Webbo Clarke – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Webbo Clarke wrapped up his professional baseball career in 1955 after a short but memorable run with the Washington Senators. This left-handed pitcher from Panama hit the majors for seven games that September, capping off a journey that started in the Negro Leagues and took him from the Cleveland Buckeyes’ dusty diamonds all the way to MLB stadiums.

Clarke retired from pro baseball in 1955 after his brief time with the Senators, but he kept playing in Panama’s winter leagues for several more years. His road to the big leagues was far from typical. He spent nearly a decade in the Negro Leagues, pitching for teams like the Cleveland Buckeyes and Memphis Red Sox, where he honed his craft.

Webbo Clarke’s story gives us a real glimpse into baseball’s integration era. Talented players from the Negro Leagues finally got their shot at the majors, and Clarke was right in the thick of it. He had one big moment—a three-RBI hit, which was his only major league hit—and his journey shows just how tough and rewarding it was for players breaking baseball’s color barrier in the mid-1950s.

Early Life and Background

Vibert Ernesto “Webbo” Clarke was born in the Panama Canal Zone, a region buzzing with American influence at the time. Growing up in such a unique place shaped his early years and set the stage for his baseball career.

Family and Childhood in Panama

Clarke entered the world on June 8, 1928, in Colón, Panama, right in the Canal Zone. His parents were part of the huge wave of immigrants who came to Panama during the canal construction boom.

Charles Clarke, his dad, hailed from Barbados. His mom, Annie, was born in Jamaica. They both moved to the Canal Zone around the time Webbo was born, joining thousands of other Caribbean workers searching for a better life in the American-run territory.

The Clarkes settled in Silver City, in the Cristobal District of the Canal Zone. This neighborhood was home to many canal workers and their families after World War I.

Census records from 1930 and 1940 place the Clarke family in this community. Growing up here, Webbo got exposed to a mix of cultures and languages from the start.

Early Exposure to Baseball

Baseball took off in Panama during the American administration of the Canal Zone. The sport quickly became a big part of Panamanian culture.

Clarke probably first played baseball in local youth leagues or just in the street with friends. Thanks to the American presence, organized baseball made its way into the Canal Zone.

By his teenage years, Clarke had become a talented left-handed pitcher. Local scouts and coaches noticed his natural talent and saw real potential in him.

The competitive baseball scene in 1940s Panama gave Clarke chances to face strong opponents and grow as a player.

Education and Early Work

Clarke went to school through seventh grade, according to 1940 census records. That was pretty common for working-class families in the Canal Zone back then.

At 17, Clarke worked as a dock worker. The job was tough and physical, but it helped him build the strength he’d need on the mound.

Even while working, he kept playing baseball whenever he could. Lots of young men in the Canal Zone juggled manual labor with sports.

Clarke’s mix of raw ability and the physical conditioning from his job set him up for professional baseball. Those early days taught him a strong work ethic that stuck with him throughout his athletic career.

Negro League Career

Webbo Clarke spent five years pitching in the Negro Leagues before he made it to the majors. His time with the Cleveland Buckeyes showed everyone he was a skilled pitcher, and he helped the team win a pennant in 1947.

Time with the Cleveland Buckeyes

Clarke joined the Cleveland Buckeyes in 1946 after scouts noticed him in Panama’s winter league. At 23, he was eager to prove himself in American pro baseball.

During his rookie season, Clarke went 7-7 with the Negro American League team. He showed promise, but needed some time to adjust.

Then came 1947, Clarke’s breakout year. He became the Buckeyes’ ace and helped lead them to the Negro American League pennant.

Depending on the source, he posted either an 11-2 or 13-2 record that season. Either way, he was one of the league’s top pitchers.

Performance Highlights and Statistics

Clarke dominated hitters in 1947, posting one of the highest winning percentages in the league.

Things changed in 1948. Clarke struggled, ending up with an 8-9 record as the Buckeyes missed out on another pennant.

That year, Clarke also gave up what people now call Willie Mays’ first major league home run. Mays was just a teenager, playing for the Birmingham Barons.

Clarke’s last season with the Buckeyes came in 1949. He finished with a 4-10 record and a 4.50 ERA as the team moved to Louisville.

He started to struggle with control, walking almost as many batters as he struck out.

Impact of Negro Leagues on MLB

The Negro Leagues gave Clarke the experience he needed to reach the majors. Scouts started to notice him after his strong 1947 season.

He pitched in the 1946 East-West Game, the Negro Leagues’ all-star showcase. That appearance put him on the radar of professional scouts.

In 2020, Major League Baseball decided to recognize the Negro American League as a major league. Now, Clarke’s stats and achievements count as major league records.

Transition from Negro Leagues

After his Buckeyes days, Clarke joined the Memphis Red Sox from 1950 to 1953. He had a good first season in Memphis, going 13-10 with a 2.98 ERA.

He also kept playing in Panama’s winter league during these years, which helped him stay sharp and in shape.

In 1954, Clarke signed with the Pampa Oilers in the Class-C West Texas-New Mexico League. This move into organized baseball was his shot at the majors.

He put up an 18-7 record and struck out 234 batters in 232 innings at Pampa. The Washington Senators bought his contract in December 1954.

Major League Baseball Career

Webbo Clarke’s MLB run was short but definitely memorable. He played just one season with the Washington Senators in 1955. His seven-game stint included historic moments, like breaking the franchise’s color line, showing off his pitching and hitting, and then making a quick exit from the majors.

Debut with the Washington Senators

Clarke made his big league debut on September 4, 1955, against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He came in as a reliever at age 27, though some say he might’ve been older.

His first outing was rough. Andy Carey tripled off him, then Clarke gave up an RBI single to Hank Bauer and another single to Gil McDougald. He managed to strike out Billy Martin and got Yogi Berra to fly out, but the Yankees still won 8-3.

The Senators had just called Clarke up from the Charlotte Hornets, where he posted a 16-12 record. He came up with catcher Steve Korcheck, as the struggling Washington team searched for pitching help late in the season.

Clarke’s debut was part of the Senators’ September call-ups. The team was desperate for pitching, since none of their starters had a winning record that year.

Key MLB Performances

Clarke’s biggest game came on September 10, 1955, in his first major league start at Griffith Stadium against the Kansas City Athletics. Only 2,551 fans showed up, but Clarke made it count both on the mound and at the plate.

He pitched five shutout innings. Then in the fifth, with the bases loaded and two outs, he smacked his only major league hit—a clutch triple to left that cleared the bases and gave him three RBIs, putting Washington up 4-0.

Things unraveled in the eighth. Clarke walked the first three batters and got pulled for Chuck Stobbs. The Athletics tied it 5-5, and even though Washington retook the lead, Kansas City won 8-6.

Clarke’s last MLB appearance on September 24 against Baltimore was actually his best. He pitched three perfect innings in relief, retiring all nine hitters and striking out three.

Role in Breaking the Color Line

The Washington Senators called Clarke their first Black player in 1955. His September 10 start at Griffith Stadium was his first home appearance as a barrier-breaker.

Clarke’s Panamanian roots, with family from Barbados and Jamaica, made him part of baseball’s wider integration. Born in Colon, Panama, he spent five years in the Negro Leagues before getting his shot in the majors.

He arrived during a time when baseball was still working through integration. The Senators were one of the last teams to add Black players, which made Clarke’s debut even more important for the franchise.

Clarke’s long journey through the Negro Leagues with teams like the Buckeyes and Red Sox made the moment even more meaningful.

Final MLB Season and Retirement

Clarke’s 1955 season finished with modest numbers: no decisions in seven games, a 4.64 ERA over 21⅓ innings, and a .167 batting average (1-for-6). He struck out nine, walked 14, and struggled with control.

In spring training 1956, things got tougher. The Senators sent Clarke back to Charlotte. Manager Rollie Hemsley suspended him for three days for missing practice and not hustling. Hemsley’s strict style didn’t mesh with Clarke’s personality.

Clarke’s minor league numbers dropped. He went 3-10 with Charlotte by mid-June, then moved to Louisville and finished 4-10. The next year, he posted a 7-12 record across three minor league teams.

By 1957, Clarke’s pro baseball career in the U.S. was done. He returned to Panama, kept playing winter ball, but never got another shot at the majors.

Panamanian and Winter League Achievements

Clarke dominated Panama’s winter baseball for a decade, racking up a legendary record of 48 career wins. He experienced both big wins and controversy during his time in the Caribbean leagues.

Career in Panama Winter League

Clarke played ten straight winter seasons in Panama starting in 1945. His 4-3 record in his first season caught the Cleveland Buckeyes’ eye, earning him a contract the next year.

He became a star in the winter league, pitching for teams like Super Cola and Cerveza Balboa.

By 1952, Clarke held the Panamanian Winter League career wins record with 48 victories. That made him one of the league’s most successful pitchers ever.

He finished with winning records in only four of his ten seasons, but his impact went way beyond just wins and losses.

Notable Seasons and Awards

Clarke’s best winter season came in 1950 with Super Cola, where he went 14-4 with a 2.87 ERA.

In the 1947-48 winter season, he threw a no-hitter, which really cemented his reputation as one of Panama’s top pitchers.

He kept pitching well into his 30s. In December 1964, at age 35, Clarke tossed a three-hit shutout for Cerveza Balboa, according to The Sporting News.

Season	Team	Record	Notable Achievement
1947-48	Unknown	Unknown	No-hitter
1950	Super Cola	14-4	2.87 ERA
1952	Various	Unknown	48 career wins record

Incidents and Challenges Abroad

Clarke ran into trouble during the 1952 winter season. On February 7, he attacked Carta Vieja player-manager Al Kubski after a game.

Kubski ended up hospitalized with head injuries. Authorities arrested Clarke right away, and President Raul Arango suspended him from the league.

The suspension probably kept Clarke out of Panama winter ball for the 1952-53 season. He played in the Mexican League instead during that time.

Despite the incident, Clarke eventually returned to Panama baseball. He kept playing winter ball and stayed one of the league’s most accomplished pitchers.

Playing Style, Pitching Statistics and Legacy

Webbo Clarke’s short major league stint showed a left-handed pitcher who struggled with control, but you could see flashes of resilience in his limited chances. His stats really tell the story of how tough it was to break into pro baseball as an international player in the 1950s, and you can’t ignore how his presence helped open doors for future Panamanian players in the majors.

Pitching Techniques and Arsenal

Clarke pitched left-handed, stood 6 feet tall, and weighed just 165 pounds. That compact build meant he had to lean on finesse more than pure power.

In his seven games with the Washington Senators, Clarke mostly worked out of the bullpen. He started only two times and handled relief duties in the other five.

He really battled control problems. Clarke walked 14 batters in just 21.1 innings, which works out to a rough walk rate of 5.91 per nine innings.

He didn’t rack up many strikeouts either, finishing with just 9 in his whole big league career. That left him with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.64, which was pretty low for that era.

Still, Clarke had moments where he looked sharp. In his last outing on September 24, 1955, against Baltimore, he tossed three scoreless innings, didn’t allow a hit, and struck out three.

Statistical Overview of Career

Clarke’s 1955 season stats really show how tough the majors can be. He ended up with a 4.64 ERA across 21.1 innings.

He never picked up a win or loss, which kind of sums up his limited role. Clarke got into 7 games, started 2, and finished 5.

Statistic	1955 Season
Games	7
ERA	4.64
Innings Pitched	21.1
Strikeouts	9
Walks	14
Hits Allowed	17

Clarke didn’t do much at the plate. He went 1-for-6, which works out to a .167 average. Even so, he drove in 3 runs, which isn’t bad for a pitcher with so few chances.

His fielding was solid. Clarke finished with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, making 1 putout and 4 assists in 5 chances.

Influence on International Baseball

Clarke’s time in Major League Baseball marked a big moment for Panamanian ballplayers. Born in Colon, Panama, he broke barriers as one of the first from his country to reach the majors.

He started out in the Negro Leagues before joining the Senators. That journey really shows how few chances international players of color got in the 1950s.

Clarke got his shot with the Senators late in 1955, already 27 years old. The team gave him a chance during a transitional period in baseball.

His stats might not jump off the page, but Clarke helped lay the groundwork for future Panamanian players. He showed both the obstacles and the possibilities for international talent in MLB.

Clarke’s big league career spanned just three weeks, from September 1955 to early October. That short window really highlights how tough it is to stick at the highest level.

Post-Retirement Life and Recognition

After his short MLB career wrapped up in 1955, Webbo Clarke kept pitching in Panama for nearly another decade. He mostly stayed out of the spotlight, but he still played a role in growing baseball back home before passing away in 1970.

Life After Baseball

Clarke went back to Panama after his final minor league season in 1957. He kept playing in the Panamanian Winter League into the mid-1960s.

One of his standout post-retirement moments came on December 17, 1964, when he threw a three-hit shutout for Cerveza Balboa. At 35, Clarke still had the skills that once got him to the majors.

He stayed connected to baseball in Panama’s winter leagues. Earlier, he had become a dominant force there, holding the career wins record at 48 by 1952.

Not much is known about Clarke’s personal life after baseball. Researchers haven’t found much about what he did between his last game and his death on June 14, 1970, in Cristobal, Panama.

Contributions to Baseball Communities

Clarke’s impact on Panamanian baseball went beyond just playing. His success in the Negro Leagues and the majors inspired plenty of future Panamanian players.

During his prime, he stood out in Panama’s winter leagues. In 1950, he went 14-4 with a 2.87 ERA for Super Cola, showing the kind of talent coming from Central America.

His short but memorable big league debut helped open a path for other Panamanian players. Clarke broke the Washington Senators’ color line, which marked a big step in baseball integration.

He played in several leagues and countries, and that experience helped raise the profile of Latin American players in pro baseball.

Legacy in Modern Baseball Analysis

Modern baseball researchers have started to look closer at Clarke’s career and stats. MLB’s 2020 decision to recognize the Negro American League as a major league gave new weight to Clarke’s pre-1955 career.

Fantasy baseball fans and researchers now see Clarke’s unique statistical profile as something worth studying. His brief MLB career—1-for-6 at the plate and a 4.64 ERA in 21⅓ innings—makes for a quirky case study.

Clarke’s story shows the difficulty players face when jumping between leagues. In 1954, he dominated with the Pampa Oilers, going 18-7 with 234 strikeouts, but that success didn’t fully translate to the majors.

Baseball historians keep digging into stories like Clarke’s to better understand the challenges of mid-1950s integration. His journey gives a window into what international players experienced during that era.

Representation and Broader Impact

Webbo Clarke’s role as the first Black player for the Washington Senators opened doors for Latino and Panamanian players in the majors. His journey from the Negro Leagues to MLB showed a level of perseverance that still inspires youth baseball and modern player development.

Influence on Panamanian and Latino Baseball Players

Clarke’s breakthrough with the Senators in 1955 made him a trailblazer for Central American players in the majors. He proved that players from Panama and the Caribbean could compete at the highest level.

His path from the Panama Canal Zone to Griffith Stadium showed other Latino players that the big leagues were possible. Clarke’s five years in the Negro Leagues with teams like the Cleveland Buckeyes proved that persistence and hard work could break down barriers.

He became a local hero in Panama, especially after setting the winter league wins record at 48 by 1952. That 14-4 season with Super Cola in 1950, plus a 2.87 ERA, showed just how good he was at home.

Modern Panamanian MLB stars like Mariano Rivera and Carlos Lee have followed the path Clarke helped clear. Thanks to him, scouts started to take Central American talent more seriously.

Connections to Modern Baseball Figures

Clarke’s career crossed paths with some future legends. Most memorably, he gave up Willie Mays’ first professional home run while pitching for the Cleveland Buckeyes against the Birmingham Barons in 1948.

That link to Mays, who became a Hall of Famer, ties Clarke to one of baseball’s all-time greats. At the time, both players were still finding their way in pro ball.

In the majors, Clarke faced hitters like Yogi Berra and Gil McDougald of the Yankees. His September 4, 1955 debut put him up against these future Hall of Famers, showing just how stiff the competition was.

Clarke’s stint with the Senators also connects him to the franchise that later became the Minnesota Twins. That bit of organizational history ties him to the growth of a pretty successful American League team.

Women’s and Youth Baseball Inspiration

Clarke pushed through the challenges of the Negro Leagues and made it to the majors, inspiring young players who run into roadblocks in their own baseball journeys. You can see how his mix of grit and talent helped him break through barriers that seemed impossible.

These days, youth baseball programs often bring up stories like Clarke’s to motivate kids from backgrounds that don’t always get the spotlight. Honestly, his path—from working the docks in Panama to pitching in the big leagues—kind of proves that baseball dreams really can start anywhere.

Little League baseball has grown a lot in Panama and Central America, and Clarke played a big part in that. He showed everyone that local talent could make it, and that success opened doors for more young Latino players to chase baseball as a real career.

Even though Clarke played before women’s professional leagues existed, his story still strikes a chord with female players. They’ve faced plenty of hurdles trying to get noticed and find chances in baseball too.