CLEMENS’ CAP
Michele is angry irritated about Roger Clemens’ announcement that he will boycott his own Hall of Fame induction ceremony if he is enshrined with a Red Sox cap on his statue.
While I agree with Michele that Clemens spent the bulk of his career with the Sox and had some of his biggest achievements there, he won his two World Series rings, his 300th game, and recorded his 4,000th strikeout wearing a Yankees cap. He has won his last 67 games with the Yankees (124 60 games his first four seasons and 7 more so far this year). It’s been a long time since he wore a Red Sox unie and is now identified by most casual fans as a Yankee. More importantly, Clemens sees himself as a Yankee.
Generally, I’d say a player should have the right to choose his cap, with the HOF having a veto power over any obviously unreasonable choice. Clemens going in as a Yankee isn’t unreasonable.
Update: Michele now has an honest-to-goodness unscientific internet poll up on the subject.
I’m not really angry about it – I just think if his crowning achievements on a personal level (so not including the World Series rings) were made with the Sox, he should go in that way.
Fair enough. Of course, two WS rings, his 300th victory, and his 4000th strikeouts are fairly major milestones.
In that I spent my teen years in Boston, I’ll always identify Roger Clemens with the Red Sox. But he’s right, in that he reached the height of his career with the Yankees; it makes sense for him to be wearing a Yankee cap.
I don’t really do sports, but I’d agree. It’d be cool for him to embrace the Sox heritage, but he’s at least as much a Yankee. I also got the impression he never cared much for Boston when he was there.
I really can’t see an argument for a player not being allowed to choose.
No, not unless it was an obviously bogus situation where a guy played 15 years with one club an one with another. There was a case a year or two ago where a player was essentially trying to sell his cap choice to the highest bidder, which is rather unseemly.
He’s only won 67 games with the Yankees in four plus seasons. You read the wrong column on your linked sheet (games or games started).
BB,
Oops! You’re right. I should have realized he wasn’t winning 30-odd games a year. That doesn’t happen in the era of 5-man rotations (or is it 6 in Yankee land?).
One wonders, in some ways, why the BoSox would want him, given that he essentially spits at them at every opportunity.
I was born in NYC and raised a Yankee fan. I STILL have problems with Roger being a Yankee. I was at Wrigley for Roger vs. Kerry though I could have fetched a cool grand for my ducket. This all started when someone SOLD his hat. This has nothing to do with Roger. He has always been highly principled and honest. He should wear what he wants. The Hall of course is run by a former spin doctor for the old baseball broadcaster Ronnie, and he did not distinguish himself with Robbins and Sarandon. The Hall belongs to the Players and the Fans. It does not belong to the people entrusted to operate it. And by the way Roger please when you get enshrined please carry a Scout under each arm so they can get in also.