Aug. 23, 2004 – How many St. Croix children would love to have a baseball autographed by a major league player? And what if a local hero who made it big playing with the New York Yankees signed that ball? Well, a small group of children in a Frederiksted reading program can tell you what it feels like – having gotten to meet a retired home-grown big-time ball player, hear his inspirational story, and receive some memorabilia.
About 25 children ages 5 to 13 sat wide-eyed on Friday afternoon in the Athalie McFarlane Petersen Library, many with their hands under their chins, enraptured by the story of a Frederiksted boy who loved baseball. And they could easily relate to the story, because many of them have played ball in the very same park that he did — Paul E. Joseph.
The children were listening to Horace Clarke, former New York Yankees second baseman and switch hitter. Clarke was with the Yankees from 1965 to 1974, playing alongside such legends as Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Roger Maris and Thurman Munson.
Clarke led the fielding average in second-base assists in 1967, led in putouts from 1968 to 1971, and had 151 career stolen bases. He was a switch hitter, a skill acquired out of necessity during his boyhood in Frederiksted. He played in at least 143 games every year from 1967 to 1973, and he led the American League in at-bats in 1969-70.
Clarke told the youngsters that he started playing baseball at about 12 years of age. He and some friends used to practice at the Frederiksted ballpark, but if the older players were there practicing, the younger kids had to play in a spot closer to the ocean.
"Almost all of us were right handed," he related. "And since were strong enough to hit the ball into the water, we switched sides at the place and everybody batted left handed, so we wouldn’t lose the ball."
Shaquille Fawkes, 11, seemed especially fascinated with what Clarke had to say. "I want to be a professional baseball player," the youngster said, clutching a ball with Clarke’s autograph in the "sweet spot."
When he was with the Yankees, Clarke told the children, the "sweet spot" was reserved for Mickey Mantle. "All the other players could sign all around the ball except for that spot," he explained.
Clarke's guest appearance was part of the Art of Reading summer program at the Frederiksted library, organized by library volunteer Diane Hampton. He will be back again next week, this time to entertain the youngsters with his other passion — playing the xylophone.
The Art of Reading program, with began in late June, is a community-based non-funded volunteer project. Turtles Deli donates lunch daily and pizza parties are hosted monthly by the Lost Dog Pub. Hampton said the program's main purpose is to set up an environment where children can be motivated to read and write through a process of creative learning.
"We develop environments where young children grow to love books, poems jokes, songs, music, art and the stories of our culture," she said.
Back Talk
Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name, and the city and state/country or island where you reside.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
