2004 -- S 3067 ======LC03202 ======STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2004 ______

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF LEGENDARY FRIARS ANNOUNCER CHRIS CLARK

Introduced By: Senator John C. Revens

Date Introduced: April 28, 2004

Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

1 WHEREAS, For Providence fans and alumni old enough to

2 remember, Chris Clark was the voice of their beloved Friars and as important to the institution as

3 coach Mullaney or Ernie DiGregorio. From the late fifties to the early eighties, Chris Clark was

4 the sportscaster for Providence College Basketball, and brought class and dignity to his

5 profession; and

6 WHEREAS, Chris Clark was born in New York City and served his country with honor

7 and distinction in World War II in the South Pacific with the United States Navy. In 1949, Chris

8 moved to Newport, Rhode Island where he lived until 1968 when he moved to North Providence;

9 and

10 WHEREAS, Early in Chris's career, he worked for local radio stations in Newport and

11 New Bedford before he got his big break with WPRO in 1956. Soon thereafter, Chris began

12 announcing Providence College Basketball games on radio and television and became a beloved

13 figure in Rhode Island. Chris was the Providence College Basketball announcer during the

14 halcyon era of the sixties and seventies when Providence College Basketball won the NIT in 1961

15 and 1963, went to the Final Four in 1973, and was the dominant program in New England led by

16 coaches Joe Mullaney and , and star players like Lenny Wilkens, Jimmy Walker,

17 Ernie DiGregorio, , Kevin Stacom and Joe Hassett; and

18 WHEREAS, Chris Clark did more than just announce Providence College Basketball

19 games. He announced URI, Brown and Harvard Football games, Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball 1 games and the America's Cup Races. Chris was highly respected by his peers and was named

2 Sportscaster of the Year in Rhode Island for 17 years by the National Sportscasters and

3 Sportswriters Association. In addition, Chris is an inductee of the New England Basketball Hall

4 of Fame, the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame, and the North Providence Sports Hall of Fame;

5 and

6 WHEREAS, Chris was the beloved husband of Leonore Clark and leaves five children,

7 Jeffrey L. Clark, Donald K. Clark, North Providence Fire Battalion Chief, John R. Clark, also of

8 North Providence, Robert A. Clark and Catherine E. Neville, and eight grandchildren. Chris was

9 the father of the late Christian B. Clark, Jr.; now, therefore be it

10 RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

11 hereby expresses its deepest sympathies to the Clark family on the passing of Chris Clark, and

12 thanks him for all the fond memories he gave to Rhode Islanders as the sports announcer for

13 Providence College Friars Basketball; and be it further

14 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

15 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Leonore Clark.

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