SANTA CLARA – Dwight Clark stands so tall among Bay Area sporting greats that it took more than a hundred authors to capture his legacy.
“Letters to 87” (Cameron Books) is scheduled for release on Wednesday -- appropriately, 8/7 -- with a book launch party at Pete’s Tavern in San Francisco (across from Oracle Park) from 4 to 8 p.m. The event is open to the public and books will be sold.
Many of Clark’s former teammates are scheduled to attend, including Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Dwight Hicks, Keena Turner, Mike Wilson, Mike Shumann, Dwaine Board, and Steve Bono. Brian Murphy of KNBR will act as emcee for the event.
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Clark is best known for “The Catch,” a leaping 6-yard touchdown grab of a Joe Montana pass that led the 49ers past the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game in January 1982 and into the organization’s first Super Bowl.
The book includes excerpts of letters from 118 fans. It captures the unique bond Clark had with the 49ers’ fan base. Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., Montana, Ronnie Lott and Kelly Clark, Dwight’s wife, also wrote essays for the book.
Clark passed away on June 4, 2018, from ALS. Two weeks earlier, a group of friends, including Lott and Turner, gathered around his bed at his home in Whitefish, Montana, to read him the letters from his fans.
The book is inspired by the NBC Sports Bay Area documentary, “Letters to 87,” produced and directed by Sean Maddison, which debuted last year. The documentary will re-air Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Bay Area.
San Francisco 49ers
One hundred percent of all royalties from the book will go toward Clark’s charity of choice, the Golden Heart Fund, which provides assistance to former 49ers in times of physical, emotional and financial need.
For a complete list of upcoming book events, go to LettersTo87.com. The page will be updated as new events are scheduled through the fall and winter.