Trump to Present Presidential Medal of Freedom to Clemens

President Donald Trump said he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Clemens, describing the seven-time Cy Young winner as maybe the greatest pitcher of all time. The announcement came at a rally in San Antonio, where Trump also pressed again for the former pitcher's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Clemens, known as The Rocket, has not received that honor amid suspicions of steroid use during his 24-year career spent with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

Medal Described as Top Honor

He noted that the medal represents a big step up from the Hall of Fame and said Clemens deserves the recognition as one of the greatest athletes ever. The president has given the same medal to other athletes during his two terms, including Tiger Woods, Roger Staubach, Mariano Rivera and Lou Holtz, as well as to Elvis Presley after his death and to Rush Limbaugh.

Clemens Attends Event

The revelation came near the end of a speech that lasted more than 100 minutes. Clemens was present and joined the president on stage, where he said he was stunned by the news. He called the medal a greater honor than anything from his playing days and noted it was meaningful to receive it in Texas. Trump has also advocated for Pete Rose to enter the Hall of Fame after issuing a posthumous pardon that led Major League Baseball to lift its ban on the former player.