Before Will Clark became one of the most beloved players in San Francisco Giants history, another Clark was making life miserable for National League pitchers.

Jack Clark.

Nicknamed "Jack the Ripper," the hard-hitting outfielder spent nearly a decade with the Giants, establishing himself as one of baseball's premier power hitters during a period when the franchise experienced more frustration than success.

Clark never led the Giants to a division championship. He never played in a postseason game wearing a Giants uniform.

But for much of his time at Candlestick Park, Clark was the player opposing pitchers feared most and his contributions deserve another look.

Jack Clark with the Giants

Clark's professional journey began when the Giants selected him in the 13th round of the 1973 MLB Draft out of Gladstone High School in Covina, Calif.

He made his major league debut on Sept. 12, 1975, at just 19 years old.

By 1977, Clark had established himself as a regular in the Giants' outfield, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 51 runs.

But his breakthrough came the following season.

In 1978, Clark batted .306 with 25 home runs, 98 RBIs and a career-high 46 doubles, earning his first National League All-Star selection.

The Giants won 89 games that season, finishing third in the National League West after briefly challenging for the division lead.

Clark had become an integral part of the Giants' future.

His powerful right handed swing made him a dangerous presence in the middle of the lineup, while his ability to drive the ball into the gaps gave the Giants an offensive weapon capable of changing a game with one swing.

But the organization struggled to build a consistent winner around him.

The Giants finished below .500 in four of the next five seasons, with the strike-shortened 1981 campaign providing little relief.

Clark, meanwhile, continued producing.

He hit 26 home runs in 1979, followed by 22 in 1980.

His finest all-around season with the Giants arrived in 1982.

Clark batted .274 with 27 home runs, 103 RBIs and 90 runs scored. He also drew 90 walks, showing the patience that would become a staple of his career.

Clark became the franchise's first player since Bobby Bonds in 1971 to drive in at least 100 runs in a season.

He led the Giants in home runs, RBIs and runs scored for the third consecutive year and finished seventh in the National League MVP voting.

For Clark, it was another outstanding individual performance that ended without a postseason appearance.

And unfortunately, his time in San Francisco was coming to an unexpected conclusion.

In 1984, Clark was enjoying one of strongest starts of his career.

Through 57 games, he was batting .320 with 11 home runs, 44 RBIs and a .971 OPS.

But a knee injury Clark had been trying to play through brought his season to an immediate halt on June 22.

He never played another game for the Giants.

On February 1, 1985, the Giants traded Clark to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for David Green, Dave LaPoint, Gary Rajsich and Jose Uribe.

The trade ended an era.

Clark had spent parts of 10 seasons with the Giants, becoming one of the team's most recongizable players.

Now, he was headed to a team with championship aspirations.

The move immediately paid dividends for the Cardinals.

Clark hit 22 home runs and drove in 87 runs in 1985, helping the Cardinals win the National League pennant.

Two years later, he enjoyed arguably the best season of his career.

In 1987, Clark hit 35 home runs, drove in 106 runs and led the National League with 136 walks, finishing third in MVP voting.

He helped the Cardinals reach their second World Series in three years, although an ankle injury kept him out of most of the postseason.

Ironically, the Cardinals defeated the Giantds in the 1987 National League Championship Series.

Clark would finish his career with 340 home runs, 1,180 RBIs and a .379 on-base percentage.

He was also slected to four All-Star Games and won two Silver Slugger Awards.

Less than a year after Clark was traded, another young player with the same last name arrived.

Will Clark made his major-league debut in April 1986 and eventually helped lead the Giants to the World Series in 1989.

He became a franchise icon in his own right.

Although Jack Clark never experienced postseason glory with the Giants, his place in the franchise's history deserves to be remembered.