In 1996, pitcher Roger Clemens signed a four-year, $40 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Clemens only played two years with the Blue Jays but ended with an impressive 41-13 record, 2.33 ERA, and two consecutive Cy Young awards. Clemens held the pitching “title crown” during his time with the Blue Jays; he led the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He came to the Blue Jays as a free agent after anchoring the Boston Red Sox for 12 years (since his MLB debut in 1984). One of his most memorable games was when he struck out 20 batters in a Seattle Mariners versus Red Sox game in 1986. The same year, he was awarded the Cy Young Award, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, and the All-Star Game MVP Award. Clemens threw a second 20-strikeout game in 1996. He was selected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team and ended his career with a total of seven Cy Young awards; he is one of nine MLB players to reach 1,000 strikeouts. Clemens was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2014 but fell short of being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Today in Sports History: December 13
