President Donald Trump has gone to bat for Roger Clemens and his Corridor of Fame eligibility es. Throughout his m within the lead-up to subsequent month's midterms, Trump once more stumped for the Houston star's induction into Cooperstown whereas additionally awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Clemens, who started receiving Trump's public assist for the Corridor of Fame after taking part in golf with him in 2025, launched the president to the San Antonio crowd earlier than Trump closed the present with the Medal of Freedom announcement.
Clemens, who helped the Houston Astros attain the 2005 World Collection, actually has the on-field credentials as a Corridor of Famer with all of the numbers he racked up with the Boston Purple Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Astros. Whereas the r really ranks third in strikeouts behind solely n and Randy Johnson and is the one pitcher to win seven Cy Younger Awards, it's the steroid hypothesis that has saved him out of Cooperstown.
Clemens' title was within the 2007 Mitchell Report and he was s after he testified. Clemens was acquitted of the fees and has denied any use of performance-enhancing medicine. Clemens by no means obtained sufficient votes from the Baseball Writers Affiliation of America to get elected, then was t. He received't be eligible to reappear on the poll till 2031.
"By the way in which, folks discuss medicine. He by no means admitted to something. They haven’t any info, they didn't discover something," Trump stated Wednesday night time. "It's not like, 'Oh jeez, he was loaded up.' He by no means admitted to something. He's only a bodily monster."
Trump stated he didn't understand Clemens wasn't already within the Corridor of Fame till they golf collectively final 12 months, and that he referred to as Main League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred after that outing to attempt to assist the pitcher get inducted. Trump additionally stated he "labored arduous to get a person named Pete Rose into the Baseball Corridor of Fame earlier than he died." Trump did publicly assist baseball's all-time hits chief and, in 2025, Manfred dominated that Rose and different deceased gamers on baseball's completely ineligible listing are not banned. Nevertheless, Rose nonetheless has not been voted into the Corridor.
Regardless, Trump says the upcoming award for Clemens, who performed 24 years within the huge leagues, surpasses any honor baseball may give him.
"He'll be within the Corridor of Fame sometime, however he deserves it," Trump stated. "One of many best athletes and possibly the best pitcher of all-time and he deserves to be within the Corridor of Fame, however this can be a huge step up from the Corridor of Fame, the Presidential Medal of Freedom."
Clemens, sporting a cap with "USA" on the entrance, returned to the stage to shake palms with the president.
"Properly, I'm shocked, No. 1. Once more, 24 years y'all. This supersedes something that, clearly, I've finished in my taking part in profession," Clemens stated. "And to get it from this man, this president, there wouldn't be one other president I'd wish to get it from.
"To announce it right here in my residence state and from this man, you're speaking a few winner. That's a winner proper there."
Clemens was equally effusive together with his reward when he launched the president greater than 100 minutes earlier, when he stated, "What a privilege it’s for me to be right here to intro our nice president. A person that loves our nation, that places all of us first and places America first. That is what I really like: He's made us higher, he's made us stronger, and extra importantly, due to the border and every part right here, he's made us safer."
Clemens will be a part of a number of different sports activities figures who’ve obtained the award throughout Trump's two phrases within the White Home, together with golfer Tiger Woods, Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Roger Staubach, former New York Yankees nearer Mariano Rivera and faculty soccer coach Lou Holtz.
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This text initially revealed at m.