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1911 Piedmont T205 Fred Clarke, HOF, Pittsburgh Pirates SGC 1. Hall of Famer Fred Clarke was a successful player-manager from 1897 to 1915. His playing career began with a bang in 1894 as Clarke went 5-for-5 playing for the Louisville Colonels. The following season, he proved to be no fluke with 191 hits, 82 RBI, and a .347 batting average. Clarke’s numbers dipped slightly in 1896, but he still batted .325 with 79 RBI. Sadly, the Colonels were perennial losers, finishing no higher than ninth in Clarke’s six seasons. In 1900, Clarke jumped from the sinking Louisville barge to a Pittsburgh Pirate ship as player-manager. The move would forever cement his baseball legacy. After a second place finish in 1900, Clarke’s Bucs won three straight National League pennants, and Clarke hit .324, .316, and .351 respectively. In 1903, he led the league in doubles, slugging, and OPS. Ever the patient hitter, Clarke frequently recorded twice as many walks as strikeouts. In 1899, he had just 17 Ks in 606 at-bats. Clarke would spend 15 seasons in Pittsburgh, but undoubtedly, his favorite year was 1909. That season, the Pirates won 110 games and Clarke, at age 36, was still impressive at the plate with 68 RBI, a .287 batting average, and a league-leading 80 walks. With a lineup that featured Honus Wagner, and a mound staff with two 20-game winners, Vic Willis and Howie Camnitz, Pittsburgh won the NL pennant and played Ty Cobb’s Detroit Tigers in the World Series. Clarke hit just .211 in the Series, but the Pirates prevailed in seven games. Known for his carousing at an early age, Clarke matured into a fearless skipper whose managerial strategy was unmatched. He was also a shrewd entrepreneur, earning millions in various business ventures. After retiring in 1915, Clarke returned to the Pirates in 1925 as an executive and assistant to the manager. He helped Pittsburgh win another world championship that season, but his presence undermined manager Bill McKechnie’s power and he retired for good in 1926. Fred Clarke was truly one of the game’s great leaders, on the diamond, at the helm, and in life.