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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Steroid Allegations Have Sluggers at War

ST. LOUIS (CN) - Former Major League slugger Jack Clark hired an attorney after former Cardinals icon Albert Pujols threatened to sue him because Clark accused Pujols of taking steroids.

Clark has hired prominent St. Louis-area attorney Chet Pleban, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Clark said at least twice this month on his sports talk radio show on WGNU that Pujols' former trainer, Chris Mihlfeld, told him about Pujols using steroids while Clark and Mihlfeld were part of the Dodger organization in the early 2000's.

Mihlfeld has denied Clark's allegations.

"I stand by my previous remarks regarding Pujols and will rigorously defend any lawsuit that he chooses to file," Clark told the Post-Dispatch. "Litigation is an intense fact-finding process and I welcome the opportunity for a jury of 12 unbiased people to judge the credibility of my comments."

Clark and co-host Kevin Slaten were fired Saturday, hours after Pujols released a statement of his own about Clark's allegations.

"I know people are tired of athletes saying they are innocent, asking for the public to believe in them, only to have their sins exposed later down the road," Pujols said in the statement. "But I am not one of those athletes, and I will not stand to have my name and my family's name, dragged through the mud. I am currently in the process of taking legal action against Jack Clark and his employers at WGNU."

Pujols added: "I am going to send a message that you cannot act in a reckless manner, like they have, and get away with it. If I have to be the athlete to carry the torch and pave the way for other innocent players to see that you can do something about it, I am proud to be that person."

Slaten told the Post-Dispatch that he plans to sue the station, insideSTL Enterprises and insideSTL president Tim McKernan, because he claims he did nothing wrong. InsideSTL bought the airtime from WGNU when Clark and Slaten appeared.

InsideSTL issued a statement claiming that Clark was an independent contractor and that "any opinions, views or statements made by him strictly reflect his own personal views and do not reflect the views of insideSTL. InsideSTL Enterprises, LLC and any related companies have never asserted and do not assert that Albert Pujols has ever used steroids or any other type of performing enhancing drug."

Clark, known as Jack the Ripper, played from 1975-1992 for the Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, Padres and Red Sox. He helped lead the Cardinals to two World Series appearances in 1985 and 1987. His dramatic three-run home run off of Tom Niedenfuer in the top of the ninth clinched the 1985 National Championship Series for the Cardinals.

Clark was part of one of the most controversial plays in Cardinals history a few weeks later in game 6 of the 1985 Word Series against the Royals. With the Cardinals clinging to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Clark fielded a grounder off the bat of Jorge Orta and flipped the ball to Todd Worrell. Television replays clearly showed Worrell beating Orta to the bag, but umpire Don Denkinger called him safe. The gift sparked a Royals rally that allowed them to win the game and eventually game seven.

Pujols, who now plays for the Angels was a Cardinal from 2001 to 2011. He led the Cardinals to World Series championships in 2006 and 2011.

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