As Will Clark famously screamed on live TV after the Giants won a division title in 1987, “I’ve been waiting a lo-o-o-o-ng time for this.” In baseball years, Clark was a baby at 23.
Now the former first baseman is 57, and he and his fans have been waiting a long time for something else — the retirement of his jersey number.
The Giants announced in August 2019 that they’d retire No. 22 in 2020, but the retirement party was shelved because fans weren’t permitted into games that season because of the pandemic. Three seasons after the announcement, Clark finally will be honored in a July 30 pregame ceremony, a Saturday date with the Cubs.
Clark will be the 11th Giant to have his number retired — Jackie Robinson’s 42 is retired throughout baseball. The team also honors New York Giants legends John McGraw and Christy Mathewson (who didn’t wear numbers) with plaques.
Current ownership previously had a policy that numbers wouldn’t be retired until a player reached the Hall of Fame, but that’s no longer the case. Barry Bonds’ No. 25 was retired in 2018.
After the Giants announced to fans before the Aug. 11, 2019, game they’d retire 22, Clark told the crowd, “It’s something I’ll never forget. This is my hall of fame.” His number will be displayed on the facing of the club level between Monte Irvin’s 20 and Willie Mays’ 24.
Clark played his first eight seasons as a Giant, hitting .299 with 176 home runs — his first major-league at-bat was a homer off Nolan Ryan — and 249 doubles. In 1989, the year the Giants won the pennant, he finished second in the MVP voting to teammate Kevin Mitchell and runner-up to San Diego’s Tony Gwynn in the batting race.
That year, Clark was named MVP of the National League Championship Series after going 13-for-20 against the Cubs including a grand slam off Greg Maddux in Game 1 and the decisive hit off Mitch Williams in the Game 5 clincher, a sizzling liner up the middle, one of the most memorable moments in Candlestick Park history.
The Giants chose not to re-sign Clark after the 1993 season, and he had seven more productive years with the Rangers, Orioles and Cardinals. He hit .319 in his final season and finished his career a .303 hitter.
The Giants said Wednesday — 2-2-22 — they’re selling a 22-game ticket package and calling it the Thrill 22 Plan. Among the games: the home opener, the finale, bobblehead days, the day the Willie Mac Award will be presented and, of course, July 30, the day Clark will be honored.
Single-game tickets will go on sale Feb. 18.
John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey