FORT SMITH — As a former pitcher, Roger Clemens has enjoyed the five no-hitters that have been thrown this season in the Major Leagues.
"They're not making the mounds any higher like they did in the late '60s," Clemens said. "I've heard a couple of people make the comment that it is the Year of the Pitcher so it's been tabbed that way."
Clemens took a special interest when Philadelphia Phillies' Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter against Florida in May.
"I was able to see the last few outs," Clemens said. "We were teammates in Toronto, and he works extremely hard. We dropped him all the way down to rookie ball at one point to work on his mechanics. He's come all the way back and won the Cy Young Award. His work ethic is great. It is the Year of the Pitcher."
Clemens was in the area this week with his son Kacy's youth baseball team, the Houston Heat White, which played in the Premier Baseball National Sophomore Championship. But he's playing a more relaxed role these days.
"I'm just the helper, icer, stretcher and more of a trainer," Clemens said. "I just enjoy helping the kids."
Clemens never threw a no-hitter, but accomplished about everything else during a 24-year Major League career. Clemens' 4,672 strikeouts ranks third all time, and he averaged almost a strikeout per inning in 4,916 2/3 career innings. His 354 wins rank ninth all time. Clemens' lifetime earned run average of 3.12 in the modern era is astonishing.
Perhaps his biggest feat is the fact that he is the only Major Leaguer to strike out 20 batters twice in his career. The first one in April 1986, while with the Boston Red Sox, is an absolute Picasso of pitching.
Clemens, in a 3-1 win against Seattle, walked zero. He threw 97 strikes and 41 balls, and only 29 of his strikes were even touched. Ten were put into play and 19 were fouled off. Only against five batters did he fail to get two strikes.
"My pitching coach, Bill Fischer, was with me on the first one and he let me know that I set the Major League record for strikeouts with the first one and tied it the second time, but his biggest thing was no walks in either one," Clemens said. "I think he still owns the record for most innings without a walk given up."
What's more amazing is that Clemens was just 23 at the time and was throwing 97 mph with pinpoint accuracy just eight months after shoulder surgery that threatened his career so early.
"When I talk to the younger boys at this age or in college or in the minor leagues is that I was fortunate to be a power pitcher and not a power thrower," Clemens said.
Clemens was known for his passion on the field and especially on the mound as an intimidating pitcher. How would Clemens have reacted if he had a perfect game taken away like Armando Galarraga of Detroit, who had a perfect game spoiled by a bad call at first base with two outs in the ninth inning against Cleveland in July?
"I don't think I would have reacted very badly because I know the umpire involved," Clemens said. "Jim Joyce is a fantastic man and a fantastic umpire. I enjoyed working with him. He was one guy that if you did become a little animated on the mound or upset, that he'd come out and give it back to you but leave you in the game for the most part.
"I guarantee you that call bothered him worse than anybody because he really works hard at what he does and wants to get them right."
Like most of the baseball world, Clemens mourned the passing of New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner two weeks ago. Clemens played for Steinbrenner's Yankees on two different occasions.
"Obviously, I was a big fan of Mr. Steinbrenner's," Clemens said. "You can never say enough about a man that if he has a dollar in his pocket and a player costs two, he's going to get the player for you.
"When you have an owner that wants to win as much as the players do, it's a really good thing. He would come in and give us a stern hello when the games got a little big and tight. He wanted us to win those games."
Clemens operates the Roger Clemens Foundation that helps a wide variety of children's charities, and Steinbrenner contributed to that as well as many other charities during his time as owner of the Yankees.
"I found out over the years about his giving and how he took care of people behind the scenes," Clemens said. "He helped with a lot of charities. He was very passionate about that. That's the side that I knew of Mr. Steinbrenner."