Cape’s first man to pitch professionally from crutches redefines possible

Dave Clark knows what it’s like to be different, he’s battled Polio since childhood.

But his life changed at the age of eight when one gym teacher demanded he leave the sidelines and get in the game.

“He told me something then and there and that stuck with me to this day, and that’s
‘Dave you may not be able to accomplish everything we’re gonna do in this class this year, but you’re never gonna know until you try it, and you will try,'” Clark said.

As a kid, he had crutches and braces to deal with, but with the encouragement of adults in his life, he was still able to get into sports.

“If I asked ‘what do you think I did for a living?’ Not one would say ‘I bet you played professional baseball.'”

Clark proceeded to not only try out for the baseball team, but he rose up to become the first professional player to pitch while using crutches.

“That changes their perception of me and my perception of myself,” he said.

Now he is sharing his experience on and off the field, encouraging children and parents.

“For me as a parent of a child with a disability, how Dave has affected me and my family, now we get to share that perspective with these families,” said Doug Cornfield, a parent of child using the D3 program.

Clark is the inspiration behind the D-3, the Disability, Dream and Do Program, creating memorable moments for everyone involved and showing them what is possible.

“Don’t hold the kids back, if they have a passion let them see how far they can take it,” Cornfield said.

For more about the Disability Dream & Do program, you can visit their website.