(Fifth in a series of 13 Unsung Phillies Legends, fellas who played a long, long time ago. None are enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame or the team’s Toyota Wall of Fame, but each played a role in franchise history.)

John J. (Jack) Clements certainly holds a place in Phillies history. The native Philadelphian caught more games than anyone for the Phillies or in baseball ... for a left-handed catcher. That’s right, a left-handed-throwing catcher.

During his 14-year career with the Phillies (1884-97), he caught 953 games, sixth most in franchise history. He’s behind Mike Lieberthal, Red Dooin, Bob Boone, Carlos Ruiz and Darren Daulton. His 14 years as a catcher was finally matched by Daulton 100 years later.

• Phillies alumni

During Clements' day, catchers stood 20 or more feet behind home plate and caught pitches on a bounce. They wore no chest protectors, masks or shin guards. Although the details are sketchy, Clements was credited with being among the first to wear a chest protector.

Clements hit over .300 six times with the Phillies, for whom he played exactly 1,000 games. His Phillies totals: .289, 70 homers and 636 RBIs. In 1890, when manager Harry Wright was sidelined by temporary blindness, Clements managed 19 games, going 13-6.

His post-Philadelphia career included single seasons in the NL with St. Louis, Cleveland and Boston. When he retired after the 1900 season, he held baseball’s record for most games by a left-handed catcher, 1,076. Clements’ single-season (17, 1893) and career home run totals (77) stood as records for a catcher until Gabby Hartnett in the 1920s.

Clements died at age 76 in Norristown, Pa., in 1941. He’s buried at Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill, Pa.