Phil Clark (2001) - M Club Hall of Fame - University of Memphis Athletics

Phil Clark

Induction:
2001

Phil Clark came to Memphis in the fall of 1976 as a catcher for Bobby Kilpatrick's Tiger baseball team.

The Memphis Frayser High School graduate had attended Jackson State Community College for two years and was poised to embark on a collegiate career at would bring the U of M numerous honors.

In the spring of 1977 Clark appeared in 42 of the Tigers' 48 games and posted a .316 batting average. His 17 runs batted in helped the U of M to a 34-14 mark, a Tiger record for victories in a season.

As a senior, Clark helped lead his team to its greatest season ever. In increasing his batting average to .328, he contributed to the offensive fire power, but it was his work with the Tiger pitchers that led to a 40-9 record and a berth in the NCAA South Regional.

Memphis advanced to the regional championship game before losing to North Carolina.

Following graduation, Clark became a high school baseball coach at Skyview Academy in Memphis and moved to Germantown High School in 1987. He won the 1995 National Championship at GHS and now has a career coaching record of 549-161. Clark was named the USA Today National Coach of the Year in 1995.