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April's Sports View
SPORTS VIEW By Leigh Douglas As the ‘madness’ winds down, I find myself having to eat crow. Illinois is for real (I still stand by Carolina winning it all) but the fighting Illini are a much better team than I had given them credit. As the NFL...
Home Run Statistics - Do You Like 'Em
Home Run Statistics - Going going gone.
The home run. One of sports grandest sights. Whether it is a line drive that barely clears the wall or a pop up that glances off the foul pole. Or if it's a shot that goes 40 rows back. It is still a home...
Some Baseball Quotes I Think You Will Enjoy
“The game has cleanness. If you do a good job the numbers say so. You don't have to ask anyone or play politics. You don't have to wait for the reviews."
Sandy Koufax, Dodgers Pitcher (1955-66)
"Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to...
The Base Hit
The Base Hit © William A. Patsis 2004 Sometimes there is that rare moment that causes one to reflect on those matters that are deemed important and deflect those that are not. It is a very humbling experience but a nice feeling nevertheless. I had...
The Benefits of Portable Batting Cages
Many advanced baseball and softball teams use portable batting cages to ensure adequate training while on the road. Just like standard batting cages, portable models act as a virtual catcher, helping to control the movement of baseballs and...
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Clemens Strikes Out 20, Again; Rocket Repeats Magic 10 Years After
DETROIT--In 1986, Roger Clemens was a young fireballer amidst his first Cy Young season when he struck out 20 Seattle Mariners and established a Major League Baseball record. That same year, Clemens won All-Star Game MVP honors as well as the regular-season MVP while leading the Red Sox to the World Series. In short, he was baseball's best player. Fast forward to September 18, 1996, and The Rocket takes the hill in Detroit in front of a sparse crowd of 8,779 in cavernous Tiger Stadium. Both teams are out of the pennant race and Clemens, who is 39-38 during the past four seasons, is two weeks away from becoming a free agent. "I know I'm winding down," said Clemens, who entered the game 9-12 on the season, "and the wins haven't fallen my way this year like I would've hoped."
Four innings later, Rocket is firing on all cylinders. He has nine strikeouts when he fans Travis Fryman to start the 5th inning. Melvin Nieves and Phil Nevin sit down next. Clemens now has 12 strikeouts including the last five batters. After a leadoff single in the sixth, he gets the side again as Kimera Bartee, Bobby Higginson, and Alan Trammell fall victim in order. Clemens tacks on two more strikeouts in both the 7th and 8th innings. He toes the rubber in the final frame with 19 strikeouts, one shy of his own record. With one out, Ruben Sierra
singles; it's the fifth Tiger hit of the night (all singles). Tony Clark follows and flies out. Fryman is next and Clemens rings him up to make history, again. "You can't even count on striking out 20 big-league hitters, I'm just happy to tie it. I knew that I had it in the upper teens, but then [catcher Bill] Haselman ran out to the mound to let me know I was near the record," said Clemens. "I think that made it more emotional for me. I mean that's all but seven guys in the game."
Just as he did 10 years earlier, Clemens issued no walks while striking out 20. The victory stands as his final win in a Red Sox uniform and it took 151 pitches to complete. The win also tied him with Cy Young atop the Red Sox all-time leader board in victories (192) and shutouts (38). "I feel very fortunate and very blessed," Clemens said. "I've been doing it for 13 years and I can't believe I had 20 again. I knew I had a lot, but this is incredible."
About the Author
Keith Gentili is an award-winning sports writer and editor with ThatsMyTicket.com, a manufacturer of Sports and Concert Ticket Frames. Their products capture the experience and memory of attending significant events by combining elements such as stats, stories, headlines, and licensed photography with actual tickets and personal pictures.
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