Bisons notebook
Graham, Clark tabbed for Buffalo Baseball HOF
By Mike Harrington
NEWS SPORTS REPORTER
Updated: 05/11/08 6:46 AM
ROCHESTER — Former manager Brian Graham — the franchise’s modern era leader in wins — and slugging outfielder Dave Clark will be this year’s inductees into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame, the Bisons have announced.
Graham and Clark will be inducted Aug. 3 prior to the game against Syracuse on Buffalo Baseball Heritage Day. As part of the International League’s 125th anniversary celebration, Bisons legend Luke Easter will also be inducted posthumously into the IL Hall of Fame.
Graham posted a 253-179 record as the leader of the Herd from 1995-97, Buffalo’s first three seasons with the Cleveland Indians. The Bisons made the playoffs all three years, falling one win shy of an American Association championship in ’95 and then winning the title in ’97 for the franchise’s first postseason crown in 36 years.
Clark was an offensive standout for the Herd in 1987 and ’92. He is the franchise’s modern era leader in batting average (.327) and slugging percentage (.594).
Graham, Clark and members of the Easter family are scheduled to attend the ceremonies. Graham, the former director of player development for the Pirates, is currently a special assignment scout for the Baltimore Orioles. Clark is the manager of Triple-A Round Rock in the Houston chain.
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Outfielder Bronson Sardinha made his Bisons debut as a defensive replacement Friday and started in right field Saturday. He became the eighth former first-round pick on the Buffalo roster.
Four are Cleveland choices (Brad Snyder, Adam Miller and Michael Aubrey in 2003 and Jeremy Sowers in ’04). The others are Jason Tyner (Mets, 1998), Matt Ginter (White Sox, ’99), Aaron Herr (Atlanta, 2000) and Sardinha (Yankees, ’01).
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The series continues today (1:35 p. m., Radio 1520 AM) with Ginter (0-4) pitching for Buffalo against Philip Humber (1-3), a former top Mets prospect acquired by Minnesota in the Johan Santana trade.
Former Bisons closer Danny Graves, a former All-Star who had 182 saves for the Cincinnati Reds, was promoted from Double- A New Britain to Rochester and will start for the Red Wings against the Herd on Monday night. He’s expected to go only about three innings.
