- In full:
- William Roger Clemens
- Awards And Honors:
- World Series
- Cy Young Award (2004)
- Cy Young Award (2001)
- Cy Young Award (1998)
- Cy Young Award (1997)
- Cy Young Award (1991)
- Cy Young Award (1987)
- Cy Young Award (1986)
- Most Valuable Player (1986)
- Cy Young Award (x7)
- Triple Crown (x2)
- All-Star Game MVP
- 7x ERA leader
- 2 World Series championships
- 1x MVP
- 11x All-Star
- College:
- San Jacinto College (Pasadena, TX); San Jacinto College, North Campus (Houston, TX); University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
- Height/Weight:
- 6 ft 4 inches, 205 lb (193 cm, 92 kg)
- Batting Hand:
- right
- Throwing Hand:
- right
- Debut Date:
- May 15, 1984
- Draft:
- Drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the June 1981 MLB draft and by the Boston Red Sox in the first round (19th) of the June 1983 MLB draft.
- Last Game:
- September 16, 2007
- Jersey Number:
- 12 (1999-1999, New York Yankees)
- 22 (2004-2006, Houston Astros)
- 21 (1984-1996, Boston Red Sox)
- 22 (1999-2007, New York Yankees)
- 21 (1997-1998, Toronto Blue Jays)
- Position:
- pitcher
- Earned Run Average:
- 3.12
- Games Played:
- 709
- Games Started:
- 707
- Innings Pitched:
- 4,916.20
- Losses:
- 184
- Saves:
- 0
- Strikeouts:
- 4,672
- Walks And Hits Per Inning Pitched:
- 1.173
- Wins:
- 354
- Twitter Handle:
- @rogerclemens
Roger Clemens
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Who is Roger Clemens?
Roger Clemens, born in Dayton, Ohio, on August 4, 1962, is an American former professional baseball player. Known as one of baseball's most successful power pitchers, he earned the nickname "Rocket." Clemens played college baseball for the University of Texas Longhorns before the Boston Red Sox drafted him in 1983.
Clemens is the first pitcher to have won seven Cy Young Awards. He also won two pitching triple crowns. Clemens was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs between 1998 and 2001, but was found not guilty on all charges. He played his final major league season in 2007.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What position did Roger Clemens play in baseball?
Roger Clemens was a professional baseball player who played as a pitcher. He earned the nickname "Rocket" due to being one of the most successful power pitchers in baseball history. Clemens played in 709 games, starting in 707 of them, and he maintained an earned run average of 3.12. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1983, making his major league debut in 1984. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, a rare achievement for a pitcher. He also twice struck out 20 batters in a single game.
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For which major baseball teams did Roger Clemens play?
Roger Clemens, nicknamed "Rocket," played for the Boston Red Sox (1984-1996), Toronto Blue Jays (1997-1998), New York Yankees (1999-2007), and Houston Astros (2004-2006). Clemens debuted in the major league in 1984 after the Boston Red Sox drafted him in 1983. He is the first pitcher to have won the Cy Young Award seven times.
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What were some of Roger Clemens’s biggest achievements in his career?
Roger Clemens, nicknamed "Rocket," had a 24-year baseball career as a successful power pitcher. Clemens won a record seven Cy Young Awards and led the league in ERA seven times. In 1986, he achieved a rare double honor for a pitcher, winning the American League MVP award with a 24–4 record, a 2.48 ERA, and 238 strikeouts, while also helping the Boston Red Sox to the American League pennant. Clemens also won two pitching triple crowns, once in 1997 and again in 1998. In 1999, he won a World Series championship with the New York Yankees. Clemens passed 4,000 strikeouts in 2003, the same year he recorded his 300th career win.
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Why is Roger Clemens considered one of the best pitchers in baseball history?
Roger Clemens, nicknamed "Rocket," is considered among the best pitchers in baseball history due to his successful career as a power pitcher. Clemens was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award seven times. He also won a pitching triple crown twice. In 1986, he was voted AL MVP after a 24–4 record, a 2.48 ERA, and 238 strikeouts. Over his 24-year career, Clemens threw 4,672 strikeouts, the third most of all time.
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What controversies affected Roger Clemens’s legacy in baseball?
Roger Clemens's baseball legacy is marked by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. In December 2007, the Mitchell Report alleged that Clemens used these drugs during the 1998, 2000, and 2001 seasons, which he denied.
In 2008, Clemens testified before Congress, denying the allegations, leading to a Justice Department investigation into whether he lied under oath. In 2010, he was indicted on charges of perjury and making false statements to Congress. After a mistrial in 2011, he was found not guilty on all charges in a 2012 retrial. Despite his accomplishments, the controversy has affected his Baseball Hall of Fame prospects.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.) is an American professional baseball player who was one of the most successful power pitchers in history, thus earning his nickname, “Rocket.” He was the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award seven times.
Clemens was raised in Texas and played college baseball for the University of Texas Longhorns before being drafted in 1983 by the Boston Red Sox. After only one year in the minor leagues, Clemens made his major league debut in 1984. In 1986 he had a record of 24 wins and 4 losses with a league-leading earned run average (ERA) of 2.48, and he helped the Red Sox to the American League pennant. He was awarded his first Cy Young Award and was also voted the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP), a rare double honour for a pitcher. Clemens went on to win two additional Cy Young Awards (1987 and 1991) while playing with the Red Sox.
Clemens left Boston to play with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 and once again won the Cy Young Award after winning his first career pitching triple crown by leading the AL in wins (21), strikeouts (292), and ERA (2.05). In 1998 he won a second triple crown (with 20 wins, 271 strikeouts, and a 2.65 ERA) to earn his record fifth career Cy Young Award. He was traded to the New York Yankees in 1999 and finally won a World Series championship that season. He had respectable seasons in 1999 and 2000, but he was back in top form in 2001, earning 20 wins and a sixth Cy Young Award. In 2004 he pitched for the Houston Astros, posting 18 wins and earning his seventh Cy Young Award (and his first in the National League). After three seasons with the Astros, Clemens returned to the Yankees in 2007, a year in which he started just 17 games and threw a career-low 68 strikeouts. Although he never officially retired, 2007 was his final season in the major leagues.
Clemens twice struck out 20 batters in a single game (in 1986 and 1996—at that time no pitcher had reached this record even once) and passed the 4,000-strikeout mark in 2003, the same year he picked up his 300th career win. Clemens suffered from shoulder problems during the latter stages of his career, but he remained a feared pitcher despite his age and the decreased velocity of his fastball.
In December 2007 Clemens was prominently mentioned in the report on steroid use in baseball by former U.S. senator George J. Mitchell. In it Clemens was alleged to have taken performance-enhancing drugs during the 1998, 2000, and 2001 baseball seasons; Clemens denied the allegations. In 2010 he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of perjury and making false statements to Congress for allegedly lying to a U.S. House of Representatives committee in 2008, when he denied having used performance-enhancing drugs. After a mistrial in 2011, Clemens went on trial again the following year and was found not guilty on all charges.