Although his spirit and legacy never left the city, Earl "Dutch" Clark is experiencing a much-deserved revival.

In April, Pueblo City Schools (D60) announced that its first foray into online education would be named in honor of the esteemed Central High School and National Football League great.

Come fall, Dutch Clark Digital Online Learning, under the direction of Administrator and Principal Rich Mestas, is expected to educate as many 100 students.

At the stadium that bears Clark's name, a large art-deco style mural of the NFL Hall of Famer will now greet visitors, thanks to the work of muralist Daniel Levinson, who teaches art at Clark's alma mater.

Levinson recently spent a weekend adding the visually exciting piece to the media/announcer's booth on the stadium's north side.

"From beginning to end, I put about 20 hours into the project" he said. "Working from a photo of Dutch, I was able to scale up the size of the image with a projector. We positioned his face so as to be looking out over the field. As well, it was important to increase visibility of his portrait so that people could see it from Abriendo Avenue.



"I feel honored to have been chosen to paint a mural of Dutch Clark. Murals have a power to inspire people. If people connect to Dutch through a painting, think about him and what he stood for, then my job is complete. As a Central High School grad, he embodied the grit, toughness and strength of our community. I feel that these characteristics still hold true for many people in Pueblo."

As he painted, Levinson drew inspiration from a family member and Central senior, Serenity Nailor Lewis, whose courageous battle against cancer was recently profiled in The Pueblo Chieftain.

"She, like many others in our community, is persevering in the face of enormous health challenges. I believe that Dutch's strong spirit still influences people in this town and what better way to honor that than a vivid, impressionable portrait of Dutch. I hope this project helps to reignite his legend and bring people to Dutch Clark Stadium to enjoy all that the stadium has to offer."

On Saturday, more beautification of the stadium complex will take place, with volunteers invited to participate through the annual Comcast Cares Day.

Now in its 18th year, Comcast Cares Day is one of the largest corporate commitments to volunteerism and service in America.

The project will begin at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to wrap up shortly after noon. Volunteers will be tasked with general cleanup and simple painting touch-ups, and all participants will receive a free breakfast and lunch, and Comcast Cares Day T-shirt.

"We've reached out to our high school sports teams to encourage them to show up at the event as well," said Dalton Sprouse, D60's communications director. "And we hope the general public will also find the opportunity interesting since Dutch Clark Stadium is a venue we all cherish in the community."

Rick Macias, D60's athletic director, said the mural is a fitting tribute to its namesake.

"The athletic community is very excited with the addition of the new mural of Earl 'Dutch' Clark, or the 'Flying Dutchman,'" Macias said. "Spectators, athletes and coaches from not only Pueblo but from all over the state that come to our events will now see the face that goes along with the name. He is not only a huge part of Pueblo athletics but the entire NFL, as one of the inaugural class inductees into the 1951 NFL Hall of Fame.

"We host more than 120 events per year at the stadium, with over 240,000 spectators a year, so to have this addition will enhance the aura of not only the person but the entire stadium."



To register to participate in Comcast Cares Day, visit cityyear.org/comcast-cares-day.

jpompia@chieftain.com

Twitter: @jpompia