinkety-blank double blanked
Swede, see II you can hit this" he shouted,
and he shot a straight one over
Arson waited, and swung with all his
force and missed, and Dad had his revenge
He had struck out the great Anson, the
man who told him he couldn't pitch. And
what IL more he did II twice in that game
Arson Gets Even.
But Arson got back at Dad on the Polo
grounds a little later In the season. Dad
was pitching and New York had Chicago
beaten. Two Chicago runners were on
bases and two runs needed to tie. Arson
was coaching at third base, and as Clarke
was getting ready to pitch. he called to
him, Here, let me see that ball" With
out thinking Dad shouted. Take IL.
you" (the same kind of a Swede he had
called him in Chicago, and flung the ball
with all his force. Arson stepped to one
side, the ball went into the bleachers and
two Chicago runs came in.
In 1901 Dad pitched for Minneapolis in the
Western league and made his last appear
ance In Omaha with that team. He won
his game here visited with some old
friends and went away. His habits were
those OF the older class OF ball players.
and he saved nothing from his pay. At
various times during the last ten years
he has been heard of In connection with
smaller teams. but he had not been prom
inent with the game. Frank Bandle and
some of the others OF the old guard In
Omaha will hear OF the death OF Dad
Clarke with much regret