Roger Clemens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roger Clemens |
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Clemens in 2012
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: August 4, 1962 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 15, 1984, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 16, 2007, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 354–184 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.12 | ||
| Strikeouts | 4,672 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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William Roger Clemens, born on August 4, 1962, is a famous American former professional baseball pitcher. He was known by his nickname, "Rocket." Clemens played for 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. He also played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros.
Roger Clemens was one of the best pitchers in baseball history. He achieved 354 wins, a 3.12 earned run average (ERA), and 4,672 strikeouts. This number of strikeouts is the third-most all time. He was an 11-time MLB All-Star. He also won two World Series championships. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, which is more than any other pitcher. He was known for his strong competitive spirit and powerful pitching.
Clemens started his MLB career in 1984 with the Red Sox. He was a key player for their pitching team for 12 years. In 1986, he won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award. He also won the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. That year, he set an MLB record by striking out 20 batters in one game. After the 1996 season, Clemens joined the Toronto Blue Jays. He won a Cy Young Award in each of his two seasons with Toronto. He also won the pitching triple crown by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.
Before the 1999 season, Clemens was traded to the Yankees. There, he won his two World Series titles. In 2001, he became the first pitcher to start a season with a 20–1 win–loss record. In 2003, he reached his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout in the same game. Clemens then played for the Houston Astros from 2004 to 2006. He won his seventh Cy Young Award there. He returned to the Yankees in 2007 for one final season before retiring. He is the only pitcher in MLB history with more than 350 wins and 4,500 strikeouts.
Roger Clemens is still considered by many to be one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
Contents
Early Life and College Baseball
Growing Up in Ohio and Texas
Clemens was born in Dayton, Ohio. He was the fifth child of Bill and Bess Clemens. His parents separated when he was a baby. His mother later married Woody Booher, whom Clemens considered his father. Woody Booher passed away when Clemens was nine years old. Clemens lived in Vandalia, Ohio, until 1977. He then spent most of his high school years in Houston, Texas.
At Spring Woods High School, Clemens played baseball. He also played football and basketball. Baseball scouts from the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins watched him. However, he chose to go to college instead.
College Baseball Success
Clemens started his college baseball career at San Jacinto College North in 1981. He had a great record of 9–2. He then went to the University of Texas at Austin. There, he had a 25–7 record over two seasons. He was an All-American player. He was pitching when the Longhorns won the 1983 College World Series.
Clemens was the first baseball player to have his uniform number retired at the University of Texas. In 2004, the Rotary Smith Award was renamed the Roger Clemens Award. This award honors the best college baseball pitcher. At Texas, Clemens pitched 35 innings in a row without giving up any runs. This was an NCAA record for many years.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The New York Mets first picked Clemens in the 1981 MLB draft. But he decided not to sign with them. The Boston Red Sox then selected him in the first round of the 1983 MLB draft. Clemens quickly moved up through the minor league teams.
In 1983, he played for two different minor league teams. He pitched for the A-ball Winter Haven Red Sox. He also played for the AA New Britain Red Sox. He had a combined record of 7–2. He struck out 95 batters in 81 innings. In 1984, Clemens started the season with the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox. He had a 1.93 earned run average. He struck out 50 batters in 46.2 innings.
Boston Red Sox Years (1984–1996)
Roger Clemens made his Major League debut on May 15, 1984. He played for the Boston Red Sox. Early in his career, he had a shoulder injury. He had surgery to fix it and was able to continue playing.
On April 29, 1986, Clemens made history. He struck out 20 batters in a single game. This was a new MLB record. He was the first pitcher to do this in a nine-inning game. After this amazing performance, he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Only a few other pitchers have matched this record.
Clemens started the 1986 All-Star Game. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. He pitched three perfect innings. In 1986, he won his first of seven Cy Young Awards. He also won the American League MVP award. He finished that season with a 24–4 record. He had a 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts.
Clemens learned a lot from Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver. Seaver played a short time with the Red Sox in 1986. Clemens said Seaver helped him become a "pitcher" instead of just a "thrower."
In the 1986 ALCS, Clemens helped the Red Sox win. This was his first win in the postseason. The Red Sox then played the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series. Clemens pitched well in Game 6. However, he was taken out of the game in the eighth inning. The Mets came back to win that game and the World Series.
The Red Sox had a tough season in 1987. But Clemens still won his second Cy Young Award. He had a 20–9 record. He also had 256 strikeouts and seven shutouts. Boston had successful seasons in 1988 and 1990. They won their division both years. However, they lost to the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS each time.
Clemens led the American League in 1988 with 291 strikeouts. He also had a career-high 8 shutouts. On September 10, 1988, he pitched a one-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. In 1991, Clemens won his third Cy Young Award. He had an 18–10 record and 241 strikeouts. On September 18, 1996, Clemens had his second 20-strikeout game. This happened in one of his last games with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox did not re-sign Clemens after the 1996 season. He then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Clemens had 192 wins and 38 shutouts for the Red Sox. Both are tied for the franchise record. He is also their all-time strikeout leader with 2,590. His uniform number #21 has not been worn by any Red Sox player since he left.
Toronto Blue Jays (1997–1998)
Clemens signed a four-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first game back at Fenway Park, he pitched very well. He allowed only 4 hits and 1 run in eight innings. He struck out 16 batters.
Clemens was outstanding in his two seasons with the Blue Jays. He won the pitching Triple Crown both years. This means he led the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He also won the Cy Young Award in both 1997 and 1998. After the 1998 season, Clemens asked to be traded. He wanted to play for a team that he felt could win a championship.
New York Yankees (1999–2003)
The Blue Jays traded Clemens to the New York Yankees in 1999. He joined the Yankees hoping to win a World Series. His usual number, #21, was already taken. So, he wore #12 at first, then switched to #22.
In 1999, Clemens had a 14–10 record. He won two games in the postseason. The Yankees went on to win the 1999 World Series. This was Clemens's first World Series title. He won his second World Series with the Yankees in 2000.
In 2001, Clemens made history again. He became the first pitcher in MLB history to start a season with a 20–1 record. He finished that season 20–3. He also won his sixth Cy Young Award.
In 2003, Clemens announced he would retire at the end of the season. On June 13, 2003, he reached two major milestones in the same game. He recorded his 300th career win and his 4,000th career strikeout. He was the only player in history to achieve both in one game. He became the 21st pitcher to reach 300 wins. He was also the third to reach 4,000 strikeouts.
Clemens's final season in 2003 was a series of farewells. Fans in every AL park cheered for him. Even Red Sox fans gave him a standing ovation at Fenway Park. He made one start in the World Series against the Florida Marlins. The Marlins players even gave him a standing ovation when he left the game.
Houston Astros (2004–2006)
Clemens decided to come out of retirement in 2004. He signed a one-year deal with his hometown Houston Astros. He joined his good friend and former Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte. On May 5, 2004, Clemens recorded his 4,137th career strikeout. This placed him second on the all-time list, behind only Nolan Ryan.
Clemens finished the 2004 season with an 18–4 record. He won his seventh Cy Young Award. At 42 years old, he became the oldest player to win the Cy Young. This made him one of only seven pitchers to win the award in both leagues.
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Clemens decided not to retire again before the 2005 season. He signed another one-year contract with the Astros. His 1.87 ERA in 2005 was the lowest in the major leagues. It was also the lowest of his 22-season career. He finished with a 13–8 record. His lower win total was partly because his team did not score many runs when he pitched.
On October 9, 2005, Clemens made his first relief appearance since 1984. He pitched three innings to get the win. This was in the longest postseason game in MLB history, which lasted 18 innings. The Astros made it to their first World Series in 2005.
Clemens said he would retire again after the World Series. But he wanted to play for the United States in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. After playing in the tournament, he thought about returning to the major leagues. On May 31, 2006, he announced he would pitch for the Astros again. He signed a contract worth $22,000,022. He finished the 2006 season with a 7–6 record and a 2.30 ERA.
Return to the Yankees (2007)
Clemens surprised everyone by appearing at Yankee Stadium on May 6, 2007. He announced he was rejoining the Yankees. He agreed to a one-year deal worth about $4.7 million per month.
Clemens made his 2007 return on June 9. He defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. On July 2, Clemens earned his 350th win against the Minnesota Twins. He is one of only three pitchers to play their entire career in the modern era and reach 350 wins. His final regular-season game was against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He finished the 2007 regular season with a record of 6–6.
Clemens had to leave Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS due to a hamstring injury. This was his final pitch in a Major League Baseball game.
Pitching After Retirement
On August 20, 2012, Clemens signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters. This was a team in an independent league. He made his debut on August 25, 2012. It was his first time pitching in almost five years. Clemens, at 50 years old, pitched 3.1 scoreless innings. He struck out two batters. His fastball was still fast, reaching 88 mph.
Roger Clemens also joined the Kansas Stars in 2016. This team was made up of retired major league players. He pitched for them just six days after his 54th birthday. On August 22, 2019, Clemens pitched in a charity baseball game in Massachusetts. He wore his Red Sox uniform. He pitched two shutout innings against mostly young college players.
Hall of Fame Consideration
In 2013 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, Roger Clemens was eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time. He received 37.6% of the votes. Players need 75% of the votes to be inducted. He received more votes in later years, but never reached the 75% needed. In his final year of eligibility in 2022, he received 65.2% of the votes.
Even though he is no longer on the main ballot, Clemens can still be considered for the Hall of Fame. This happens through the Hall of Fame's Today's Game Committee. This committee looks at players who played between 1986 and 2016. In December 2022, the committee voted. Clemens did not receive enough votes for induction at that time.
Pitching Style
Clemens was known as a power pitcher. He had a very strong and aggressive style, especially when he was younger. Early in his career, he threw a very fast fastball and a hard breaking ball. Later, he developed a split-finger fastball, which he jokingly called "Mr. Splitty."
By the time he retired in 2007, his four-seam fastball was still fast, usually between 91–94 mph. He also threw a two-seam fastball, a slider, and an occasional curveball. Clemens was a very durable pitcher. He led the American League in complete games three times. He also led in innings pitched twice. In 1987, he threw 18 complete games, a number no pitcher has matched since. Clemens was also known for striking out many batters. He led the AL in strikeouts five times. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to have two games with 20 strikeouts.
Appearances in Media
Clemens has appeared as himself in several movies and TV shows. He also acted in some films. He was in an episode of The Simpsons called "Homer at the Bat". In this episode, he was recruited to a softball team. Clemens also made guest appearances on shows like Hope & Faith, Spin City, and Arli$$. He was in the movie Anger Management and had a small part in Kingpin. He also appeared in the movie Boyhood, playing in an actual game with the Houston Astros.
He appeared in the 1994 movie Cobb as a pitcher. In 2003, he was in commercials for Armour hot dogs with other MLB players. Since 2005, Clemens has also appeared in commercials for the Texas supermarket chain H-E-B. In 2007, he was on a baseball-themed episode of MythBusters. He also starred in a commercial for Cingular about his return from retirement.
Clemens released an early book about his life, Rocket Man: The Roger Clemens Story, in 1987. He is also a spokesperson for Champion car dealerships in South Texas.
Awards and Recognition
In 1999, Roger Clemens was ranked number 53 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. Fans also voted him onto the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2005, an updated list moved Clemens up to #15.
By the end of the 2005 season, Clemens had won seven Cy Young Awards. He won the AL award in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, and 2001. He won the National League award in 2004. He also won an MVP award and two pitching triple crowns. With his 2004 win, he became one of only a few pitchers to win the award in both leagues. He also became the oldest pitcher to ever win the Cy Young. He has won the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award five times. He was named an All-Star 11 times. He won the All-Star MVP in 1986. Clemens is the only pitcher to win a Cy Young Award with four different teams.
In October 2006, Clemens was named to Sports Illustrated's "all-time" team.
On August 18, 2007, Clemens got his 1,000th strikeout as a Yankee. He is one of only nine players in major league history to record 1,000 or more strikeouts with two different teams. Clemens had 2,590 strikeouts with the Red Sox and 1,014 with the Yankees. He also had 563 strikeouts for Toronto and 505 for Houston.
Clemens was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2014. He was also inducted into the Pawtucket Red Sox Hall of Fame on June 21, 2019.
Personal Life
Roger Clemens married Debra Lynn Godfrey on November 24, 1984. They have four sons: Koby Aaron, Kory Allen, Kacy Austin, and Kody Alec. All their sons have "K" names to honor Clemens's strikeouts, which are marked with a "K" in baseball. Koby was a minor league baseball player. Kacy and Kody both played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns. Kody made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers on May 31, 2022.
Debra once left a Red Sox game upset because of negative comments she received from fans. This happened when Clemens was pitching for another team.
Clemens is a member of the Republican Party. He has donated money to political campaigns.
On February 27, 2006, Roger pitched in an exhibition game. It was between the Astros and his son Koby's minor league team. In Koby's first turn at bat, he hit a home run off his father. In his next turn, Roger threw a pitch close to Koby. Koby laughed about it in an interview after the game.
Images for kids
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Clemens in 2012
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Clemens in 1986
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Clemens with Boston teammate Don Baylor and President Ronald Reagan
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Clemens in 1990
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Clemens pitches at Fenway Park, 1996
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Clemens pitching for the Astros in 2004
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Clemens pitching for the Astros in 2005.
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Clemens with the Yankees in 2007
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Clemens (left) with President George H. W. Bush (center) and Clemens's wife, Debra, in the Oval Office in 1989
See also
In Spanish: Roger Clemens para niños
