Giants will retire Will Clark's number

SAN FRANCISCO -- No Giant will wear Will Clark's No. 22 ever again.

During a pregame ceremony to honor the 1989 World Series team Sunday, team president and CEO Larry Baer announced the Giants will retire Clark's number next year.

"I am so proud. I am so happy," Clark said. "To know you're going to be up there on the wall with all the greats -- the Willie Mayses, the Willie McCoveys, the Barry Bondses -- everybody that has come through this organization and worn this Giants jersey is absolutely unbelievable. It's something I will never forget. It is my Hall of Fame. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

The Giants have traditionally only retired numbers of Hall of Fame inductees, but the policy began to shift after they opted to retire Barry Bonds' No. 25 last year. Clark said the Giants told him they wanted to retire his number earlier this year, though they asked him to keep it under wraps until Sunday.

"I tried to keep it under my hat there for a little while because they wanted to do it while everybody was on the field," Clark said. "When they made the announcements, seeing my teammates' reactions, that right there just killed me. That's awesome, seeing your teammates respond like that."

A first-round Draft pick in 1985, Clark played for the Giants for eight seasons, earning five All-Star appearances and finishing in the top five in National League MVP voting four times. His arrival in 1986 played a major role in reviving a franchise that had lost 100 games the previous season. In 1989, Clark batted .333 with 23 home runs to help the Giants win 92 games and reach the World Series for the first time since 1962.

"I will not be anything but 'Forever Giant,'" Clark said.