Diamond in the Rough: The Dave Clark Story

Sixteen-year old polio survivor Dave Clark refuses to wear the leg brace his doctors have prescribed, afraid it will interfere with his chances of one day becoming a professional baseball player. Although Lillian and Bernard Clark know that playing baseball is probably an impossible goal for their disabled son, the devoted parents won’t stand in the way of his dreams. Little do they know that Dave Clark will grow up to be not merely a baseball player, but an inspirational legend of this great American pastime. Diamond in the Rough: The Dave Clark Story is the true story of one incredible man who refused to give up his dream to play professional baseball, despite the crippling aftermath of polio. Much more than a story about baseball, it is a motivational record of Clark’s amazing and inspiring life. Learning to play the game on a home field while still using crutches, Clark boldly pursues his dream, ultimately entering the professional stage as a pitcher in the minor leagues at just five-foot, two-inches tall. Clark’s simple philosophy of “You get knocked down, you get up” is the humble foundation for this stirring story of persistence, hope, and a young man’s love for the game of baseball.

Roger Neumann is an award-winning journalist who has split his career between sports and news. He has written about Dave Clark?s career since the mid-1990s. Roger lives with his wife, Nancy, in Horseheads, New York.