View source for Roger Clemens

{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1962)}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|image= Roger Clemens 2012.jpg
|image_size=
|caption=Clemens in 2012
|name=Roger Clemens
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1962|8|4}}
|birth_place=[[Dayton, Ohio]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=May 15
|debutyear=1984
|debutteam=Boston Red Sox
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 16
|finalyear=2007
|finalteam=New York Yankees
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=354–184
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.12
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=4,672
|teams=
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|1984}}–{{mlby|1996}})
* [[Toronto Blue Jays]] ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|1998}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2003}})
* [[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|2004}}–{{mlby|2006}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|2007}})
|highlights=
* 11× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1986]], [[1988 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1988]], [[1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1990]]–[[1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1992]], [[1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1997]], [[1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1998]], [[2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2001]], [[2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2003]]–[[2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2005]])
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1999}}, {{wsy|2000}})
* [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|AL MVP]] (1986)
* 7× [[Cy Young Award]] (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004)
* 2× [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] (1997, 1998)
* 4× [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|MLB wins leader]] (1986, 1987, 1997, 1998)
* 7× [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|ERA leader]] (1986, 1990–1992, 1997, 1998, 2005)
* 5× [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|AL strikeout leader]] (1988, 1991, 1996–1998)
* MLB record [[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders|20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game]] (twice)
* [[Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award]]
* [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]
* [[Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]]
}}
'''William Roger Clemens''' (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "'''Rocket'''", is an American former professional [[baseball]] [[pitcher]] who played 24 seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), most notably with the [[Boston Red Sox]] and [[New York Yankees]] and also played for the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] and [[Houston Astros]]. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in major league history, tallying 354 [[Win–loss record (pitching)|wins]], a 3.12 [[earned run average]] (ERA), and 4,672 [[strikeouts]], the [[List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders|third-most all time]]. An 11-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|MLB All-Star]] and two-time [[World Series]] champion, Clemens won seven [[Cy Young Award]]s, more than any other pitcher in history. Clemens was known for his fierce competitive nature and hard-throwing pitching style, which he used to intimidate batters.

Clemens debuted in the MLB in 1984 with the Red Sox, whose pitching staff he anchored for 12 years. In 1986, he won the [[American League]] (AL) [[Cy Young Award]], the AL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award]], and the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|All-Star Game MVP Award]], and he struck out an MLB-record 20&nbsp;batters in a single game. After the 1996 season, in which he achieved his second 20-strikeout performance, Clemens left Boston via free agency and joined the [[Toronto Blue Jays]]. In each of his two seasons with Toronto, Clemens won a Cy Young Award, as well as the pitching [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|triple crown]] by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Before the 1999 season, Clemens was traded to the Yankees where he won his two World Series titles. In 2001, Clemens became the first pitcher in major league history to start a season with a win–loss record of 20–1. In 2003, he reached his [[300 win club|300th win]] and 4,000th strikeout in the same game. Clemens left for the [[Houston Astros]] in 2004, where he spent three seasons and won his seventh Cy Young Award. He rejoined the Yankees in 2007 for one last season before retiring. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record more than 350 wins and strike out more than 4,500 batters.

Clemens was alleged by the [[Mitchell Report]] to have used [[anabolic steroids]] during his late career, mainly based on testimony given by his former trainer, [[Brian McNamee]].<ref name="Exclusive: McNamee stands by story">{{Cite web |last=Heyman |first=Jon  |date=January 8, 2008 |title=McNamee reacts to Clemens' 60 Minutes interview |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_heyman/01/07/mcnamee.clemens/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109000719/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_heyman/01/07/mcnamee.clemens/index.html |access-date=2008-01-09 |website=SI.com |archive-date=2008-01-09}}</ref> Clemens denied these allegations under oath before the [[United States Congress]], leading congressional leaders to refer his case to the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] on suspicions of [[perjury]].<ref name=ClemensIndicted/> On August 19, 2010, a federal grand jury at the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia|U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.]], indicted Clemens on six [[felony]] counts involving [[perjury]], [[false statements]], and [[contempt of Congress]].<ref name=ClemensIndicted>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/08/19/2010-08-19_rocket_indicted_for_lying_to_congress.html |newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |location=New York |title=Roger Clemens indicted for lying to Congress about steroid use |first=Teri |last=Thompson |date=August 19, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808001840/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/08/19/2010-08-19_rocket_indicted_for_lying_to_congress.html |archive-date=August 8, 2011 }}</ref> Clemens pleaded not guilty,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/08/30/2010-08-30_exyankees_pictcher_roger_clemens_arrives_in_dc_federal_court_to_plead_not_guilty.html|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|title=Roger Clemens pleads not guilty; feds cite "voluminous" evidence|first=Nathaniel|last=Vinton|date=August 30, 2010|access-date=August 30, 2010|archive-date=October 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101012135809/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/08/30/2010-08-30_exyankees_pictcher_roger_clemens_arrives_in_dc_federal_court_to_plead_not_guilty.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> but proceedings were complicated by prosecutorial misconduct, leading to a [[mistrial]].<ref name="TrialMoved">{{Cite web |date=2010-12-08 |title=Roger Clemens Steroids Trial Pushed Back to July |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/roger-clemens-steroids-trial-pushed-back-to-july/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=CBS News |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="Theatlant">{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Andrew |date=2011-07-14 |title=Government Errors, Judge Hits, Roger Clemens Runs |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/government-errors-judge-hits-roger-clemens-runs/241949/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref name="paul">Courson, Paul. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120512042019/http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-16/justice/justice_baseball-clemens_1_michael-attanasio-laura-pettitte-jury-selection?_s=PM%3AJUSTICE "Jury selection to begin in perjury retrial of baseball's Roger Clemens."] ''www.cnn.com'', April 16, 2012. [https://www.cnn.com/2012/04/16/justice/baseball-clemens/index.html]</ref> In June 2012, Clemens was found not guilty on all six counts of lying to Congress. These controversies hurt his chances for election to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]]. He never received the 75% of votes required in his ten years of eligibility, ending with 65.2% in 2022.<ref name=NoHoF>{{cite news |title=Complete 2022 Hall of Fame voting results |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-2022-voting |work=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media |date=January 25, 2022 |access-date=January 25, 2022}}</ref> However, despite the steroid controversies, Clemens is still considered by many as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clemens' records, accolades on Hall of Fame table |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/roger-clemens-records-accolades-on-hall-of-fame-table/c-40376574 |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Clemens was born in [[Dayton, Ohio]], the fifth child of Bill and Bess (Lee) Clemens.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearlman |first=Jeff |date=May 23, 2009 |title=The Rocket That Fell To Earth |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ys-clemens032309 |access-date=February 7, 2015 |website=Yahoo! Sports}}</ref> He is of [[Germans|German]] descent, his great-grandfather Joseph Clemens having immigrated in the 1880s.<ref>[https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27868-18168-72?cc=2000219 "United States Census, 1940: Dayton, Ohio."] ''[[FamilySearch|www.familysearch.org.]]'' Retrieved October 31, 2017.</ref> Clemens’ parents separated when he was an infant. His mother soon married Woody Booher, whom Clemens considers his father. Booher died when Clemens was nine years old, and Clemens has said that the only time he ever felt envious of other players was when he saw them in the clubhouse with their fathers.<ref name="22 Things">{{Cite news |last=Story |first=Mark |date=June 6, 2006 |title=22 things you should know about 'Rocket' |url=http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/sports/14749611.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615043527/http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/sports/14749611.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2006 |access-date=July 11, 2009 |work=[[Lexington Herald-Leader]]}}</ref> Clemens lived in [[Vandalia, Ohio]], until 1977, and then spent most of his high school years in [[Houston]], [[Texas]]. At [[Spring Woods High School]], Clemens played baseball for longtime head coach Charles Maiorana<ref name="Karl Young Baseball Administration">{{cite web|url=http://www.karlyoungbaseball.com/Administration/Bio%20Charlie%20Maioranal.htm |title=Charlie Maiorana |publisher=Karl Young College Baseball |access-date=July 15, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604121944/http://www.karlyoungbaseball.com/Administration/Bio%20Charlie%20Maioranal.htm |archive-date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref> and also played football and basketball.<ref name="22 Things" /> He was scouted by the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] and [[Minnesota Twins]] during his senior year, but opted to go to college.<ref name=will>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20111014064439/http://robinsonlibrary.com/geography/recreation/sports/baseball/biography/clemens.htm "Roger Clemens."]}} ''www.robinsonlibrary.com.'' Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref>

==College career==
He began his college career pitching for [[San Jacinto College North]] in 1981, where he posted a 9–2 [[win–loss record]]. He then attended the [[University of Texas at Austin]], compiling a 25–7 record in two [[All-American]] seasons, and was on the mound when the [[Texas Longhorns baseball|Longhorns]] won the [[1983 College World Series]]. He became the first player to have his baseball uniform number retired at the University of Texas.<ref name="library">{{cite web|url=https://baseballbiography.com/roger-clemens-1962 |title=Roger Clemens Biography |access-date=December 19, 2008 |work=baseballbiography.com }}</ref> In 2004, the [[Rotary Smith Award]], given to America's best college [[baseball]] player, was changed to the [[Roger Clemens Award]], honoring the best pitcher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clemensaward.com/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20040401122210/http://clemensaward.com/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 1, 2004 |title=Welcome to the home of the Roger Clemens Award |publisher=Clemensaward.com |access-date=March 30, 2012 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/roger_clemens_award.shtml "Roger Clemens Award."] ''www.baseball-almanac.com.'' Retrieved November 10, 2017.</ref> At Texas, Clemens pitched 35 consecutive scoreless innings, an [[NCAA]] record that stood until [[Justin Pope]] broke it in 2001.<ref>Case, Jeff. [https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2001/04/12/bulldog-pope-has-ucf-loaded-with-rich-pitching/ "'Bulldog' Pope Has UCF Loaded With Rich Pitching: Junior Right-hander Justin Pope Broke Roger Clemens's Scoreless Innings Streak Of 35."]  [[Orlando Sentinel]], April 12, 2001. Retrieved February 14, 2012.</ref>

==Professional career==
===Drafts and minor leagues===
The [[New York Mets]] selected Clemens in the 12th round of the [[1981 Major League Baseball draft]], however, he did not sign.<ref>[[Associated Press]]. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19860715&id=XXdIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aWADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6739,6041153 "The one the Mets lost: Roger Clemens rejected N.Y. offer for college career."] ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'', July 15, 1986. [[Google News Archives]]. Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref> Clemens was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the [[1983 Major League Baseball draft|1983 MLB draft]] by the [[Boston Red Sox]] and quickly rose through the minor league system. In 1983, Clemens pitched for two different teams in two different leagues and at two different levels. He pitched for the A-ball [[Winter Haven Red Sox]] of the [[Florida State League]] and the AA [[New Britain Red Sox]] of the [[Eastern League (1938–present)|Eastern League]]. Clemens started all four games he played with Winter Haven, pitched three [[complete game]]s with one [[shutout (baseball)|shutout]] and allowed no [[home run]]s. He posted a 3–1 win–loss record, a 1.24 [[earned run average]], [[strikeout|struck out]] 36 batters in 29 [[innings pitched]] and his [[walks plus hits per inning pitched]] was 0.759. Clemens started all seven games he played with New Britain and pitched one complete game shutout and allowed one home run. He posted a 4–1 win–loss record, a 1.38 earned run average, struck out 59 batters in 52 innings pitched and his walks and hits per innings pitched was 0.827. His combined minor league totals in 1983 included starting all 11 games he played and pitched four complete games with two shutouts and only one home run allowed. He posted a 7–2 win–loss record, a 1.33 earned run average, struck out 95 batters in 81 innings pitched and his walks and hits per innings pitched was 0.802.

Clemens started the 1984 season with AAA [[Pawtucket Red Sox]] of the [[International League]]. In seven games, he started six of them, pitching three complete games with one shutout. Despite posting a 2–3 win–loss record and walks and hits per innings pitched of 1.136, his earned run average was 1.93, and he struck out 50 batters in {{frac|46|2|3}} innings pitched.

===Boston Red Sox (1984–1996)===
[[File:Roger Clemens Boston.jpg|thumb|upright|Clemens in 1986]]
On May 15, 1984 at [[Cleveland Stadium]], Clemens made his Major League debut. An undiagnosed torn [[Glenoid labrum|labrum]] threatened to end his career early; he underwent successful arthroscopic surgery by [[James Andrews (physician)|Dr. James Andrews]].<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Helyar |title=Andrews still surgeon to the sports stars |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=3024046 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=September 20, 2007 |access-date=October 13, 2007 }}</ref>

On April 29, 1986 at [[Fenway Park]], in a 3–1 win over the [[Seattle Mariners]], Clemens [[strikeout|struck out]] a career-high 20 batters, becoming the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game.<ref name="library" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Boston Red Sox 3, Seattle Mariners 1 | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B04290BOS1986.htm | website=Retrosheet | date= April 29, 1986 }}</ref> Following his performance, Clemens made the cover of ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', which carried the headline "Lord of the K's [strikeouts]."<ref name="Archived copy">{{Cite web |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/b5a2be2f |title=Roger Clemens &#124; Society for American Baseball Research |access-date=January 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307044135/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/b5a2be2f |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other than Clemens, only [[Kerry Wood]], [[Randy Johnson]] and [[Max Scherzer]] have matched the total. (Johnson fanned 20 batters in nine innings on May 8, 2001. However, the game went into extra innings but Johnson got credit for it as he only pitched 9 innings. [[Tom Cheney (baseball)|Tom Cheney]] holds the record for any game: 21 strikeouts in 16 innings.)

Clemens started the [[1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1986 All-Star Game]] (played in his hometown of Houston) in the [[Astrodome]] and was named the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] of the contest by throwing three perfect innings and striking out two. He also won the first of his seven [[Cy Young Award]]s. In 1986, Clemens won the [[American League]] [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] award, finishing with a 24–4 record, 2.48 ERA, and 238 strikeouts.<ref name="Stats">{{cite web |title=Roger Clemens Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero02.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> When [[Hank Aaron]] said that pitchers should not be eligible for the MVP, Clemens responded: "I wish he was still playing. I'd probably [[beanball|crack his head open]] to show him how valuable I was."<ref name="22 Things" /> Clemens was the only starting pitcher since [[Vida Blue]] in 1971 to win a league MVP award until [[Justin Verlander]] won the award in 2011. Clemens attributes his switch from what he calls a "thrower" to a "pitcher" to the partial season Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver spent with the Red Sox in 1986.<ref>[[Associated Press]].
 [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-24-sp-26007-story.html "Clemens Rockets His Way Past Seaver."] [[Los Angeles Times]], July 24, 2001. Retrieved November 3, 2017.</ref>

Facing the [[California Angels]] in the [[1986 American League Championship Series|1986 ALCS]], Clemens pitched poorly in the opening game, watched the Boston bullpen blow his 3–1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4, and then pitched a strong Game 7 to wrap up the series for Boston. The League Championship Series clincher was Clemens's first postseason career victory. He did not win his second until 13 years later. After a victory in game five, Boston led 3 games to 2 over the [[New York Mets]] in the [[1986 World Series]] with Clemens set to start game six at [[Shea Stadium]]. Clemens who was pitching on five days rest started strong by striking out eight while throwing a no-hitter through four innings. In the top of eighth and with Boston ahead 3–2, manager [[John McNamara (baseball)|John McNamara]] sent rookie [[Mike Greenwell]] to pinch hit for Roger Clemens. It was initially said that Clemens was removed from the game due to a [[blister]] forming on one of his fingers, but both he and McNamara dispute this. Clemens said to [[Bob Costas]] on an [[MLB Network]] program concerning the 1986 postseason that McNamara decided to pull him despite Clemens wanting to pitch. McNamara said to Costas that Clemens "begged out" of the game. The Mets rallied and took both game six and seven to win the World Series.

[[File:President Ronald Reagan posing with Roger Clemens and Don Baylor.jpg|thumb|left|Clemens with Boston teammate [[Don Baylor]] and President [[Ronald Reagan]]]]
The Red Sox had a miserable 1987 season, finishing at 78–84, though Clemens won his second consecutive [[Cy Young Award]] with a 20–9 record, 2.97 ERA, 256 strikeouts, and seven shutouts.<ref name="Archived copy"/><ref name="Stats" /> He was the first AL pitcher with back-to-back 20-win seasons since [[Tommy John]] won 20 with the Yankees in 1979 and '80.<ref>{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2026&dat=19871005&id=JZQrAAAAIBAJ&pg=6514,548596&hl=en|title=Tanana Pitches Tigers to Title|work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News|date=October 5, 1987|access-date=March 31, 2020}}</ref> Boston rebounded with success in 1988 and 1990, clinching the [[AL East Division]] each year, but were swept by the [[Oakland Athletics]] in each [[ALCS]] matchup. His greatest postseason failure came in the second inning of the final game of the [[1990 ALCS]], when he was ejected for arguing [[balls and strikes]] with umpire [[Terry Cooney]], accentuating the A's four-game sweep of the Red Sox.<ref name="slate">Nocera, Joseph. [http://www.slate.com/id/91141/ "Roger Clemens, Choke Artist."] ''[[Slate.com]]'', October 10, 2000. Retrieved November 17, 2017.</ref> He was suspended for the first five games of the 1991 season and fined $10,000.<ref name="library" />

[[File:Lipofsky-Roger-Clemens.jpg|thumb|Clemens in 1990]]
Clemens led the American League in 1988 with 291 strikeouts and a career-high 8 shutouts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=clemero02|title=Roger Clemens Baseball Stats &#124; Baseball Almanac|website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}</ref> On September 10, 1988, Clemens threw a one-hitter against the [[Cleveland Indians]] at Fenway Park. [[Dave Clark (baseball)|Dave Clark]]'s one-out single in the eighth inning was the only hit Clemens allowed in the game.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://static.espn.go.com/mlb/s/2003/0610/1565996.html |title=ESPN.com: MLB - No-hitters: Best who haven't, worst who have |access-date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801073931/http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/s/2003/0610/1565996.html |archive-date=August 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a 9–1 victory over Cleveland on April 13, 1989, Clemens recorded his 1,000 career strikeout by fanning [[Brook Jacoby]] with the bases loaded in the second inning.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-13-sp-2067-story.html|title=Clemens Tops 1,000 Mark in Strikeouts : Red Sox Batter Cleveland With 15-Hit Attack|date=April 13, 1989|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Clemens finished second to Oakland's [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] for the 1990 AL Cy Young Award, despite the fact that Clemens crushed Welch in ERA (1.93 to 2.95), strikeouts (209 to 127), walks (54 to 77), home runs allowed (7 to 26), and WAR (10.4 to 2.9).<ref name="s318">{{cite web | last=Baer | first=Bill | title=The 1990's had some atrocious awards voting | website=NBC Sports | date=2020-05-06 | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/the-1990s-had-some-atrocious-awards-voting | access-date=2024-09-20}}</ref> Clemens did, however, capture his third Cy Young Award in 1991 with an 18–10 record, 2.62 ERA, and 241 strikeouts.<ref name="Stats" /> On June 21, 1989, Clemens surrendered the first of [[Sammy Sosa]]'s 609 home runs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-06-22-sp-2747-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|title=Petralli Leads Attack as Rangers Rough Up Clemens and Red Sox, 10–3|agency=Associated Press|date=June 22, 1989|access-date=August 18, 2010}}</ref> On September 18, 1996 at [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]], in a 4–0 win over the [[1996 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]], Clemens had a second [[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders|20-strikeout game]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Boston Red Sox 4, Detroit Tigers 0 | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B09180DET1996.htm | website=Retrosheet | date= September 18, 1996 }}</ref> This second 20-K day occurred in his third-to-last game as a member of the Boston Red Sox.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=clemero02&t=p&year=1996|title=Roger Clemens 1996 Pitching Gamelogs|access-date=May 21, 2011|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>  Later, the Tigers presented him with a baseball containing the autographs of each batter who had struck out (those with multiple strikeouts signed the appropriate number of times).

[[File:Roger Clemens 1996.jpg|thumb|Clemens pitches at Fenway Park, 1996]]
The Red Sox did not re-sign Clemens following the 1996 season, despite leading the A.L. with 257 strikeouts<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.highheatstats.com/2012/04/roger-clemens-1996-and-the-other-unluckiest-pitching-seasons-of-all-time/|title=Roger Clemens, 1996, and the other unluckiest pitching seasons of all-time &#124;|first=Graham|last=Womack|date=April 12, 2012 }}</ref> and offering him "by far the most money ever offered to a player in the history of the Red Sox franchise." General Manager [[Dan Duquette]] remarked that he "hoped to keep him in Boston during the twilight of his career", but Clemens left and signed with the [[Toronto Blue Jays]].<ref>[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/17353212.html?did=17353212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+14%2C+1996&author=MICHAEL+SILVERMAN&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=Baseball+END+OF+AN+ERA+No+return+fire+from+Sox+Brass+tried+to+keep+ace,%20Nolan/ Baseball END OF AN ERA No return fire from Sox Brass tried to keep ace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921062254/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/17353212.html?did=17353212&FMT=ABS&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+14%2C+1996&author=MICHAEL+SILVERMAN&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=Baseball+END+OF+AN+ERA+No+return+fire+from+Sox+Brass+tried+to+keep+ace%2C%20Nolan%2F |date=September 21, 2012 }} ''[[Boston Herald]]''</ref>

The emphasis on the misquoted 1996 "twilight" comment took on a life of its own following Clemens's post-Boston successes, and Duquette was vilified for letting the star pitcher go.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_10_223/ai_54117613 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223011906/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_10_223/ai_54117613 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 23, 2005 |title=Losing Momentum – Boston Red Sox |last=Doyle |first=Paul |access-date=September 15, 2006 |date=March 8, 1999 |work=[[The Sporting News]] }}</ref> Ultimately, Clemens would go on to have a record of 162–73 for the rest of his career after leaving the Red Sox.<ref name="22 Things" /> Clemens recorded 192 wins and 38 shutouts for the Red Sox, both tied with [[Cy Young]] for the [[List of Boston Red Sox team records|franchise record]] and is their all-time strikeout leader with 2,590.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/leaders_pitch.shtml|title=Boston Red Sox Pitching Leaders|access-date=December 19, 2008|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Clemens's overall postseason record with Boston was 1–2 with a 3.88 ERA, and 45 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 56 innings. No Red Sox player has worn his uniform #21 since Clemens left the team in the 1996–97 offseason.

===Toronto Blue Jays (1997–1998)===
Clemens signed a four-year, $40&nbsp;million deal with the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] after the 1996 season.<ref name="library" /> In his first start in Fenway Park as a member of the Blue Jays, he pitched eight innings allowing only 4 hits and 1 earned run. 16 of his 24 outs were strikeouts, and every batter who faced him struck out at least once.<ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Blue Jays 3, Boston Red Sox 1 | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B07120BOS1997.htm | website=Retrosheet | date= July 12, 1997 }}</ref> As he left the field following his last inning of work, he stared up angrily towards the owner's box.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Doyle|first1=Paul|title=For Roger, It's Return To Splendor|url=https://www.courant.com/1997/07/13/for-roger-its-return-to-splendor/|website=Hartford Courant|date=July 13, 1997|access-date=September 13, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913092838/http://articles.courant.com/1997-07-13/sports/9707130157_1_clemens-outpitched-general-manager-dan-duquette-roger-clemens|url-status=live}}</ref>

Clemens was dominant in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, winning the pitching [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] and the [[Cy Young Award]] in both seasons (1997: 21–7 record, 2.05 ERA, and 292 strikeouts; 1998: 20–6 record, 2.65 ERA, and 271 strikeouts).<ref name="Stats" /> After the 1998 season, Clemens asked to be traded, indicating that he did not believe the Blue Jays would be competitive enough the following year and that he was dedicated to winning a championship.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Olney|first1=Buster|title=Yankees Subtract a Star but Add a Legend|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/19/sports/baseball-yankees-subtract-a-star-but-add-a-legend.html?mcubz=0|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 19, 1999|access-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref>

===New York Yankees (1999–2003)===
On the first day of 1999 Spring Training, the Blue Jays traded Clemens to the [[New York Yankees]] for [[David Wells]], [[Homer Bush]], and [[Graeme Lloyd]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/e56db6e613e6c4b00d6f760383a5a89c | title=Roger Clemens Traded to Yankees | website=[[Associated Press]] }}</ref> Since his longtime uniform number #21 was in use by teammate [[Paul O'Neill (baseball)|Paul O'Neill]], Clemens initially wore #12, before switching mid-season to #22.

During the 1999 regular season, Clemens posted a 14–10 record with a 4.60 ERA. He logged a pair of wins in the postseason, though he lost Game 3 of the [[1999 ALCS]] in a matchup against Red Sox ace [[Pedro Martínez]], which was the Yankees' only loss in the 1999 playoffs.<ref name=post>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS199910160.shtml "Yankees at Red Sox, October 16, 1999."] ''www.baseball-reference.com.'' Retrieved February 17, 2017</ref> Clemens won the Yankees' Game 4 clincher over the [[Atlanta Braves]], giving up only one run in {{frac|7|2|3}} innings.

Clemens followed up with a strong 2000 season, in which he finished with a 13–8 record with a 3.70 ERA for the regular season. Though Clemens lost two games in the [[2000 American League Division Series#Oakland vs. New York|ALDS]] against Oakland, the Yankees won the other three and thus advanced. In [[2000 ALCS#Game 4|Game 4 of the ALCS]] against Seattle, Clemens set the ALCS record for strikeouts in a game when he fanned 15 batters in a one-hit shutout. In Game 2 of the [[2000 World Series]], Clemens pitched eight scoreless innings against the New York Mets.<ref name="Stats" />

In 2001, Clemens became the first pitcher in MLB history to start a season 20–1 (finishing 20–3), and won his sixth Cy Young Award. Clemens started for the Yankees in Game 7 of the [[2001 World Series]] against the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]], where he dueled [[Curt Schilling]] to a standstill after 6 innings, yielding only one run. The Diamondbacks went on to win the game in the 9th.

Early in 2003, Clemens announced his retirement, effective at the end of that season. On June 13, 2003, pitching against the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], Clemens recorded his [[300 win club|300th career win]] and 4,000th career strikeout, the only player in history to record both milestones in the same game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-06-14-0306140329-story.html |title=A milestone night for Clemens: 300 wins and 4,000 strikeouts - Baltimore Sun |website=www.baltimoresun.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624084954/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-06-14-0306140329-story.html |archive-date=24 June 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The 300th win came on his fourth try; the Yankee bullpen had blown his chance of a win in his previous two attempts. He became the 21st pitcher ever to record 300 wins and the third ever to record 4,000 strikeouts. His career record upon reaching the milestones was 300–155. Clemens finished the season with a 17–9 record and a 3.91 ERA.

The end of Clemens's 2003 season became a series of public farewells met with appreciative cheering. His last games in each AL park were given extra attention, particularly his final regular-season appearance in [[Fenway Park]], when despite wearing the uniform of the hated arch-rival, he was afforded a standing ovation by Red Sox fans as he left the field. (This spectacle was repeated when the Yankees ended up playing the Red Sox in the [[2003 American League Championship Series|2003 ALCS]] and Clemens got a second "final start" in his original stadium.) As part of a tradition of manager [[Joe Torre]], Clemens was chosen to manage the Yankees' last game of the regular season. Clemens made one start in the World Series against the [[Florida Marlins]]; when he left trailing 3–1 after seven innings, the Marlins left their dugout to give him a standing ovation.

===Houston Astros (2004–2006)===
[[File:Roger clemens 2004.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|left|Clemens pitching for the Astros in 2004]]
Clemens came out of retirement, signing a one-year deal with his adopted hometown [[Houston Astros]] on January 12, 2004, joining close friend and former Yankees teammate [[Andy Pettitte]]. On May 5, 2004, Clemens recorded his 4,137th career strikeout to place him second on the all-time list behind [[Nolan Ryan]]. He was named the starter for the National League All-Star team but ultimately was the losing pitcher in that game after allowing six runs on five hits, including a three-run home run to [[Alfonso Soriano]]. Clemens finished the season with an 18–4 record, and was awarded his seventh Cy Young Award, becoming the oldest player ever to win the Cy Young at age 42.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/houston-astros-history-roger-clemens-wins-seventh-cy-young-award-110916|title=Houston Astros History: Roger Clemens Wins Seventh Cy Young Award {{!}} FOX Sports|date=November 9, 2016|newspaper=FOX Sports|access-date=February 25, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> This made him one of seven pitchers to win the award in both leagues, joining [[Gaylord Perry]], [[Pedro Martínez]], and [[Randy Johnson]] and later joined by [[Roy Halladay]], [[Max Scherzer]], and [[Blake Snell]]. Clemens was the losing pitcher for the Astros in Game Seven of the [[2004 National League Championship Series|2004 NLCS]] against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing four runs in six innings. Although he pitched well, he tired in the sixth inning, surrendering all four runs.

Clemens again decided to put off retirement before the 2005 season after the Astros offered salary arbitration. The Astros submitted an offer of $13.5&nbsp;million, and Clemens countered with a record $22&nbsp;million demand. On January 21, 2005, both sides agreed on a one-year, $18,000,022 contract, thus avoiding arbitration. The deal gave Clemens the highest yearly salary earned by a pitcher in MLB history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050121&content_id=933093&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou |title=Astros ink Clemens to record deal |access-date=July 11, 2009 |first=Alyson |last=Footer |date=January 21, 2005 |work=[[MLB.com]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126121341/http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050121&content_id=933093&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou |archive-date=November 26, 2009 }}</ref>

[[File:Roger Clemens 2005 (4).jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Clemens pitching for the Astros in 2005.]]
Clemens's 2005 season ended as one of the finest he had ever posted. His 1.87 ERA was the lowest in the major leagues, the lowest of his 22-season career, and the lowest by any National Leaguer since [[Greg Maddux]] in 1995. He finished with a 13–8 record, with his lower win total primarily due to the fact that he ranked near the bottom of the major leagues in run support. The Astros scored an average of only 3.5 runs per game in games in which he was the [[pitcher of record]]. The Astros were [[shutouts in baseball|shut out]] nine times in Clemens's 32 starts, and failed to score in a 10th until after Clemens was out of the game. The Astros lost five of Clemens's starts by scores of 1–0. In April, Clemens did not allow a run in three consecutive starts. However, the Astros lost all three of those starts by a 1–0&nbsp;score in [[extra innings]].

Clemens won an emotional start on September 15, following his mother's death that morning.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/games/2005-09-14-marlins-astros_x.htm|title=Clemens wins one for his late mother|access-date=January 27, 2007|date=September 15, 2005|newspaper=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> In his final start of the 2005 season, Clemens got his 4,500th strikeout. On October 9, 2005, Clemens made his first relief appearance since 1984, entering as a [[pinch hitter]] in the 15th, then pitching three innings to get the win as the Astros defeated the [[Atlanta Braves]] in Game 4 of the [[2005 National League Division Series|NLDS]]. It is the longest postseason game in MLB history at 18 innings.<ref name=longest>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU200510090.shtml "2005 National League Division Series (NLDS) Game 4, Braves at Astros, October 9."] ''www.sports-reference.com.'' Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref> Clemens lasted only two innings in Game 1 of the [[2005 World Series]], and the Astros went on to be [[Whitewash (sport)|swept]] by the [[Chicago White Sox]]. It was the Astros' first World Series appearance. Clemens had aggravated a hamstring pull that had limited his performance since at least September.<ref>Sullivan, Paul. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150603080838/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-10-23/sports/0510230351_1_pitch-strain-hamstring "Clemens's hamstring may put strain on staff."] ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', October 23, 2005. Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref>

Clemens said that he would retire again after the World Series but he wanted to represent the United States in the inaugural [[2006 World Baseball Classic|World Baseball Classic]], which would be played in March 2006.<ref name=world_baseball>Morosi, Jon Paul. [http://m.worldbaseballclassic.com/news/article/213220886/ "Should the DR pursue Big Papi for WBC '17?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207113428/http://m.worldbaseballclassic.com/news/article/213220886/ |date=February 7, 2017 }} ''www.worldbaseballclassic.com'', January 10, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.</ref> He went 1–1 in the tournament, with a 2.08 ERA, striking out 10 batters in {{fraction|8|2|3}} innings.<ref name=rclemens>[https://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/stats/ "Stats: 2006 World Baseball Classic."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325125133/https://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/stats |date=March 25, 2019 }} ''www.worldbaseballclassic.com.'' Retrieved February 6, 2017.</ref> After pitching in a second-round loss to Mexico that eliminated the United States, Clemens began considering a return to the major leagues.<ref name=world_baseball/><ref>[http://mlb.mlb.com/wbc/2009/stats/boxscore.jsp?gid=2006_03_16_usaint_mexint_1 "Mexico 2, United States 1, March 16, 2006."] ''www.mlb.com.'' Retrieved February 6, 2017.</ref> On May 31, 2006, following another extended period of speculation, it was announced that Clemens was coming out of retirement for the third time to pitch for the Astros for the remainder of the 2006 season. Clemens signed a contract worth $22,000,022 (his uniform number #22). Since Clemens did not play a full season, he received a prorated percentage of that: approximately $12.25&nbsp;million. Clemens made his return on June 22, 2006, against the [[Minnesota Twins]], losing to their [[rookie]] phenom, [[Francisco Liriano]], 4–2. For the second year in a row, his win total did not match his performance, as he finished the season with a 7–6 record, a 2.30 ERA, and a 1.04 [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]]. However, Clemens averaged just under 6 innings in his starts and never pitched into the eighth.

===Return to the Yankees (2007)===

[[File:062707 267 Roger Clemens.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|Clemens with the Yankees in 2007]]

Clemens unexpectedly appeared in the owner's box at Yankee Stadium on May 6, 2007, during the [[seventh-inning stretch]] of a game against the [[Seattle Mariners]], and made a brief statement: "Thank y'all. Well they came and got me out of Texas, and uhh, I can tell you it's a privilege to be back. I'll be talkin' to y'all soon." It was simultaneously announced that Clemens had rejoined the Yankees roster,<ref>[[Associated Press]], [https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-BBA-Yankees-Clemens.html "Roger Clemens Is Returning to the Yankees"], ''[[Nytimes.com]]'', May 6, 2007.</ref> agreeing to a pro-rated one-year deal worth $28,000,022, or about $4.7&nbsp;million per month.<ref>Olney, Buster. [https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2887224 "If inclined, Yankees would need Rocket's OK on trade."] ''[[ESPN.com]]'', May 30, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2017.</ref> Over the contract life, he would make $18.7&nbsp;million. This equated to just over $1&nbsp;million per start that season.

Clemens made his 2007 return on June 9, defeating the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] by pitching six innings with seven strikeouts and three runs allowed. On June 21, with a single in the 5th inning against the [[Colorado Rockies]], Clemens became the oldest New York Yankee to record a hit (44 years, 321 days). On June 24, Clemens pitched an inning in relief against the [[San Francisco Giants]]. It had been 22 years and 341 days since his previous regular-season relief appearance, the longest such gap in major league history.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kepner|first=Tyler|title=Yanks Let Winning Feeling Slip Away|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 25, 2007|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/25/sports/baseball/25yankees.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin}}</ref> On July 2, Clemens collected his 350th win against the [[Minnesota Twins]] at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], giving up just two hits and one run over eight innings. Clemens is one of only three pitchers to pitch his entire career in the [[live-ball era]] and reach 350 wins. The other two are [[Warren Spahn]] (whose catcher for his 350th win was [[Joe Torre]], Clemens's manager for his 350th), and [[Greg Maddux]], who earned his 350th win in 2008. His final regular-season appearance was a start against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, in which he allowed two hits and one unearned run in six innings, and received a no-decision. Clemens finished the 2007 regular season with a record of 6–6 and a 4.18 ERA.<ref name="Stats" />

Clemens was forced to leave Game 3 of the [[2007 American League Division Series|2007 ALDS]] in the third inning after aggravating a hamstring injury. He struck out [[Víctor Martínez (baseball)|Victor Martinez]] of the [[Cleveland Indians]] with his final pitch, and was replaced by right-hander [[Phil Hughes (baseball)|Phil Hughes]]. Yankees manager Joe Torre removed Clemens from the roster due to his injury, and replaced him with left-hander [[Ron Villone]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bastian|first=Jordan|title=Clemens off Yanks' Postseason Roster|newspaper=MLB.com|year=2007|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071008&content_id=2257302&vkey=ps2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb}}</ref> Clemens's overall postseason record with the Yankees was 7–4 with a 2.97 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 35 walks in 102 innings.

==Pitching appearances after retirement==
On August 20, 2012, Clemens signed with the [[Sugar Land Skeeters]] of the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]].<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8285793/roger-clemens-signs-independent-sugar-land-skeeters-texas "Roger Clemens returning to mound."] [[ESPN.com]], August 21, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref><ref name=skeets>[http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=381011&seasonid=12585 "#21 Roger Clemens – Profile."] ''www.pointstreak.com.'' Retrieved February 17, 2017.</ref> He made his debut for the Skeeters against the [[Bridgeport Bluefish]] on August 25, 2012, in front of a crowd of 7,724. It was the first time the 50-year-old had taken the mound in almost five years. Clemens pitched {{fraction|3|1|3}} scoreless innings and struck out two: former major leaguers [[Joey Gathright]] and [[Prentice Redman]]. He also retired [[Luis Figueroa (baseball)|Luis Figueroa]], who played briefly with the Pirates, Blue Jays and the Giants. Clemens allowed only one hit and no walks on 37 pitches in the Skeeters' 1–0 victory.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8303548/roger-clemens-impressive-comeback-sugar-land-skeeters "Roger Clemens shines in return."] [[ESPN.com]], August 26, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref><ref name=skeeter>[http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=78728 "Bridgeport Bluefish vs Sugar Land Skeeters: 0–1."] ''www.pointstreak.com.'' Retrieved February 17, 2017.</ref> Clemens made his second start for the Skeeters on September 7 against the [[Long Island Ducks]]. He pitched {{fraction|4|2|3}} scoreless innings, with his son, [[Koby Clemens|Koby]], as his catcher. He retired former New York Met outfielder [[Timo Perez]] for the final out in the fourth inning, and was named the winning pitcher by the [[official scorer]].<ref name=skeeters>[http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=79187 "Long Island Ducks vs Sugar Land Skeeters: 0–4."] ''www.pointstreak.com.'' Retrieved February 17, 2017.</ref> Clemens's fastball was clocked as high as 88&nbsp;mph, and the Astros sent scouts to both of his outings with the Skeeters in consideration of a possible return to the team that season.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8350222/roger-clemens-solid-again-second-outing-sugar-land-skeeters "Roger Clemens solid again in outing."] [[ESPN.com]], September 7, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref>

Roger Clemens joined the Kansas Stars, a group of 24 retired major leaguers and his son Koby, to compete in the 2016 [[National Baseball Congress World Series]].<ref name=congress>Joseph, Andrew. [http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/roger-clemens-nbc-world-series-baseball-mlb-adam-laroche-roster "Roger Clemens is returning to play baseball on the most random roster we have ever seen."] ''[[Usatoday.com]]'', July 17, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.</ref> The team was put together by Kansas natives [[Adam LaRoche]] and [[Nate Robertson]], and featured eleven former All-Stars, including [[Tim Hudson]], [[Roy Oswalt]], and [[J. D. Drew]] as well as Clemens.<ref name=nbccongress>Hawley, Larry. [http://wgntv.com/2016/07/17/former-white-sox-1bdh-adam-laroche-returning-to-the-field-for-the-nbc-world-series/ "Former White Sox 1B/DH Adam LaRoche returning to the field for the NBC World Series."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203162237/http://wgntv.com/2016/07/17/former-white-sox-1bdh-adam-laroche-returning-to-the-field-for-the-nbc-world-series/ |date=February 3, 2017 }} ''www.wgntv.com'', July 17, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref><ref name=nbcseries>Jenks, Kevin. [http://nbcbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/NBC-Press-Release-MLB-Roster-1.pdf "MLB ALL-STARS ROSTER FULL OF BIG LEAGUERS."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203161934/http://nbcbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/NBC-Press-Release-MLB-Roster-1.pdf |date=February 3, 2017 }} ''www.nbcbaseball.com'', July 17, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2017.</ref><ref name=roster>[http://pointstreak.com/baseball/team_roster.html?teamid=118580&seasonid=30541 "Kansas Stars: National Baseball Congress World Series."] ''www.pointstreak.com.'' Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref> Pitching just six days after his 54th birthday, Clemens started for the Kansas Stars in a game against the [[National Junior College Athletic Association|NJCAA]] National Team on August 10, 2016. He pitched {{fraction|2|2|3}} innings, allowing 3 runs with one strikeout in an 11–10 loss.<ref name=nbcloss>[http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=373032 "NJCAA National Team vs Kansas Stars: 11–10."] ''www.pointstreak.com.'' Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref> On August 22, 2019, Clemens wore his Red Sox uniform and pitched in the [[Abbot Financial Management]] Oldtime Baseball Game, an annual charity event held at St. Peter's Field in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]]. The 2019 game benefitted Compassionate Care [[ALS]], in memory of longtime [[Fenway Park]] supervisor John Welch, who died from [[Lou Gehrig]]'s Disease in December 2018. Facing mostly young college players, Clemens pitched two shutout innings in the game, then moved to first base.<ref>[https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/08/23/roger-clemens-oldtime-baseball-game-cambridge-als-boston-red-sox/ "Roger Clemens Back In Red Sox Uniform For Oldtime Baseball Game In Cambridge."] [[CBS Boston]]. August 23, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.</ref><ref name=oldtimer>Thompson, Rich. [https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/08/22/roger-clemens-faced-young-and-able-batters-in-oldtime-baseball-game/ " Roger Clemens faced young and able batters in Oldtime Baseball Game."] [[Bostonherald.com]], August 22, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.</ref>

==National Baseball Hall of Fame consideration==
In [[2013 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting]], his first year of eligibility, Clemens received 37.6% of the votes cast by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]] (BBWAA), falling well short of the 75% required for induction into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]].<ref name="Hall Says No">{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/17478624-761/hall-of-fame-says-no-to-bonds-clemens-sosa.html|title=Hall of Fame says 'no' to Bonds, Clemens, Sosa 
|access-date=January 9, 2013|date=January 9, 2013|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|author=Ginnetti, Toni}}</ref> He has garnered more votes in subsequent elections without reaching the 75% threshold: he received 59.5% in [[2019 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2019]], 61.0% in [[2020 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2020]], and 61.6% in [[2021 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2021]].  With the inductions of [[Greg Maddux]] and [[Tom Glavine]] in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2014|2014]] and [[Randy Johnson]] in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2015|2015]], Clemens is currently the only eligible member of the [[300-win club]] not to be inducted into the Hall. He received 65.2% of the votes in his final year of eligibility, 2022.<ref name=NoHoF/>

Despite falling off the ballot, Clemens is still eligible for induction through the Hall of Fame's Today's Game Committee.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Axisa |first=Mike |date=January 25, 2022 |title=Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling fall off Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in final year |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/barry-bonds-roger-clemens-curt-schilling-fall-off-baseball-hall-of-fame-ballot-in-final-year/ |access-date=January 25, 2022 |work=CBSSports.com |publisher=CBS Interactive}}</ref> The committee is composed of 16 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, executives, and veteran media members.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/rules/eras-committees
|title=Era Committees
|website=National Baseball Hall of Fame
|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref> (hence the nickname of "veterans committee") who consider retired players who lost ballot eligibility while still having made notable contributions to baseball from 1986-2016. The most recent voting by the committee was held in December 2022, and 12 votes were required for induction.<ref name="y788">{{cite web | last=Snyder | first=Matt | title=How Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, others can still make Hall of Fame after falling off ballot in final year | website=CBSSports.com | date=2022-01-26 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/how-barry-bonds-roger-clemens-others-can-still-make-hall-of-fame-after-falling-off-ballot-in-final-year/ | access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref>  Clemens received fewer than four votes out of sixteen cast and as a result was not selected for induction.<ref name="w204">{{cite web | last=Axisa | first=Mike | title=Baseball Hall of Fame results: Fred McGriff voted in by committee; Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens kept out | website=CBSSports.com | date=2022-12-04 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-results-fred-mcgriff-voted-in-by-committee-barry-bonds-roger-clemens-kept-out/ | access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref>

==Pitching style==
Clemens was a prototypical [[power pitcher]] with an aggressive edge, especially early in his career. Clemens was said to throw "two pitches: a 98-mph [[fastball]] and a hard [[breaking ball]]. At 23, Clemens simply reared back and threw the ball past batters."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/1999/10/16/roger-clemens-in-1986-and-pedro-martinez-in-1999-owned-american-league-hitters-with-striking-ease/|title=Roger Clemens In 1986 And Pedro Martinez In 1999 Owned American League Hitters With Striking Ease|last=Doyle|first=Peter|date=October 16, 1999|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref> Later in his career, Clemens developed a [[split-finger fastball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://a.espncdn.com/mlb/columns/candiotti_tom/1394841.html|title=Fastball, splitter key to Clemens's success|last=Candiotti|first=Tom|date=June 14, 2002|work=ESPN.com|access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref> Clemens has jocularly referred to this pitch as "Mr. Splitty".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courant.com/2001/10/21/clemens-better-ready-to-pitch/|title=Clemens Better, Ready To Pitch|last=Amore|first=Dom|date=October 21, 2001|work=Hartford Courant|access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1558838|title=Seven years ago, Sox saw different Clemens|last=McAdam|first=Sean|date=May 25, 2003|work=ESPN.com|access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref>

By the time Clemens retired from Major League Baseball in 2007, his [[four-seam fastball]] had settled in the 91–94&nbsp;mph range. He also threw a [[two-seam fastball]], a [[Slider (baseball)|slider]] in the mid 80s, a [[Split-finger fastball|splitter]], and an occasional [[curveball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brooksbaseball.net/player_cards/player_card.php?player=112388|title=Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool – Player Card: Roger Clemens|publisher=Brooks Baseball|access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref> Clemens was a durable pitcher, leading the American League in [[complete game]]s three times and [[innings pitched]] twice.<ref name="Stats" /> Clemens threw 18 complete games in 1987 which no pitcher has since matched.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/CG_leagues.shtml|title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Complete Games|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref> Clemens was also known as a strikeout pitcher, leading the AL in Ks five times and [[strikeouts per nine innings]] three times.<ref name="Stats" /> He is currently the only pitcher in Major League history to have thrown two 20-strikeout games.<ref name="c474">{{cite web | last=Harrigan | first=Thomas | title=Pitchers who recorded 20 strikeouts in a game | website=MLB.com | date=2020-03-29 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/pitchers-who-recorded-20-strikeouts-in-a-game | access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref>

==Controversies==
{{Criticism section|date=April 2025}}
Clemens has the reputation of a pitcher unafraid to throw close to batters. Clemens led his league in hit batsmen only once, in 1995, but he was among the leaders in several other seasons. This tendency was more pronounced during his earlier career and subsequently tapered off. After the [[2000 American League Championship Series|2000 ALCS game]] against the Mariners where he knocked down future teammate [[Alex Rodriguez]] and then argued with him, [[Seattle Mariners]] manager [[Lou Piniella]], a former Yankee, called Clemens a "headhunter."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/2000/world_series/news/2000/10/22/mets_yankees_game2_ap/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010507010939/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/2000/world_series/news/2000/10/22/mets_yankees_game2_ap/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 7, 2001|work=CNN|access-date=April 10, 2010|title=Clemens dominates Mets; Yankees take 2–0 series lead}}</ref> His beaning earlier that year of [[Mike Piazza]], followed by throwing a broken bat in Piazza's direction in the [[2000 World Series]], cemented Clemens's surly, unapologetic image in the minds of many. In 2009, former manager [[Cito Gaston]] publicly denounced Clemens as a "[[Doublespeak|double-talker]]" and "a complete asshole".<ref>{{cite news|title=Clemens lambasted by Blue Jays' Gaston|publisher=CBC Sports|date=April 2, 2009|access-date=June 11, 2011|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/clemens-lambasted-by-blue-jays-gaston-1.817361}}</ref> Clemens was ranked 14th all-time in hit batsmen after the 2020 season, although not far off from other pitchers of his era at 1 hit batsmen per 125 batters faced. He had a similar rate of hit batsmen to pitchers such as Nolan Ryan, Justin Verlander, and Greg Maddux.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Career Leaders & Records for Hit Batsmen |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HBP_p_career.shtml |access-date=March 30, 2012 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Career Leaders & Records for Hit By Pitch |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HBP_p_career.shtml |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Clemens has attracted controversy over the years for his outspoken comments, such as his complaints about having to carry his own luggage through an airport and his criticism of [[Fenway Park]] for being a subpar facility.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ellenberg|first=Jordan|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2083648/|title=Roger Clemens, baseball's last great flake. – By Charles P. Pierce – Slate Magazine|publisher=Slate.com|date=May 28, 2003|access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> On April 4, 2006, Clemens made an insulting remark when asked about the devotion of Japanese and [[South Korea]]n fans during the [[World Baseball Classic]]: "None of the dry cleaners were open, they were all at the game, Japan and Korea".<ref name=japan>Cunningham, Sean. [http://www.esquire.com/sports/a4085/roger-clemens-lies/ "The Roger Clemens Web-of-Lies Timeline."] ''[[Esquire.com]]'', August 19, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Scott, Trey. [https://www.dailytexanonline.com/blogs/keeping-score/2011/07/19/clemens-gets-lucky "Clemens gets lucky."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021735/https://www.dailytexanonline.com/blogs/keeping-score/2011/07/19/clemens-gets-lucky |date=November 7, 2017 }} ''[[The Daily Texan]]'', July 19, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref>  Toward the end of his career, his annual on-and-off "retirements" revived a reputation for [[diva]]-like behavior.<ref>{{cite news|title=Martinez is one diva the Mets must suffer|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=February 25, 2006|access-date=May 7, 2007|last=O'Conner|first=Mark|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/oconnor/2006-02-25-pedro_x.htm}}</ref>

Clemens has received criticism for getting special treatment from the teams that sign him. While playing for Houston, Clemens was not obliged to travel with the team on road trips if he was not pitching. His 2007 contract with the New York Yankees had a "family plan" clause that stipulated that he not be required to go on road trips in which he was not scheduled to pitch and allowed him to leave the team between starts to be with his family. These perks were publicly criticized by Yankee reliever [[Kyle Farnsworth]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/05/18/2007-05-18_kyle_rocket_perks_bogus-1.html|title=Kyle: Rocket perks bogus|first=Mark|last=Feinsand|date=May 18, 2007|newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|access-date=June 7, 2007|archive-date=May 20, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520053634/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/05/18/2007-05-18_kyle_rocket_perks_bogus-1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most of Clemens's teammates, however, did not complain of such perks because of Clemens's success on the mound and valuable presence in the clubhouse. Yankee teammate [[Jason Giambi]] spoke for such players when he said, "I'd carry his bags for him, just as long as he is on the mound."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/sports/baseball/07clemens.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Clemens Returns, and So Does Hope for Yankees|first=Tyler|last=Kepner|date=May 7, 2007|access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

=== {{anchor|SteroidUseControversy}} Steroid use accusations ===
In [[José Canseco]]'s book, ''[[Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big]]'', Canseco suggested that Clemens had expert knowledge about steroids and suggested that he used them, based on the improvement in his performance after leaving the Red Sox. While not addressing the allegations directly, Clemens stated: "I could care less about the rules [sic]" and "I've talked to some friends of his and I've teased them that when you're under house arrest and have ankle bracelets on, you have a lot of time to write a book."<ref>{{cite news|title=Clemens Had a Fountain of Youth in Vioxx|first=Selena|last=Roberts|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/19/sports/baseball/19roberts.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 19, 2005|access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref>

[[Jason Grimsley]] named Clemens, as well as [[Andy Pettitte]], as a user of [[performance-enhancing drugs]]. According to a 20-page search warrant affidavit signed by IRS Special Agent [[Jeff Novitzky]], Grimsley told investigators he obtained amphetamines, anabolic steroids and human growth hormone from someone recommended to him by former Yankees trainer [[Brian McNamee]]. McNamee was a personal strength coach for Clemens and Pettitte, hired by Clemens in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2006/10/01/clemens_named_in_affidavit/|title=Clemens named in affidavit|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=October 1, 2007|access-date=June 11, 2007|first1=Lance|last1=Pugmire|first2=Tim|last2=Brown}}</ref> At the time of the Grimsley revelations, McNamee denied knowledge of steroid use by Clemens and Pettitte.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071216004702/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/jon_heyman/11/10/mcnamee.trainer/index.html The sixth man] ESPN.com, November 14, 2006</ref> Despite initial media reports, the affidavit made no mention of Clemens or Pettitte.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-12-21 |title=Affidavit: Grimsley names Canseco, 3 others |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3163889 |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

However, Clemens's name was mentioned 82 times in the [[Mitchell Report]] on steroid use in baseball.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071212163532/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22189702/ Mitchell Report hits Clemens, other stars hard] MSNBC.com</ref> In the report, McNamee stated that during the 1998, 2000, and 2001 baseball seasons, he injected Clemens with [[stanozolol|Winstrol]]. Clemens's attorney Rusty Hardin denied the claims, calling McNamee "a troubled and unreliable witness" who has changed his story five times in an attempt to avoid criminal prosecution. He noted that Clemens has never tested positive in a steroid test.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071213&content_id=2325308&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Clemens denies claims in Mitchell Report|work=[[Mlb.com]]|date=December 13, 2007|access-date=December 13, 2007}}</ref> Former U.S. Senator [[George J. Mitchell|George Mitchell]], who prepared the report, stated that he relayed the allegations to each athlete implicated in the report and gave them a chance to respond before his findings were published.

On January 6, 2008, Clemens went on ''[[60 Minutes]]'' to address the allegations. He told [[Mike Wallace]] that his longevity in baseball was due to "hard work" rather than illegal substances and denied all of McNamee's assertions that he injected Clemens with steroids, saying it "never happened".<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/clemens-vehemently-denies-steroid-use/ Clemens Vehemently Denies Steroid Use]  CBSNews.com, January 6, 2008</ref> On January 7, Clemens filed a defamation lawsuit against McNamee, claiming that the former trainer lied after being threatened with prosecution.<ref>{{cite news|title=Clemens Files Suit Against Ex-Trainer|first=Duff|last=Wilson|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/sports/baseball/08clemens.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 8, 2007|access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref> McNamee's attorneys argued that he was compelled to cooperate by federal officials and so his statements were protected. A federal judge agreed, throwing out all claims related to McNamee's statements to investigators on February 13, 2009, but allowing the case to proceed on statements McNamee made about Clemens to Pettitte.

On February 13, 2008, Clemens appeared before a Congressional committee, along with Brian McNamee and swore under oath that he did not take steroids, that he did not discuss HGH with McNamee, that he did not attend a party at José Canseco's where steroids were the topic of conversation, that he was only injected with B-12 and lidocaine and that he never told Pettitte he had taken HGH. This last point was in contradiction to testimony Pettitte had given under oath on February 4, 2008, wherein Pettitte said he repeated to McNamee a conversation Pettitte had with Clemens. During this conversation, Pettitte said Clemens had told him that McNamee had injected Clemens with human growth hormone. Pettitte said McNamee reacted angrily, saying that Clemens "shouldn't have done that."<ref name=tj>[[T.J. Quinn|Quinn, T.J.]] [https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3763302 "In court of public opinion, a Clemens verdict: Game over."] ''[[ESPN.com]]'',
December 12, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2017.</ref>

The bipartisan House committee in front of which Clemens appeared, citing seven apparent inconsistencies in Clemens's testimony, recommended that the Justice Department investigate whether Clemens lied under oath about using performance-enhancing drugs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708234924/http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-splott295595820feb29%2C0%2C6818107.story|url-status=dead|title=Newsday &#124; Long Island's & NYC's News Source|archivedate=July 8, 2008|website=Newsday}}</ref> In a letter sent February 27 to Attorney General [[Michael Mukasey]], House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman [[Henry Waxman]] and ranking [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Thomas M. Davis|Tom Davis]] said Clemens's testimony that he "never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone warrants further investigation".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3267163|title=Congress asks DOJ to prove whether Clemens lied under oath|work=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=February 27, 2008|access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

As a result of the Mitchell Report, Clemens was asked to end his involvement with the Giff Nielsen Day of Golf for Kids charity tournament in Houston that he has hosted for four years. As well, his name has been removed from the Houston-based Roger Clemens Institute for Sports Medicine and will be renamed the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-28 |title=Houston hospital to remove Clemens' name |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3795313 |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

After Washington prosecutors showed "a renewed interest in the case in the final months of 2008", a federal grand jury was convened in January 2009 to hear evidence of Clemens's possible perjury before Congress.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grand Jury Is Convened in Clemens Case|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 12, 2009|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/sports/baseball/13clemens.html|first=Michael S.|last=Schmidt|access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref> The grand jury indicted Clemens on August 19, 2010, on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs. The indictment charges Clemens with one count of [[Contempt of Congress|obstruction of Congress]], three counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury in connection with his February 2008 testimony.<ref name=ClemensIndicted/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ievDiRj0aLwyo9hujQPCHowoeBawD9HMNP180|title=Roger Clemens charged with perjury in steroid case|agency=Associated Press|date=August 19, 2010|work=Google News}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/19/AR2010081904125_pf.html|title=Pitching legend Roger Clemens is indicted on charges of lying to a congressional committee|date=August 20, 2010|first1=Dave|last1=Sheinin|first2=Spencer S.|last2=Hsu|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|page=A1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/sports/baseball/20clemens.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|title=Clemens Lied to Congress About Doping, Indictment Charges|first=Michael S.|last=Schmidt|date=August 20, 2010|page=A1}}</ref>

His first trial began on July 13, 2011, but on the second day of testimony the judge in the case declared a [[mistrial]] over prosecutorial misconduct after prosecutors showed the jury prejudicial evidence they were not allowed to.<ref name="Theatlant"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Judge declares mistrial in Roger Clemens perjury case| url=https://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-clemens-mistrial-20110714,0,1724711.story|last=Serrano|first=Richard A.|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 14, 2011|access-date=July 14, 2011}}</ref>  Clemens was subsequently retried. The verdict from his second trial came in on June 18, 2012. Clemens was found not guilty on all six counts of lying to Congress in 2008, when he testified that he never took performance-enhancing drugs.<ref name="usatoday1">Brady, Erik. [http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2012/06/roger-clemens-verdict/1?csp=breakingnews#.Wg97XEpKuM8 "Roger Clemens acquitted on all counts: 'You are free to go.'"] ''[[Usatoday.com]]'', July 18, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2017.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Roger Clemens Not Guilty of Lying to Congress|url=http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2012/06/roger-clemens-not-guilty-of-lying-to-congress.html|date= June 18, 2012|publisher=American Lawyer Media|work=BLT: The Blog of Legal Times|first1=Mike|last1=Scarcella|first2= Zoe|last2=Tillman|access-date=June 19, 2012}}</ref>

In January 2016, after Clemens once again fell short of the votes required for election into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]], former major-league star [[Roy Halladay]] tweeted "No Clemens no Bonds" as part of a message indicating no [[performance-enhancing substance]] users should be voted into the Hall. Clemens countered by accusing Halladay of using amphetamines during his playing career.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite news|last=Fehr|first=Israel|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/roger-clemens-fires-back-at-halladay-s-no-ped-users-in-hall-tweet-163622779.html|website=sports.yahoo.com|title=Roger Clemens fires back at Roy Halladay, says PED dig was asinine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108204002/https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/roger-clemens-fires-back-at-halladay-s-no-ped-users-in-hall-tweet-163622779.html |archive-date=January 8, 2016 |access-date=November 23, 2017}}</ref>

==Filmography==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Homer at the Bat players.png|thumb|left|Clemens ''(second from right)'' in "[[Homer at the Bat]]"]] -->
Clemens has appeared as himself in several movies and television episodes and has also occasionally acted in films. Perhaps best known was his appearance in the season three episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' ("[[Homer at the Bat]]"), in which he is recruited to the Springfield nuclear plant's softball team but is accidentally hypnotized into thinking he is a chicken; in addition to his lines, Clemens voiced his own clucking. Clemens has also made guest appearances as himself on the TV shows ''[[Hope & Faith]]'', ''[[Spin City]]'', ''[[Arli$$]]'', and ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' as well as the movie ''[[Anger Management (film)|Anger Management]]'', and makes a brief appearance in the movie ''[[Kingpin (1996 film)|Kingpin]]'' as the character Skidmark.<ref name="m973">{{cite web | title=Roger Clemens Would Pick Red Sox Hat For Hall Of Fame | website=CBS Boston | date=2015-11-19 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/roger-clemens-red-sox-hat-hall-of-fame-toucher-and-rich/ | access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref> He also is shown playing an actual game with the [[Houston Astros]] in the film ''[[Boyhood (2014 film)|Boyhood]]''.

He appeared in the 1994 movie ''[[Cobb (film)|Cobb]]'' as an unidentified pitcher for the [[Philadelphia A's]].<ref name="z796">{{cite web | last=Cohen | first=Jason | title=The amazing acting career of Roger Clemens | website=Pinstripe Alley | date=2016-02-09 | url=https://www.pinstripealley.com/2016/2/9/10920396/yankees-roger-clemens-commercial-kingpin-anger-management-red-sox-sportscenter | access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref> In 2003, he was part of an advertising campaign for [[Armour and Company|Armour hot dogs]] with MLB players [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], [[Derek Jeter]], and [[Sammy Sosa]]. Since 2005, Clemens has also appeared in many commercials for Texas-based supermarket chain [[H-E-B]]. In 2007, he appeared on a baseball-themed episode of ''[[MythBusters]]'' ("[[MythBusters (2007 season)#Episode 83 – "Baseball Myths"|Baseball Myths]]"). He has also starred in a commercial for [[Cingular]] parodying his return from retirement. He was calling his wife, Debra Godfrey, and a dropped call resulted in his return to the Yankees.

He released an early autobiography, ''Rocket Man: The Roger Clemens Story'' (written with [[Peter Gammons]]), in 1987. Clemens is also the spokesperson for Champion car dealerships in South Texas. In April 2009, Clemens was the subject of an [[unauthorized biography]] by [[Jeff Pearlman]], titled ''The Rocket that Fell to Earth-Roger Clemens and the Rage for Baseball Immortality'', that focused on his childhood and early career and accused Mike Piazza of using steroids. On May 12, Clemens broke a long silence to denounce a heavily researched exposé by four investigative reporters from the New York ''Daily News'' called ''[[American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America's Pastime]]''. Clemens went on ESPN's ''Mike and Mike'' show to call the book "garbage", but a review by Michiko Kakutani of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the book "gripping" and compared it to the work of [[Bob Woodward]].<ref name=Michiko>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/books/12kaku.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|title=How a Man Who Threw Heat Was Consumed by His Own Fire|first=Michiko|last=Kakutani|date=May 12, 2009|access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
In 1999, while many of his performances and milestones were yet to come, he ranked number 53 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''{{'}} list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was elected by the fans to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]].<ref name="y963">{{cite web  | title=100 Greatest Baseball Players by The Sporting News: A Legendary List by Baseball Almanac | website=Baseball Almanac | url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/lisn100.shtml | access-date=2024-09-16}}</ref> In 2005, the updated ''Sporting News'' 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, and the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] award in 2004), an MVP and two pitching triple crowns. With his 2004 win, he joined [[Gaylord Perry]], [[Randy Johnson]], and [[Pedro Martínez]] as the only pitchers to win it in both leagues and became the oldest [[pitcher]] to ever win the [[Cy Young]]. He has also won the [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award]] five times, was named an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] 11 times, and won the All-Star MVP in 1986. Clemens is the only pitcher in history to win a Cy Young Award with four different teams.

In October 2006, Clemens was named to ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''{{'}}s "all-time" team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sports Illustrated's All-Time Team, 10/2006 |url=http://www.baseballist.com/lists/sialltimeteam06.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009145532/http://www.baseballist.com/lists/sialltimeteam06.php |archive-date=October 9, 2007 |access-date=June 7, 2007 |website=Baseball List}}</ref>

On August 18, 2007, Clemens got his 1,000th strikeout as a [[New York Yankees|Yankee]]. He is only the ninth player in major league history to record 1,000 or more strikeouts with two different teams. Clemens has recorded a total of 2,590 strikeouts as a member of the Red Sox and 1,014 strikeouts as a Yankee. He also had 563 strikeouts for Toronto, and 505 strikeouts for Houston.

Clemens was inducted into the [[Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame]] in 2014,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/redsox/history/red-sox-hall-of-fame |title=Red Sox Hall of Fame |work=[[MLB.com]] |access-date=June 7, 2019}}</ref> and was inducted into the [[Pawtucket Red Sox]] Hall of Fame on June 21, 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 21, 2019 |title=Roger Clemens inducted into PawSox Hall of Fame |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2019/06/21/roger-clemens-inducted-into-pawsox-hall-of-fame/39612523/ |access-date=June 21, 2019 |work=[[USA Today]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:President George H. W. Bush meets with Roger Clemens and his wife in the Oval Office, and they exchange signed baseballs.jpg|thumb|right|Clemens (left) with [[United States president|President]] [[George H. W. Bush]] (center) and Clemens's wife, Debra, in the [[Oval Office]] in 1989]]
Clemens married Debra Lynn Godfrey (born May 27, 1963) on November 24, 1984. The couple has four sons: [[Koby Clemens|Koby Aaron]], Kory Allen, Kacy Austin, and [[Kody Clemens|Kody Alec]]—all given "K" names to honor Clemens's strikeouts ("K"s). Koby was at one time a minor league prospect for some MLB clubs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Koby Clemens Minor, Winter, Fall & Independent Leagues Statistics & History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=clemen001kob|website=Baseball-Reference|access-date=September 10, 2017}}</ref> Kacy played college baseball for the [[Texas Longhorns baseball|Texas Longhorns]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/baseball/2013/06/10/kacy-clemens-attend-texas-draft-houston-astros/2408463|work=[[USA Today]]|title=Roger Clemens's son headed to Texas, rather than Astros|first=Erick|last=Smith|date=June 10, 2013|access-date=June 13, 2017}}</ref> Kody also played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns and made his major league debut with the [[Detroit Tigers]] on May 31, 2022.<ref name="k508">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-30 |title=Clemens' son 'a big leaguer' after Tigers add him |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34010361/detroit-tigers-add-kody-clemens-major-league-roster |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

Debra once left a Red Sox game, when Clemens pitched for another team, in tears from the heckling she received. This is documented in an updated edition of [[Dan Shaughnessy]]'s best-selling book ''[[Curse of the Bambino]]''. Debra was quoted in the book as saying that it was the poor attitude of Red Sox fans that prevented the team from winning the World Series (this was quoted prior to the team's 2004 World Series victory).

Clemens is a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and donated money to Texas [[United States Congress|congressman]] [[Ted Poe]] during his 2006 [[Political campaign|campaign]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Giroux |first=Greg |date=March 30, 2007 |title=Some Big Names in Lineup of Baseballers Who Pitch Campaign Cash |url=https://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/03/30/cq_2496.html |access-date=2024-09-16 |work=[[The New York Times]]|via=Congressional Quarterly}}</ref>

Debra posed in a [[bikini]] with her husband for a ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' pictorial regarding athletes and their wives. This appeared in the annual ''[[Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition]]'' for 2003. Roger wore his Yankees uniform, with the jersey open.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debbieclemens.com/|title=Debbie Clemens – Official Website|publisher=Debbieclemens.com|access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

On February 27, 2006, to train for the [[World Baseball Classic]], Roger pitched in an exhibition game between the [[Astros]] and his son's minor league team. In his first at-bat, Koby hit a [[home run]] off his father. In his next at-bat, Roger threw an inside pitch that almost hit Koby. Koby laughed in an interview after the game about the incident.

===Adultery accusations===
In April 2008, the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' reported on a possible long-term relationship between Clemens and country music singer [[Mindy McCready]] that began when she was 15 years old.<ref name="nydaily">{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Teri|author2=Nanthaniel Vinton|author3=Christian Red|title=Sources: Roger Clemens had 10-year fling with country star Mindy McCready|work=[[New York Daily News]]|date=April 28, 2008|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/04/27/2008-04-27_sources_roger_clemens_had_10year_fling_w.html|access-date=April 28, 2008|archive-date=May 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507204908/https://www.nydailynews.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Clemens's attorney [[Rusty Hardin]] denied the affair and also stated that Clemens would be bringing a defamation suit regarding this allegation. Clemens's attorney admitted that a relationship existed but described McCready as a "close family friend". He also stated that McCready had traveled on Clemens's personal jet and that Clemens's wife was aware of the relationship.<ref name="nydaily" /> However, when contacted by the ''Daily News'', McCready said, "I cannot refute anything in the story."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/report-mindy-mccready-confirms-affair-with-roger-clemens|title=Report: Mindy McCready Confirms Affair With Roger Clemens|publisher=Foxnews.com|date=December 17, 2009|access-date=March 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402080358/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C353056%2C00.html|archive-date=April 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

On November 17, 2008, McCready spoke in more detail to ''[[Inside Edition]]'' about her affair with Clemens, saying their relationship lasted for more than a decade and that it ended when Clemens refused to leave his wife to marry her. However, she denied that she was 15 years old when it began, saying that they met when she was 16 and the affair only became sexual "several years later".<ref name="si.com">{{cite news|title=Report: Mindy McCready talks about Clemens Affair |publisher=[si.com] |date=November 17, 2008 |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/11/17/clemens.mcready.ap/index.html |access-date=November 18, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206013048/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/11/17/clemens.mcready.ap/index.html |archive-date=December 6, 2008 }}</ref> In another soon-to-be-released sex tape by [[Vivid Entertainment]], she claimed that the first time she had sex with him was when she was 21. A few days after the ''Daily News'' broke the story about the McCready relationship, they reported on another Clemens extramarital relationship, this time with Paulette Dean Daly, the now ex-wife of pro golfer [[John Daly (golfer)|John Daly]]. Daly declined to elaborate on the nature of her relationship with the pitcher but did not deny that it was romantic and included financial support.<ref name="nydaily2">{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Teri|author2=Michael O'Keefee|author3=Nathaniel Vinton|title=Roger Clemens linked to John Daly's ex|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|date=May 1, 2008|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/04/30/2008-04-30_roger_clemens_linked_to_john_dalys_ex.html|access-date=May 1, 2008|archive-date=May 2, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502003647/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/04/30/2008-04-30_roger_clemens_linked_to_john_dalys_ex.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

There have been reports of Clemens having at least three other affairs with women. On April 29, 2008, the ''[[New York Post]]'' reported that Clemens had relationships with two or more women. One, a former bartender in Manhattan, refused comment on the story, while another, a woman from Tampa, could not be located.<ref name="nypost">{{Cite news |last=Chiaramonte |first=Perry |last2=MacInthose |first2=Jeane |date=April 29, 2008 |title=CLEMENS GAL'S COMEBACK PITCH |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292008/news/nationalnews/clemens_gals_comeback_pitch_108588.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502125924/http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292008/news/nationalnews/clemens_gals_comeback_pitch_108588.htm |archive-date=May 2, 2008 |access-date=May 2, 2008 |work=New York Post}}</ref> On May 2 of the same year, the ''Daily News'' reported a stripper in Detroit called a local radio station and said she had an affair with Clemens.<ref name="nydaily3">{{cite news|last=Thompson |first=Teri |author2=Michael O'Keefee |author3=Nathaniel Vinton |title=Pals beg Rocket to abort lawsuit |newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|date=May 1, 2008 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/05/01/2008-05-01_pals_beg_rocket_to_abort_lawsuit.html |access-date=May 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503030816/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/05/01/2008-05-01_pals_beg_rocket_to_abort_lawsuit.html |archive-date=May 3, 2008 }}</ref> He also gave tickets to baseball games, jewelry, and trips to women he was wooing.<ref name="nydaily4">{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Teri|author2=Michael O'Keefee|author3=Nathaniel Vinton|title=Mindy McCready's mother recalls moment of truth for Roger Clemens|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]|date=May 4, 2008|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/05/03/2008-05-03_mindy_mccreadys_mother_recalls_moment_of-2.html|access-date=May 4, 2008|archive-date=May 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508183042/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/05/03/2008-05-03_mindy_mccreadys_mother_recalls_moment_of-2.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Texas|Ohio|Baseball}}
{{div col}}
* [[Houston Astros award winners and league leaders]]
* [[List of Boston Red Sox award winners]]
* [[List of Boston Red Sox team records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of people from Dayton, Ohio]]
* [[List of Toronto Blue Jays team records]]
* [[List of University of Texas at Austin alumni]]
* [[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[Toronto Blue Jays award winners and league leaders]]
{{div col end}}
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Baseballstats |mlb=112388 |espn=1427 |br=c/clemero02 |fangraphs=815 |brm=clemen001wil}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0166048|name=Roger Clemens}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180818051944/http://www.rogerclemensfoundation.org/about.php Roger Clemens Foundation]

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{{Navboxes
| title = Roger Clemens—awards, championships, and honors
| list1 =
{{1983 Texas Longhorns baseball}}
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{{The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award}}
{{Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year Award}}
{{1999 New York Yankees}}
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{{Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award}}
{{MLB Triple Crowns (pitchers)}}
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{{AL strikeout champions}}
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{{MLBACT}}
{{ESPY Comeback Athlete}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Clemens, Roger}}
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