Luciean L. Clinton

The Ponca City News

12/8/1997

WICHITA, Kan. - Luciean L. Clinton, former Ponca City area resident and well-known baseball athlete, died Saturday, Dec. 6, 1997, at Via Christi at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kan. He was 60.

The funeral is set for Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wichita, with the Rev. Jeffrey Crane officiating. Burial will be in the Lakeview Cemetery in Wichita. Friends and relatives may visit at the funeral home until 8 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday.

Luciean L. "Lou" Clinton was born Oct. 13, 1937, in three Sands, the son of Earl and Lucy (Mariett) Clinton. He grew up in the Ponca City area, and was an outstanding athlete at an early age in the midget league, Cub Scouts and Conoco leagues. In his senior year he hit .457 for Coach Earl Sullins' Wildcats in 1955, leading the Cats to a regional championship. After graduation in 1955, he attended Northern Oklahoma College. At age 18, he signed with the Boston Red Sox as a rookie farm club member and played on the Minneapolis Millers Little World team, Albany Senators and the Seattle Rainiers.

He was married to Eleanor Thompson in October 1958 in Stillwater and the couple established their permanent home in Ponca City. During his off seasons with baseball he worked for Parkinson Motors and Jack Bowker Ford and Cookson Stone Co. During his early baseball career, he was selected by the Pacific Coast League as "Sportsman of the Year," and most valuable player several times before winning a position on the big league Boston Red Sox Team as rightfielder. His 9-year career as a top hitter, led the Sox to several championships. He later played with the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Angels. After his baseball career he moved to Wichita, Kan., where he was owner and operator of Clinton Productions Corp.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanor Clinton of 330 North Armour, Wichita, KS 67206; two sons, Chris of Wichita, Kan., and Kevin of Kirkland, Wash.; three brothers, Earl of San Manuel, Ariz., Loren of Ponca City and Jim of Wichita, Kan.; three sisters, Lorene Miller of Phoenix, Ariz., Liz Starrett of San Manuel, Ariz. and Josephine Ball of Catclaw, Ariz., and five grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Clinton's name to the Holy Cross Lutheran Church Opportunity Center, 12100 East 13th Street, Wichita, KS 67206.