Trump Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Clemens
Former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens was surprised with the nation's highest civilian honor during a campaign rally in San Antonio.
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens. The announcement came as a surprise to Clemens during a Republican National Committee campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas.
Trump told the crowd that Clemens "is being given the single highest award along with the Medal of Honor." Clemens, who received the news while on stage to introduce Trump, described himself as "stunned" and stated that the honor "supersedes anything I’ve done in my playing career."
"To get it from this man, this president. There wouldn’t be another president I’d want to get it from," Clemens said. He added that receiving the award in his home state and from Trump, whom he called "a winner," was particularly meaningful.
Clemens, a 24-year MLB veteran, previously played for the Boston Red Sox and also pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. During his career, he won seven Cy Young Awards and was named MVP in his breakout 1986 season. He has a career 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts, which ranks third all-time in MLB history. Trump also used the rally to voice his continued support for Clemens' induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, an honor Clemens has not yet received amid past allegations related to performance-enhancing drugs.
Before the award announcement, Clemens introduced Trump, praising him as a leader who "loves our country, that puts all of us first, and puts America first." He added that Trump has "made us better, he’s made us stronger, and more important… he’s made us safer."