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MLB

Clark, Graham to Join Hall of Fame on Sunday

Special ceremony to honor Luke Easter joining IL Hall
By
July 30, 2008
Sunday, August 3 will be a fantastic afternoon to look back on some of the great names that excelled in a Bisons uniform.

Former Bisons outfielder Dave Clark and Bisons manager Brian Graham will be inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame in a pre game ceremony prior to the Herd's match-up against rival Syracuse at 1:05 p.m. The great event will also feature a special ceremony to legendary Buffalo slugger Luke Easter, who will be inducted into the International League Hall of Fame.

IL President Randy Mobley will be in Buffalo to present a special "Curtain Call" statue to family members of Easter. One of only three Bisons to have his number retired from the team, Easter passed away on March 29, 1979.

Sundays game will also be a Family Fun Sunday, with post game Kids Run the Bases. The first 2,000 fans will also receive Buster Move Poster, presented by Alfred State College. The first 2,000 fans will receive a "Buster T. Bison and the Sorcerer's Bat" Movie Poster, a Buster parody of the classic Harry Potter.

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 1984 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 (.404)(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.

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.

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).

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