Will Clark with the San Francisco Giants.
The Thrill with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The Bulldog outside Dan's home.
Dan was our friend and neighbor. For 38 years. A good guy. One of the nicest guys. He was there. He was always there. He was there before we moved from our Second Street rental home in the early '80s. His family and ours lived right next door to each other in Broadmoor Gulfport. Dan was also a Will Clark fan. The Thrill. His favorite ballplayer. This is what Trent, Dan's son, told us this holiday season. We never knew before then. Makes sense. Dan graduated from Mississippi State University in the '70s. Will Clark played for State in the '80s and was one of the greatest hitters in college history. The first baseman was also an MLB star for 15 seasons and his teams were the San Francisco Giants (1986–1993), the Texas Rangers (1994–1998), the Baltimore Orioles (1998 and 1999) and the St. Louis Cardinals (2000). He debuted for the Giants in 1986 at age 22, wearing the number 22, and the franchise retired his number in 2020. Clark wore No. 23 at State and No. 12 his first season with the Orioles and No. 23 his only other season with the O's. Dan wore his Will Clark No. 12 jersey when he attended an Orioles game to see The Thrill. Who knew, other than Dan, that Will Clark played two seasons for the Orioles? Dan's Will Clark fandom became a revelation to us when we were at home around 12:30 p.m. on a Wednesday and received sad news in a text message from Trent. Patty read it to me and it became a teary-eyed hands-to-the-face moment. In his early 70s, Dan died in a Gulfport hospital, and Trent told us the time and how it represented Will Clark. Peace, Dan. 12-15-2021-1222
