President Donald Trump called for former pitcher Roger Clemens to be inducted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Trump made the remarks on his Truth Social account on Sunday, a day after he said he played golf with the MLB legend.
“I played Golf yesterday with the Great Roger Clemens and his son, Kacy,” Trump posted. “Roger Clemens was easily one of the few Greatest Pitchers of All Time, winning 354 Games, the Cy Young Award seven times (A Record, by a lot!), and played in six World Series, winning two! He was second to Nolan Ryan in most strike-outs [sic], and he should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, NOW!”
Clemens played for 24 seasons, pitching for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros. He was an 11-time All-Star and won the Cy Young Award, MLB’s annual honor for the best pitcher in each league, seven times. He’s the only pitcher in history to achieve 4,672 strikeouts and 354 wins. He is tied with several other pitchers for the MLB record for most strikeouts in a nine-inning baseball game with 20.
Clemens has the credentials necessary to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but has not received the votes needed from sportswriters who elect the players each year to receive the honor. Many suspect Clemens used performance-enhancing drugs during his career to give him an advantage over his opponents. Trump acknowledged the suspicions in his post.
“People think he took drugs, but nothing was proven,” Trump said. “He never tested positive, and Roger, from the very beginning, totally denies it. He was just as great before those erroneous charges were leveled at him. That rumor has gone on for years, and there has been no evidence whatsoever that he was a ‘druggie.’”
Trump also mentioned similarities between Clemens and former MLB legend Peter Rose of the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos. Rose is baseball’s hit king, having attained the most hits of any player in MLB history. He was banned from the league in 1989 over accusations that he gambled on baseball games during his career and while managing the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 to 1989.
“This is going to be like Pete Rose where, after over 4,000 Hits, they wouldn’t put him in the Hall of Fame until I spoke to the Commissioner, and he promised to do so, but it was essentially a promise not kept because he only “opened it up” when Pete died and, even then, he said that Pete Rose only got into the mix because of DEATH,” Trump said. “We are not going to let that happen in the case of Roger Clemens. 354 Wins — Put him in NOW. He and his great family should not be forced to endure this “stupidity” any longer!”