Dwight Clark

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Dwight Clark
No. 87     
Wide receiver
Personal information
Date of birth: January 8, 1957 (1957-01-08) (age 55)
Place of birth: Kinston, North Carolina
Career information
College: Clemson
NFL Draft: 1979 / Round: 10 / Pick: 1
Debuted in 1979 for the San Francisco 49ers
Last played in 1987 for the San Francisco 49ers
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Receptions     506
Receiving Yards     6,750
Touchdowns     48
Stats at NFL.com

Dwight Edward Clark (born January 8, 1957 in Kinston, North Carolina) is a former American Pro Bowl wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1987. He played college football at Clemson University[1] before being drafted by the 49ers in the 10th round of the 1979 entry draft.[2]

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Arrival at the 49ers

In 1979 the head coach of the 49ers, Bill Walsh, wanted to find a place to work out future third round pick, quarterback Joe Montana. Walsh needed a place to workout Montana and a friend said I can get you into Clemson and I have a wide receiver who can catch. After 2–3 days of practice Montana said, "If you draft me then you draft Dwight Clark." so Walsh did and Clark became Montana's favorite target until he was starting with Jerry Rice.

[edit] NFL career

Bill Walsh drafted Dwight Clark as the first pick of the 10th round of the 1979 NFL draft. Clark embarked on a stellar career for 49ers in which he had 506 catches for 6750 yards and 48 touchdowns, along with 50 rushing yards. He led the NFL in receptions (60) during the strike-shortened 1982 season, and made the Pro Bowl twice in 1981 and 1982 in his 9 NFL seasons.[3]

After Walsh drafted Clark, he made Clark and quarterback Joe Montana practice a certain 20-yard roll-out "Hail Mary" pass into the end zone at the end of every practice. Walsh wanted to make sure that they could complete that certain pass in the red zone.

[edit] "The Catch"

Clark's most memorable touchdown came in the 1981 NFC Playoffs. On January 10, 1982, against the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers were trailing 27–21 in the final minute of play to advance to the Super Bowl. Clark leaped and caught a sixteen-yard pass from quarterback Joe Montana in the back of the end zone to give the 49ers a 28–27 victory. That play, one of the most famous in the history in the NFL, has been immortalized as "The Catch". Clark finished the game with eight receptions for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns.

During the 1981 season, Coach Walsh had Montana and Clark routinely practice the 20-yard end-zone throw after regular practice.

[edit] Retirement and Legacy

After nine successful seasons with San Francisco 49ers, Dwight Clark retired after 1987 NFL season. Clark was a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams. To honor Clark's contribution to 49ers, the club retired his number 87. After retirement, he has served as a team executive for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns.

Clark has also appeared in the video game, All-Pro Football 2K8.

[edit] Personal life

Clark was born in Kinston, North Carolina and graduated from Garinger High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.[3][4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/clark_dwight00.html Clemson
  2. ^ http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/tag/_/name/dwight-clark ESPN
  3. ^ a b http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ClarDw00.htm Pro Footbal Reference
  4. ^ "The Catch Looms Larger Than Life .". Boca Raton News. 18 January 1985. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VjVUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Oo0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6629,4031256&dq=garinger+high+school+dwight+clark&hl=en. Retrieved 15 February 2011. 

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Carmen Policy		 San Francisco 49ers General Manager
1998		 Succeeded by
John McVay
Preceded by
Bill Belichick (de facto)		 Cleveland Browns General Manager
1998–2002		 Succeeded by
Phil Savage

3 Jim Miller | 7 Guy Benjamin | 14 Ray Wersching | 16 Joe Montana (MVP) | 20 Amos Lawrence | 21 Eric Wright | 22 Dwight Hicks | 24 Rick Gervais | 27 Carlton Williamson | 28 Lynn Thomas | 29 Saladin Martin | 30 Bill Ring | 31 Walt Easley | 32 Ricky Patton | 35 Lenvil Elliott | 38 Johnny Davis | 42 Ronnie Lott | 49 Earl Cooper | 51 Randy Cross | 52 Bobby Leopold | 53 Milt McColl | 54 Craig Puki | 56 Fred Quillan | 57 Dan Bunz | 58 Keena Turner | 59 Willie Harper | 60 John Choma | 61 Dan Audick | 62 Walt Downing | 64 Jack Reynolds | 65 Lawrence Pillers | 66 Allan Kennedy | 68 John Ayers | 71 Keith Fahnhorst | 74 Fred Dean | 75 John Harty | 76 Dwaine Board | 78 Archie Reese | 79 Jim Stuckey | 80 Eason Ramson | 84 Mike Shumann | 85 Mike Wilson | 86 Charle Young | 87 Dwight Clark | 88 Freddie Solomon
Head Coach: Bill Walsh
Coaches: Cas Banaszek | Norb Hecker | Milt Jackson | Billie Matthews | Bobb McKittrick | Bill McPherson | Ray Rhodes | George Seifert | Chuck Studley | Sam Wyche

4 Max Runager | 6 Matt Cavanaugh | 14 Ray Wersching | 16 Joe Montana (MVP) | 21 Eric Wright | 22 Dwight Hicks | 24 Derrick Harmon | 26 Wendell Tyler | 27 Carlton Williamson | 28 Tom Holmoe | 29 Mario Clark | 30 Bill Ring | 32 Carl Monroe | 33 Roger Craig | 42 Ronnie Lott | 43 Dana McLemore | 49 Jeff Fuller | 50 Riki Ellison | 51 Randy Cross | 52 Blanchard Montgomery | 53 Milt McColl | 56 Fred Quillan | 57 Dan Bunz | 58 Keena Turner | 61 Jesse Sapolu | 62 Guy McIntyre | 64 Jack Reynolds | 65 Lawrence Pillers | 66 Allan Kennedy | 67 Billy Shields | 68 John Ayers | 71 Keith Fahnhorst | 72 Jeff Stover | 74 Fred Dean | 76 Dwaine Board | 77 Bubba Paris | 78 Manu Tuiasosopo | 79 Jim Stuckey | 81 Russ Francis | 83 Renaldo Nehemiah | 85 Mike Wilson | 86 John Frank | 87 Dwight Clark | 88 Freddie Solomon | 89 Earl Cooper | 90 Todd Shell | 94 Louie Kelcher | 95 Michael Carter | 97 Gary Johnson | 99 Mike Walter
Head Coach: Bill Walsh
Coaches: Paul Hackett | Tommy Hart | Norb Hecker | Sherman Lewis | Bobb McKittrick | Bill McPherson | George Seifert | Ray Rhodes | Fred von Appen
Cleveland Browns General Managers
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