San Francisco 49ers: Dwight Clark to be honored in upcoming book

With the passing of San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark in 2018, he is set to be honored in an upcoming book with tributes from fans, friends and former teammates.

San Francisco 49ers legendary wide receiver Dwight Clark unfortunately lost his battle with ALS in June of 2018. With his passing, Clark has left behind a lasting legacy that will live on through the minds of 49ers faithful across the world.

Clark received numerous tributes from the 49ers throughout the 2018 season, including all players wearing an “87” decal on their helmets, along with the field bunting at Levi’s Stadium. The playing field also featured an “87” marking in the north end zone commemorating the location of “The Catch.”

On Oct. 21, during the 49ers alumni game against the Los Angeles Rams, a 350-pound statue of Clark and quarterback Joe Montana depicting “The Catch” was also unveiled outside Levi’s Stadium.

And Clark is set to be honored again, with an upcoming book due to be released by NBC’s 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco. Following on from the documentary Letters to 87: 49ers Fans’ Tribute To Dwight Clark, the upcoming book is titled Letters to 87: Fans Remember the Legacy of Dwight Clark and is scheduled to be released this coming August.

Put together by Clark’s close friend, Maiocco, the book will include selected letters from fans detailing their memories of “The Catch” as well as stories from Clark’s friends and former teammates.

Clark and Maiocco came up with the idea of putting a book together while talking on Maiocco’s podcast, The 49ers Insider Podcast, back In February 2018. You can listen to the two-part podcast here.

Following Clark’s death, Maiocco said that, for some time, Clark had been wishing that there was a way for him to get the word out to fans to send him letters describing how “The Catch” impacted their lives.

Available for pre-order now, Amazon has released the synopsis of the book:

"Football fans will always remember “The Catch” as the moment a dynasty was born. When Dwight Clark received the touchdown pass that sent the 49ers to their first Super Bowl in 1982, an indelible moment was etched into the history of the NFL. Later, as Clark battled ALS, he and sportswriter Matt Maiocco put out a call to friends and fans, asking them to share their memories of this moment. The letters that Clark and Maiocco received tell the story of how the man who wore number 87 brought together a city and a franchise."

All proceeds from book sales will go to the Golden Heart Fund – a charity put together to help support Niners alumni.

Priced at $19.95, do yourself a favor and grab a copy, I’ve pre-ordered mine!