IL1 Buffalo Bisons

Bisons' Dave Clark, Brian Graham Elected to Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame

Published on May 3, 2008 under International League (IL1)
Buffalo Bisons News Release


The Buffalo Bisons today announced that former Bisons outfielder Dave Clark and Bisons manager Brian Graham have been elected to the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame. Clark and Graham will become the 76th and 77th members of the Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 3 in pre-game ceremonies as part of the Buffalo Baseball Heritage Day. The Bisons face Syracuse at 1:05 p.m.

The pre-game festivities will also include the induction of former Bisons great Luke Easter into the International League Hall of Fame. Members of the Easter family will be on hand to accept the award for their late father.

Bisons Outfielder Dave Clark (1983, 1987, 1992)

Clark, a 1st round pick (11th overall) of the Cleveland Indians in the 1983 amateur draft, played 17 seasons of professional baseball including parts of three years with the Bisons. He played 17 games with the team in 1983 while Buffalo was in the Double-A Eastern League. After making his Major League debut with the Indians in 1986 (18 games), he returned to Buffalo in 1987. That year at War Memorial Stadium, he put together one of the finest individual seasons in the Bisons Modern Era. In 108 games, he hit .340 with 22 doubles, 30 homeruns and 80RBI and was named the team's Stan Baron Most Valuable Player. In 1992, Clark signed as a free agent with Pittsburgh and hit .304 with 11 homeruns and 55RBI in 78 more games with Buffalo.

In the Bisons' Modern Era, Clark ranks first in batting average (.327) and slugging percentage (.594) and second in on-base percentage (.405)(all 500AB minimum). He is also tied for 10th in the Modern Era with 41 homeruns. His .340 batting average and .621 slugging percentage in the 1987 season are still Modern Era records.

Clark played in 905 Major League games in parts of 13 seasons with Cleveland, Chicago-NL, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles-NL and Houston. He hit .264 (518-1964) in his Major League career with 62 homeruns and 284RBI. Clark hit a career-high 11 homeruns and 46RBI with Pittsburgh in 110 games in 1993; his longest big league season.

Since retiring after the 1999 season, Clark has enjoyed a very successful career as a minor league manager. In five seasons on the bench in the Houston Astros' system heading into the 2008 season, Clark has a 368-326 record (.530 winning pct.). He was the 2003 Carolina League Manager of the Year with Single-A Lynchburg. In 2006, he won Manager of the Year in the Double-A Texas League while guiding Corpus Christi to a championship. Clark is currently the manager of the Triple-A Round Rock Express.

Bisons Manager Brian Graham (1995-1997)

Graham managed the Buffalo Bisons for three seasons from 1995-1997 and currently ranks first in the Modern Era with 253 wins. His .586 winning percentage as the Bisons' skipper is third in the Modern Era (253-179). In 1997, he guided the Bisons to an 87-57 record and an American Association Championship. It was the Bisons' first league title in 36 years.

In 1995, Graham joined the Bisons. The Herd went 82-62 in that first season and finished second in the American Association East Division. Buffalo went 84-60 in his second year and won the American Association East Division. For the successful year, Graham was named Minor League Manager of the Year by USA Today's Baseball Weekly. In 1997, the Bisons won another American Association East title on their way to the league championship.

Graham was a manager/coach in the Cleveland Indians system for 13 seasons, 1987-1999. He began as a coach under Mike Hargrove with Single-A Kinston before making his managerial debut with Single-A Watertown of the NY-Penn League in 1989. In his first four seasons of managing, Graham's teams established franchise records for victories in a season: 1989 Watertown (47-30), 1990 Kinston (88-47), 1991 Kinston (89-49) and 1992 Canton-Akron (80-58).

In nine total seasons as a manager (1989-1997), Graham had a record of 709-491 (.591) and never had a losing record in any year. He guided his teams to eight playoff appearances and five division titles. In 1991, he won a Carolina League Championship with Single-A Kinston and was named league Manager of the Year. In 1993, he was named "Best Managerial Prospect" by the Eastern League and by Baseball America.

As a manager, Graham led several prominent Major Leaguers. He worked with sluggers Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez before coming to Buffalo. While with the Herd, he guided Jeromy Burnitz, Brian Giles, Richie Sexson, Einar Diaz, Sean Casey, Enrique Wilson and countless other prospects on their way to the big leagues. He also managed current Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famers Torey Lovullo and Jeff Manto.

Graham played five years of professional baseball in the minor leagues after being selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 4th round of the 1982 draft. From 1982-1985, Graham hit .253 (366-1449) in the A's, Brewers and Indians farm systems.

This year, Graham is working as a Special Assignment Coach for the Baltimore Orioles minor league system.

Easter to be Inducted into International League Hall of Fame

Buffalo Bisons' legend Luke Easter will be inducted into the International League Hall of Fame as part of the Buffalo Baseball Heritage Day on Sunday, August 3. Members of the Easter family will be on hand to accept the honor.

The International League has revived their Hall of Fame as part of the league's 125th Anniversary Season. Dormant since 1963, the IL inducted longtime league presidents Harold Cooper and George Sisler, Jr. in 2007. This year, a historic class of 27 individuals will be inducted in various parks around the league.

Easter is already in the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame (Inaugural Class, '85) and is one of only three players in the 123-year history of the Bisons to have his number retired by the team (#25). From 1956-1959, the fan-favorite Easter hit 114 homeruns and collected 353RBI with the Bisons. He ranks third in Bisons history in homers and sixth in RBI.

Easter led the team in both homeruns and RBI in each of his first three seasons in Buffalo. He hit .306 with 35 homeruns and 106RBI in 1956 and belted 40 homeruns and 128RBI in 1957 (led the International League in HR and RBI in both seasons). In 1958, he led the Bisons team in all triple-crown categories, hitting .307 with 38 homers and 109RBI. In his final season with the Herd, Easter hit .262 with 22 homeruns and 76RBI.

Easter will forever be remembered for his majestic blasts, including the first ever homerun over the centerfield scoreboard at Offermann Stadium (June 14, 1957).

Easter is one of five former Bisons to be inducted into the IL Hall of Fame. The other four will be inducted at various parks around the league. The list includes Ollie Tucker (1930-35), Frank Gilhooley, Sr. (1914-15, 1920-21), Frank "Pancho" Herrera (1959, 1962) and Archie Wilson (1951).

Check out the Buffalo Bisons Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from May 3, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central