Matador Hall of Fame Spotlight: Craig Clayton

In the three decades since he last toed the rubber for CSUN, Craig Clayton (1989-91) remembers like it was yesterday and the phone call that started it all.

"I was 12 hours away from going to Cypress College before receiving a phone call from Bill Kernen," said Clayton.

Kernen was heading into his first year as the Matadors' head coach when he reached out to Clayton at the 11th hour. After their phone call, Clayton took a tour of CSUN the next day and the rest would be history.

Clayton would go on to complete one of the most successful CSUN Baseball careers in school history, which included two all-american seasons.

Today, Clayton is still in athletics with the national company BSN Sports where he sells apparel and equipment to athletic programs. He's been in sales for the better part of two decades.

"Quite frankly, it's the closest thing to playing a sport," said Clayton. "When you get an account, you take it away from your competition."

Clayton is no stranger to competition. One of the most decorated two-way players, Clayton won 27 career games, racked up 22 complete games and struck out 253 batters. He also hit plenty – batting .361 with 276 hits and 150 RBI.

Clayton, who prepped at Loara High School in Anaheim, was a member of the Matadors' last two Division II teams and their first Division I team.

"Not to be arrogant because CSUN was high-ranked when they had [Adam] Kennedy and [Robert] Fick, but we felt we were the team that put CSUN Baseball on the map."

In many respects, he is a part of the game that feels like a lifetime ago.

"[Scott] Sharts, [Kenny] Kendrena and myself had 40 complete games my junior year," said Clayton. "I would be shocked to find a college program now with five complete games."

One of the top teams at the Division II level, the Matadors competed against Division I opponents often and picked up wins along the way.

"We never looked at us being a Division II team," said Clayton. "We were just a team that could play with anybody in the country. Maybe it was a mindset that Kernen brought to us when I came in as a freshman."

Clayton remembers the 1989 opening day roster consisting of six underclassmen including five freshmen. That group would eventually become one of the most accomplished teams in CSUN history. Many of Clayton's teammates are regulars in the Matador record book including all-time home run leader Scott Sharts (51) and strikeout leader Kenny Kendrena (304).

Leading the group was Kernen who Clayton describes as the "most unique coach he's ever played for."

"From a teaching the game standpoint, it was less important than teaching you how to be strong mentally," said Clayton. "He would often tell us practices are hard and games are easy."

Sharpening their mental toughness day in and day out, CSUN became a Division II power and finished as NCAA runner-ups in 1990. One of the most historic wins that season was a victory over the top-ranked Division I team, USC.

"[Sharts] hits a two-run home run to put us ahead, we shut them down and beat them 4-3," recalls Clayton. "It was just USC and we were just going to play another team."

As the Matadors transitioned into a Division I program in 1991, Clayton blossomed into one of the top college players in the country. Posting a 14-5 record with a 2.25 ERA and 166 strikeouts, Clayton also batted .364.

Some of the stories that season are the stuff of CSUN legend.

"We swept Cal State Fullerton and we went into Arizona and beat them that season," said Clayton. "One of the things that Kernen tried to do was schedule the entire Big West. I don't know what our record was, but I bet you we would have finished in the top two in the Big West at the time."

Clayton's not far off. The Matadors played seven Big West teams that season and went 12-6. Had the Matadors played in the league, they would have finished in third behind co-champions Fresno State and Fullerton.

That season, Clayton would outduel eventual NCAA Player of the Year Bobby Jones of Fresno State, handing the right-hander his only regular season loss. Clayton tossed a four-hitter in that game.

The Matadors finished with 44 wins and were selected as an at-large team for the postseason where they posted a historic run through the NCAA West II Regional. After an early loss to Fresno State, they beat top-seeded Miami, Portland and Fresno State.

"After the first Fresno State game, Kernen told me afterward, 'be ready, you're going to pitch against them again' and sure enough I did," said Clayton.

Tasked to pitch on two days rest, Clayton shut down Fresno State in a 6-2 win to set the stage for a winner-take-all-game with the Bulldogs. The run though would end in that game as CSUN let a lead slip away in the bottom of the ninth and fell 4-3.

Reflecting on that era of baseball, Clayton feels he gained something more meaningful than any victory.

"What's unique about that team, to this day, the core of that team still gets together," said Clayton. "I talk to Kyle Washington, Kenny Kendrena, Denny Vigo, Mike Sims – Sims introduced me to my wife. We created a bond that we still get together and laugh."

In 1991, Clayton was drafted in the sixth round of the MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners as a third baseman. Clayton spent five seasons with Seattle and most of that time as a hitter. A career .290 hitter in the pros, Clayton would finally get his opportunity years later to pitch again.

"I was in double-A hitting and doing fairly well," remembers Clayton. "One of our pitchers had a rough outing and I got on the mound. They liked what they saw and they sent me into instructional leagues to convert me into a pitcher. It happened to be my protection year and they put me on a major league roster."

Placed on the Mariners' 1994 spring training roster, Clayton would enjoy a thrill of a lifetime.

"One of my highlights, quite frankly in my life, was when I pitched against the Angels," said Clayton. "Growing up we had season tickets to the Angels. My grandmother was sitting at home and she got to hear me pitch two innings against them."

Clayton spent two more seasons in the San Diego Padres organization before calling it a career. If he could, he would do it all over again.

Craig Clayton Seattle pitching — Clayton played seven seasons in
professional baseball

"Don't get me wrong, the bus rides are long, in the Southern League we would get on the bus at midnight and drive for 15 or 17 hours to the next town," said Clayton. "The reality was I'm in my early 20's traveling the country playing baseball and they're actually paying me to play."

Following his playing days, Clayton fulfilled a promise to his grandparents and mother by returning to school where he earned his degree in kinesiology. Shortly thereafter, he began what would be his new professional career.

"I was lucky. My good friend's dad played minor league baseball with the Astros and he connected me into an athletic company," said Clayton. "He gave me a job and I would work around my school schedule."

Clayton went on the road after his graduation and begun selling athletic equipment. One of his first clients brought Clayton full circle.

"It was with CSUN Football," said Clayton. "I worked with [head coach] Jeff Kearin. Howard Garcia, who was my bus driver when I was at CSUN, and Mark Adamiak helped me get connected. I sold uniforms and football equipment to the school and that's how I got started."

Clayton's work helps him stay connected to the sports world. A veteran in sales, he admits a lot has changed when it comes to the business.

"When I started there was no email, I had to check my answering machine for messages," said Clayton. "We used to approve artwork through fax. Now I'm in a national company and we do everything through email and we complete orders online."

Currently living in Santa Clarita, Clayton looks back at his accomplishments with pride but admits it was a team effort.

"The reality is I had some success at an individual level but none of that would have happened if all my teammates weren't pulling in the same direction," said Clayton. "If Mike Sims is not putting down the right signs or catching the ball, it doesn't matter. If the guys ahead of me don't get on base, the individual stuff doesn't happen."

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Seattle Mariners photo courtesy of the club's communications department.

Matador Hall of Fame Spotlight: Craig Clayton

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