Richard Keith "Stubby" Clapp (born February 24, 1973) is a Canadian professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

coach and former

second baseman In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...

and Triple-A

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

who is the

first base coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...

for the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB). He played for 11 years, most notably within the Cardinals organization, including a brief stint in MLB with the Cardinals. In his native Canada, he is best remembered for his performance at the

1999 Pan American Games The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games () or the 13th Pan American Games and commonly known as Winnipeg 1999, were a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23 to August 8, 1999, in Winnipeg, Ma ...

in Winnipeg, where he hit a bases-loaded single in the 11th inning to beat a more experienced

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

team and put

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

in the semifinals. Canada eventually won the bronze medal.

Early life

In his youth, Stubby Clapp could be considered a two-sport athlete, having distinguished himself through the Windsor minor hockey system. After playing Bantam hockey in Windsor, Clapp played an important role for the Windsor Bulldogs (now the LaSalle Vipers), a

junior hockey Junior ice hockey is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 20 year-old players. National Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship. The United States men's national junior ice hockey team are the defending champions from t ...

team, from 1990 to 1992. In 1991, the Bulldogs clinched first place during the regular season and Clapp scored five goals during the playoffs. For the 1991–1992 season, he was named captain of the team.

Baseball career

Clapp graduated from

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

, where he played for the Red Raiders baseball team. He still holds (or shares) the Red Raiders' records for triples in a season (eight), runs in game (five, three times), strikeouts in a game (four) and walks in a season (66), both set during the 1996 season. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 36th round (1,058th overall) of 1996 amateur entry draft. In 1998, when playing for the Double-A

Arkansas Travelers The Arkansas Travelers, known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Travelers are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and play in the Texas League. Hi ...

, he led the league with 86 walks and 139 games played. He remains popular among Travelers fans to this day. He also played for the Edmonton Cracker Cats. Clapp was also popular in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...

, and other cities where he played. In 1999, Clapp was part of the Canadian team at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg. A popular player with his teammates, Clapp became a minor celebrity in Canada after his game-winning, bases-loaded single against the U.S. team. From –, he played for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. In 2000, he led the team with 138 hits, 89 runs, 80 walks, eight triples, and six sacrifice hits. He is second all-time for the Redbirds for games played (425) and hits (418).Murtaugh, Fran
Memphis Athletes of the Decade: #5 — Stubby Clapp
Memphis Flyer, August 17, 2009 (accessed June 13, 2010) He was noted for doing a backflip every time he went onto the field. In , Clapp played 23 games for the St. Louis Cardinals, during which he had five

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...

in 25

at-bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, b ...

s, including two doubles and one RBI. Clapp became a popular figure in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, during his four-year stint with the Redbirds. He was often referred to as the "Mayor of Memphis". During the 2002 season, the Clapp was featured on a growth chart for kids sponsored by a Memphis-area medical group. In 911 minor-league games, Clapp had a .270

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

, 48

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

s, 50 triples, 196 doubles, 365 RBI, and 83 steals. Clapp also pitched in three games, pitching a total of innings, giving up two hits and no earned runs. He was part of Team Canada in the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

who finished in fourth place. He also played for Canada in the

2006 World Baseball Classic The 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from Major League Baseball. It was held from March 3 to 20 in stadiums in or around Tokyo, Japan, and the American cities o ...

. In three games, Clapp hit .154, with a triple and an RBI. In 2006, Clapp played for Canada in the inaugural

World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC), also referred to as the Classic, is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the sport's global governing body, and organized in World Baseball Clas ...

. He was one of two second basemen on the roster and drove in a run. In 2009, he was named one of the Memphis "Athletes of the Decade". In 2010, the club had "Ode to Clapping Night", which included giving away Clapp

bobblehead A bobblehead, also known by nicknames such as nodder, wobbler, or wacky wobbler, is a type of small collectible figurine. Its head is often oversized compared to its body. Instead of a solid connection, its head is connected to the body by a ...

Post-playing career

On April 21, 2007, Clapp's jersey #10 became the first number retired by the Memphis Redbirds, who painted "10" on the wall above their bullpen at

AutoZone Park AutoZone Park is a Minor League Baseball stadium located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, and is home to the Memphis Redbirds of the International League, the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's (MLB) St. Louis Card ...

. Clapp began his coaching career as a hitting coach for the

Lexington Legends The Lexington Legends are an American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Legends have ...

, the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

"A" ball team in the

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its h ...

. He came out of retirement to represent Canada at the

2008 Beijing Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

, and was named to the roster for the

2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an International Baseball Federation, international baseball competition. It began on March 5 and finished March 23. Unlike in 2006 World Baseball Classic, 2006, when the Round-robin tournament, round- ...

. In November 2010, Clapp became the hitting coach for the

Corpus Christi Hooks The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned b ...

, Houston's Double-A affiliate. Clapp managed the

Tri-City ValleyCats The Tri-City ValleyCats are a professional baseball team based in Albany, New York. The ValleyCats compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the North Division in the Atlantic Conference. The team was established in 2002, along with the ...

, a

Single-A Single-A, formerly known as Class A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A, Double-A (baseball), Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams cl ...

affiliate of the

, during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In January 2013, Clapp was hired as the hitting coach for the

Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...

, Toronto's Advanced-A affiliate. On December 19, 2014, the

New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League, is the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Ja ...

announced that he would be their new hitting coach. Clapp was third base coach for the gold medal-winning

Canada national baseball team The Canada national baseball team represents Canada in international baseball. They are overseen by Baseball Canada, the governing body of baseball in Canada. Canada was an inaugural member of the World Baseball Classic, making its debut in th ...

at the

2015 Pan American Games The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...

in July 2015. On November 30, 2016, the Cardinals named Clapp manager of the Memphis Redbirds. During the 2017 season, Memphis celebrated Clapp's backflipping antics by hosting a bobblehead night featuring Clapp performing his signature move in bobblehead form. On the field, Clapp led the Redbirds to win the 2017 American Conference Southern Division title and was selected as the 2017 PCL Manager of the Year. The Redbirds became the 2017 PCL champions after defeating the

El Paso Chihuahuas The El Paso Chihuahuas are a Minor League Baseball team based in El Paso, Texas. The Chihuahuas compete in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) as the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Sou ...

in five games in the league championship final. ''

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...

'' named Clapp their Minor League Manager of the Year for 2017, becoming the first Cardinals minor league manager to win the award. In 2018, Clapp again managed Memphis to the PCL title, defeating the

Fresno Grizzlies The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in ...

in 4 games. The Redbirds went on to defeat the International League champion

Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...

in the AAA Championship Game. Clapp was also named the 2018 PCL Manager of the Year, making him just the third manager in PCL history to win the award in consecutive seasons. On October 29, 2018, the

announced Clapp will be their first base coach for the 2019 season. There is a Stubby Clapp bobblehead on display at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, depicting him in a Memphis Redbirds uniform (the Triple A affiliate of the Cardinals).

Personal life

Clapp is "Stubby the Third", a nickname passed on from his father (Keith Ezra "Stubby II" Clapp) and grandfather (David Ezra Oscar "Stubby" Clapp). He is married to Chastity, and they have three children.

References

External links

Richard Clapp on Real Champions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clapp, Stubby 1973 births Living people Arkansas Travelers players Baseball players from Windsor, Ontario Baseball players at the 1999 Pan American Games Baseball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Canadian baseball coaches Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States Edmonton Cracker-Cats players Johnson City Cardinals players Major League Baseball first base coaches Major League Baseball players from Canada Major League Baseball second basemen Memphis Redbirds players Memphis Redbirds managers New Hampshire Fisher Cats players Olympic baseball players for Canada Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada Pan American Games bronze medalists in baseball Paris Dragons baseball players Prince William Cannons players Richmond Braves players St. Louis Cardinals coaches St. Louis Cardinals players Syracuse SkyChiefs players Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball players World Baseball Classic players of Canada 1994 Baseball World Cup players 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2009 World Baseball Classic players Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games