Cooperstown’s Steadiest Hand Isn’t a Hall of Famer’s; New York Times, 7/24/15

Richard Sandomir, New York Times; Cooperstown’s Steadiest Hand Isn’t a Hall of Famer’s:

"Understanding what visitors to the Hall want is critical to her, since as chairwoman she helps ensure the long-term vitality of the museum. Sometimes, she does that research personally.

“I like to stand behind a group and listen to what they say and see how they see the artifacts and see how they tie them together,” she said. “Usually it’s a father and son with a grandfather. I like to hear their perspectives.”

Board members said that Clark was a straightforward executive who sought consensus before decisions were made.

“She has an uncanny ability to measure things, of saying, ‘If we do this, this might happen,’ ” said Harvey Schiller, a longtime sports executive. He added that Clark does not overreact when board members, like Frank Robinson and Joe Morgan, argue.

Bill Gladstone, another board member, said, “She raises issues that need to be raised and listens to people’s opinions, which is what you want to see in a chairman.”

Her tenure as chairwoman, which began in 2000 after eight years as a board member, is identified with changes in the makeup of the veterans’ committees; the reduction of players’ eligibility for induction to 10 years from 15; building an endowment for the museum, which usually reports annual deficits; and the introduction of a successful commemorative coin program with the United States Mint in 2014 that brought $7.9 million in working capital to the Hall’s bottom line."