Stark grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and graduated from Syracuse University's S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a degree in journalism in 1973. In 1979 he joined The Philadelphia Inquirer as a beat writer for the Philadelphia Phillies, and eventually became a national baseball writer and columnist for that paper.
Stark was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, graduating from Syracuse University's S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a journalism degree in 1973. He began his career at The Philadelphia Inquirer as a beat writer covering the Phillies in 1979, eventually becoming a national baseball writer and columnist for the paper.