Clark retracts claim about Pujols 'juicing'

~ The former Cardinal turned radio host also apologized after being sued for defamation

ST. LOUIS -- Radio host and former Cardinals player Jack Clark has apologized for and retracted comments he made last year implying that Albert Pujols used steroids.

Clark, who played for the Cardinals from 1985 to 1987 and was a four-time All-Star, issued a public retraction Monday night for his comments made about Pujols, a nine-time All-Star who played for the Cardinals from 2001 to 2011 before signing a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

Pujols sued Clark for defamation in October after Clark made the comments in August on the "The King and the Ripper Show." Clark said then he knew that Pujols was "a juicer," a term for a ballplayer who uses steroids or another banned performance-enhancing drug.

In the lawsuit against Clark, Pujols, who has denied using performance enhancing drugs, described Clark's assertions as "malicious, reckless and outrageous falsehoods." Pujols sought unspecified damages that would be donated to charity and asked for a determination and declaration that Clark's statements are false.

Clark said in a statement provided to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he'd wanted to "reconfirm that I have no knowledge whatsoever that Mr. Pujols has ever used illegal or banned PEDs."

"I publicly retract my statements that Albert Pujols used such substances. During a heated discussion on air, I misspoke, and for that I sincerely apologize," Clark's statement said.

Pujols said he has "accepted Jack Clark's retraction and apology to resolve my lawsuit against him and clear my name."