BOYS’ PLAYER : Clark Leaves Gold Record of Success

You think Dick Clark has an impressive record collection?

Try Tony Clark’s.

The 6-foot-7, two-time section scoring champion from Christian High set county marks this year for points in a game (64), season (1,339) and career (2,549). His 43.1 average was the second highest ever in California, and it helped Christian advance to the Division V state championship game.

To put those numbers in a different perspective, there were only six other players in the county this year who averaged more than Clark’s lowest output (22 points in a Division V section championship victory over Calipatria).

For his considerable efforts, Clark was selected The Times’ boys’ player of the year.

“It feels good. Any time you put 100% out on the floor each game and get rewarded at the end of the season, it’s nice,” he said.

Clark was to have been honored at a breakfast here Sunday morning, but he was mysteriously absent.

Reached by telephone, Clark apologized and explained that he tried to make the event after attending mass early in the morning, but that he had to help his father Art Clark out of a bind. It seems a referee failed to show for an AAU game, in which Art coaches one of the teams, and Tony filled in.

Is this guy for real?

Yes, claims everyone who knows him. He is a genuine, nice kid, Christian Coach Randy Wright said.

Clark excels elsewhere, too. His grade-point-average is 3.39, and he is attempting to defend his section home run title in baseball. He had 11 in the 1989 season and has five already this year, including three in a 3-2 victory over Marian last week.

Clark has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Arizona, but he said he also wants to play baseball--either for Arizona or for a professional team in the summer months.