"A grueling 1969 season which saw Horace Clarke come to the plate 641 times in 156 games probably cost the small second baseman a .300 season. As it was, he hit .285 as compared to a dismal .230 in 1968, so the Virgin Islands' native had reason to be pleased with his showing.
In addition to providing the club with adequate fielding at second base, Horace added a new dimension to the Yanks - a top base stealer. He pilfered 33 bases, the most a Yankee has posted since the late Snuffy Stirnweiss led the American League with 33 in 1945. A slap hitter with speed, Horace is an outstanding leadoff man.
He's now in his fifth year with the Yankees, his fourth as a regular."
-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1970
"Last year Horace had the best season of his 11 in professional baseball. In 10 of those years, the hustling second baseman had played continuously (summer in the U.S., winter in Puerto Rico). In the '68 season, fatigue took its toll and Clarke's average slipped to .230 from a club-leading mark of .272 in '67. But after taking the winter off, Clarke was stronger last season, played good defensive ball, and posted a .285 average. Horace led the club in stolen bases with 33, more than any Yankee since George Stirnweiss in 1945.
Clarke was moved from shortstop to second when Bobby Richardson retired in 1967, a year in which Horace led the club in hitting and the American League in fielding with a .990 mark, committing only eight errors in 143 games.
Born in Frederiksted, Virgin Islands, where he starred in basketball, volleyball, track in baseball, Horace now finds it pays to vacation there during the off-season."
-The New York Yankees Official 1970 Yearbook
"Hoss may never play winter ball again. He laid off for the first time in ten years last winter and it resulted in the best year of his career. He set personal highs for himself in hitting (.285), games played (156), at-bats (641), runs (82), hits (183), doubles (26), triples (7), runs batted in (48) and stolen bases (33). The 33 steals were the most by a Yankee since 1945 when George Stirnweiss also stole 33.
His fielding didn't suffer any, either, as he led American League second basemen in total chances (817), putouts (373), assists (429) and double plays (112). Horace led second basemen in fielding percentage in 1968 with a .990 mark.
Horace was originally signed by the Yanks in 1958 and reached the parent club in mid-season of 1965. He played all infield positions, including 63 games at shortstop in 1966, before taking over the keystone sack in 1967 with the retirement of Bobby Richardson. Not known for his power hitting, Horace's first two home runs in the major leagues were grand slams."
-1970 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
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