From Out Of Left Field....

[soupcan]

] Jack Clark Takes Jabs at Mets of Mid-�80s July 1, 2009 From left, Gary Carter, Darryl Strawberry and Keith Hernandez, Mets regulars in 1985. By KEN BELSON The Mets have had their rivals over the years � the Chicago Cubs in 1969, the Philadelphia Phillies more recently � but the St. Louis Cardinals of the middle to late 1980s were perhaps the fiercest opponents they have faced. The teams not only battled on the field, but also despised each other off it. As it turns out, the old feuds continue to simmer. Jack Clark, the cleanup hitter on those St. Louis teams, called those Mets a bunch of cheats and showboats Tuesday in an interview on KTRS-AM radio, which broadcasts Cardinals games. Clark told McGraw Milhaven, the morning host at the station, that the mutual hatred ran so deep that he purposely snubbed the Mets when they played together in All-Star Games. �I wanted to let them know I wasn�t glad to be there with them and their teammate, didn�t want to be on any team or be a teammate with them, and we were going to battle,� said Clark, who provides commentary on some Cardinals games and manages the Springfield Sliders, a summer collegiate league team in Illinois. Clark took particular aim at Gary Carter, the Mets� catcher in those years, saying that he �talked his way more into the Hall of Fame than deserving it.� Carter, he said, craved the spotlight, which was �pretty sickening and disgusting to everybody else.� Carter, who manages the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, said he was surprised by Clark�s comments. �He�s entitled to his own opinion, but the numbers speak for themselves, and I don�t think anybody can talk their way into the Hall of Fame,� Carter said in a statement relayed by the team�s public-relations officer. Clark played for the Cardinals from 1985 to 1987, during which he hit 66 home runs. He also played for the San Francisco Giants, the Yankees, the San Diego Padres and the Boston Red Sox. In the interview, Clark reignited an old issue when he said that Howard Johnson, a Mets third baseman in those years, used a corked bat. Whitey Herzog, the Cardinals� manager at the time, made a similar claim. In 1987, one of Johnson�s bats was X-rayed. The X-rays were negative. Clark appeared not to know that. �That just goes to show those guys were trying to cheat and, you know, it didn�t end up working for them anyhow,� he said, seemingly glossing over the Mets� World Series title in 1986. �So if his was corked, I�m sure a few other guys� over there were corked, also.� Johnson, now the Mets� batting coach, said Clark seemed to have forgotten a few key facts. �It�s kind of funny, because in my most productive years, I used a model that he gave me, an M253,� Johnson said in Milwaukee, where the Mets were playing the Brewers. An excerpt of the interview can be heard on nytimes.com/sports, and more was available Tuesday on the KTRS site. A full version of the interview will be aired by the radio station on Wednesday morning. Ben Shpigel contributed reporting from Milwaukee.

[metirish]

Get a life man and stop holding silly grudges.

Hi I'm Jack Clark and I'm an asshole

[Guest Edgy DC]

Actually, I'd posit that Carter maybe talked his way out of the Hall of Fame for a few years there.

Good job by Ken Belson (Ken Belson?) getting responses from Carter and Johnson in the article instead of just rushing with the slam and using day two for slambacks.

[Centerfield]

This is awesome. I haven't been mad at Jack Clark in over 20 years.

[Fman99]

I hated guys back in the 1980's too. But who gives a fuck?

[soupcan]

="Edgy DC"] Good job by Ken Belson (Ken Belson?) getting responses from Carter and Johnson in the article instead of just rushing with the slam and using day two for slambacks.

Yeah - and good quotes too -

Carter - 'Um, I have the numbers....'

Johnson - 'Um, he gave me the bat...'

[Guest Edgy DC]

"The numbers speak for themselves" is so uncharacteristically detached for Carter that I'm all but certain the Ducks PR guy wrote it.

OE: Would he like to work for the Mets?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

="Edgy DC":24izz3in]"The numbers speak for themselves" is so uncharacteristically detached for Carter that I'm all but certain the Ducks PR guy wrote it. [/quote:24izz3in] Is the "golly, gee" understood in this one?

Farmer Ted Jul 01 2009 12:17 PM

Jack Clark. Zero world championships. Bitter. Asshole.

themetfairy Jul 01 2009 12:52 PM

Someone is in need of a life....

DocTee Jul 01 2009 01:21 PM

But did HoJo or Carter ever have candybars named after them? Didn't think so.

Swan Swan H Jul 01 2009 01:38 PM

That puts him on a par with Reggie Jackson and Ernie Zagnut.

Edgy DC Jul 01 2009 01:49 PM

Howard has a hotel/restaurant chain.

G-Fafif Jul 01 2009 02:03 PM

I admire a well-held grudge, but Clark comes off as drunk.

RealityChuck Jul 01 2009 02:05 PM

="Edgy DC":1zz94amt]Good job by Ken Belson (Ken Belson?) getting responses from Carter and Johnson in the article instead of just rushing with the slam and using day two for slambacks.[/quote:1zz94amt] It's known as "reporting." I know it's rare in sports these days, but I can still remember the concept. Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 09:14 AM Clark continues to push it, promising future snubbings. http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x931229737/Sliders-skipper-Clark-relished-All-Star-appearances ]�The Mets were our competition and they kind of disrespected us,� Clark said. �I didn�t like the Mets and I didn�t talk to them. They really weren�t very nice guys. If I see Gary Carter or any of them, I won�t say hello.� LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 09:42 AM ="Edgy DC"]Clark continues to push it, promising future snubbings. http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x931229737/Sliders-skipper-Clark-relished-All-Star-appearances ]�The Mets were our competition and they kind of disrespected us,� Clark said. �I didn�t like the Mets and I didn�t talk to them. They really weren�t very nice guys. If I see Gary Carter or any of them, I won�t say hello.� It's a little-known fact that after Jeffrey Leonard, Jack Clark was the National League's hardest shunner of the mid-80s. You do not want to cross his line-of-shun. You will be shunned... with great dispatch. Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 10:21 AM When he was young, back with the Giants, they say he was a five-tool shunner. He could shun for power, shun for average, shun for speed, the whole works.

[Farmer Ted]

Jack Clark. Zero world championships. Bitter. Asshole.

[Guest themetfairy]

Someone is in need of a life....

[DocTee]

But did HoJo or Carter ever have candybars named after them?

Didn't think so.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

That puts him on a par with Reggie Jackson and Ernie Zagnut.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Howard has a hotel/restaurant chain.

[G-Fafif]

I admire a well-held grudge, but Clark comes off as drunk.

[RealityChuck]

="Edgy DC":1zz94amt]Good job by Ken Belson (Ken Belson?) getting responses from Carter and Johnson in the article instead of just rushing with the slam and using day two for slambacks.[/quote:1zz94amt] It's known as "reporting." I know it's rare in sports these days, but I can still remember the concept.

Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 09:14 AM

Clark continues to push it, promising future snubbings. http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x931229737/Sliders-skipper-Clark-relished-All-Star-appearances ]�The Mets were our competition and they kind of disrespected us,� Clark said. �I didn�t like the Mets and I didn�t talk to them. They really weren�t very nice guys. If I see Gary Carter or any of them, I won�t say hello.�

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 09:42 AM

="Edgy DC"]Clark continues to push it, promising future snubbings. http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x931229737/Sliders-skipper-Clark-relished-All-Star-appearances ]�The Mets were our competition and they kind of disrespected us,� Clark said. �I didn�t like the Mets and I didn�t talk to them. They really weren�t very nice guys. If I see Gary Carter or any of them, I won�t say hello.� It's a little-known fact that after Jeffrey Leonard, Jack Clark was the National League's hardest shunner of the mid-80s. You do not want to cross his line-of-shun. You will be shunned... with great dispatch.

Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 10:21 AM

When he was young, back with the Giants, they say he was a five-tool shunner. He could shun for power, shun for average, shun for speed, the whole works.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Clark continues to push it, promising future snubbings.

http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x931229737/Sliders-skipper-Clark-relished-All-Star-appearances

]�The Mets were our competition and they kind of disrespected us,� Clark said. �I didn�t like the Mets and I didn�t talk to them. They really weren�t very nice guys. If I see Gary Carter or any of them, I won�t say hello.�

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

="Edgy DC"]Clark continues to push it, promising future snubbings. http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x931229737/Sliders-skipper-Clark-relished-All-Star-appearances ]�The Mets were our competition and they kind of disrespected us,� Clark said. �I didn�t like the Mets and I didn�t talk to them. They really weren�t very nice guys. If I see Gary Carter or any of them, I won�t say hello.�

It's a little-known fact that after Jeffrey Leonard, Jack Clark was the National League's hardest shunner of the mid-80s.

You do not want to cross his line-of-shun. You will be shunned... with great dispatch.

[Guest Edgy DC]

When he was young, back with the Giants, they say he was a five-tool shunner. He could shun for power, shun for average, shun for speed, the whole works.