Here's a "missing" 1975 Topps card for longtime New York Yankees
second baseman Horace Clarke, who wrapped up his career in 1974 with 42
games for San Diego:
That half season with the Padres was the only time Clarke played
for anyone other than the Yankees in his ten-year career, spanning 1965
to 1974.
Playing during those post-dynasty Yankees "dark days", Clarke
endured some lean years in the Bronx with guys like Bobby Murcer, Mel
Stottlemyre and Joe Pepitone.
A "typical" middle infielder of the era, Clarke was a nice-fielding/light-hitting player who had some nice years for the Yanks.
Between 1967 and 1973 Clarke was the Yankees full-time second baseman, topping 600 plate appearances each and every year.
His average hovered around the .250 mark, with a high of .285 in
1969 when he had perhaps his best season as a Major League player: 183
hits, 82 runs, 33 stolen bases and seven triples.
He retired after 1974 with a lifetime .256 average, with 1230 hits, 548 runs, 304 runs batted in and 151 stolen bases.
Oddly the man never won a Gold Glove even though he topped the
American League in putouts four times, double-plays turned twice,
fielding once and assists six times.
Just one of those decent guys that got lost in the Bronx before the
"Bronx Zoo" and a guy named Steinbrenner rolled in a short time later.
