STAT FACT

Tim Crothers

March 31, 1997

Tony Clark led all rookies with 27 home runs last season, but finished third in Rookie of the Year vote. In the 1990s only three rookies have hit at least 27 homers, and all won the award: Mike Piazza (35) and Tim Salmon (31) in '93 and David Justice (28) in '90. Before Clark, the last rookie to hit at least 27 homers and not be feted was Matt Nokes, also of Detroit, who had 32 in '87, the same year Mark McGwire hit 49 for the A's.