Trump to award Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Clemens
The former MLB pitcher, denied entry to the Hall of Fame, was surprised by the announcement at a Texas rally.
Explainer
President Donald Trump announced he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to retired Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens. The surprise declaration came near the end of a campaign rally in San Antonio on Wednesday night. Trump called the seven-time Cy Young Award winner "maybe the greatest pitcher of all time" and renewed his calls for Clemens to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Clemens, who was in attendance, took the stage and said he was stunned by the honour.
"Well, I'm stunned," Clemens said from the stage. He later added that the honour superseded anything he had done in his playing career and that there would not be another president he would want to receive it from. The 64-year-old former pitcher, who played 24 seasons from 1984 to 2007, also said Trump was "a winner right there." Trump told the crowd the medal is the nation's highest civilian honour and said it was a big step up from the Hall of Fame.
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Why is Roger Clemens not in the Hall of Fame?
Clemens has been repeatedly rejected for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown due to suspicions he used performance-enhancing drugs during his career. He was named in the 2007 Mitchell Report and was later acquitted in 2012 of federal charges that he lied to Congress about using such drugs. Clemens has denied using steroids. He did not receive enough votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America and was also shunned by a separate era committee ballot last year. He will not be eligible to reappear on the writers' ballot until 2031.
At the rally, Trump addressed the allegations directly. "By the way, people talk drugs. He never admitted to anything. They have no information, they didn't find anything," Trump said. "He never admitted to anything. He's just a physical monster, ok? He is." Trump also said he called MLB commissioner Rob Manfred after golfing with Clemens last year to advocate for his Hall of Fame induction. The president has previously called for the induction of Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, and issued him a posthumous federal pardon last year.
What are Roger Clemens's career accomplishments?
Clemens is one of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history. He is the only pitcher to win seven Cy Young Awards, given annually to the best pitcher in each league. He recorded 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts over his career, which ranks third on the all-time strikeout list behind Randy Johnson and Nolan Ryan. Clemens played for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros, winning two World Series rings. He was the American League MVP in 1986 while with the Red Sox.
During his remarks, Trump incorrectly claimed Clemens held the record for most hit batters. Clemens corrected him from the stage, saying, "I don't think I lead Major League Baseball in hit batters, Mr. President." Clemens hit 159 batters in his career, which ranks 15th all-time. He joked about Trump's detailed recitation of his stats, saying, "The way he talked about all my stats, he could be my agent, and I guess I could come out of retirement again."
Who else has received the medal from Trump?
Trump has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to several other sports figures during his two terms in office. Previous recipients include golf legend Tiger Woods, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz. He has also bestowed the honour posthumously on singer Elvis Presley and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. The medal is the highest civilian award in the United States.
The announcement came at a rally for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in San Antonio. Clemens had introduced Trump at the event more than 100 minutes earlier, praising the president for loving the country and making it safer. Trump said he did not realize Clemens was not in the Hall of Fame until they played golf together last year. Clemens expressed his appreciation for the award being announced in Texas, his home state. Trump concluded his praise by saying, "He'll be in the Hall of Fame someday, but he deserves it. One of the greatest athletes, and maybe the greatest pitcher, of all time."
With files from CBC News, Yahoo Sports and The Boston Globe