Nicolai Haugsted
Trump suffers an embarrassing fact-check after getting a baseball record completely wrong.
President Donald Trump is no stranger to delivering lengthy speeches packed with praise for his political allies and celebrity supporters.
But during a campaign rally in Texas on Wednesday night, the president discovered that even a friendly introduction can come with an unexpected correction.
Former Major League Baseball superstar Roger Clemens had joined Trump on stage for what was supposed to be a celebratory moment.
Instead, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner found himself politely correcting the president’s knowledge of baseball history.
And he managed to get a laugh out of the situation, according to RawStory.
Trump makes a bold claim
The exchange unfolded in San Antonio, where Trump was campaigning for Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections.
Among those receiving his support was Tano Tijerina, who is challenging Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar.
Trump also used the appearance to criticize Cuellar, accusing him of disloyalty for refusing to switch parties after receiving a presidential pardon.
Politics briefly took a back seat, however, when the president invited Clemens onto the stage.
Trump was honoring the former pitcher with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, while highlighting his achievements and the fact that he had not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
But the president’s tribute included a claim that quickly attracted attention.
“Roger, how come you hit more batters than anybody in history?” Trump asked.
“And when he hit you, it hurt because it was a fastball at 99 [miles per hour] coming at your head. So, Roger had some problems.”
The remarks suggested that Clemens held Major League Baseball’s all-time record for hitting opposing batters with pitches.
Unfortunately for Trump, the numbers tell a different story.
Baseball legend delivers his own correction
Clemens initially appeared overwhelmed by the recognition.
“Well, I’m stunned,” he told the audience.
“This supersedes anything that I’ve done in my playing career.”
The former pitcher then turned his attention to Trump’s enthusiastic introduction, joking that the president might have missed his calling in professional baseball.
“And the way he talked about all my stats, I guess he could be my agent. I could come out of retirement again,” Clemens said.
But the lighthearted response also contained a correction.
“But I don’t think that I lead Major League Baseball in hit batters, Mr. President. And besides that, when you go inside, it’s the hitter’s job to get out of the way.”
Clemens managed to challenge the president’s claim without turning the ceremony into a confrontation.
His response also included a reminder of the competitive attitude that helped define his pitching career.
The statistics tell another story
Clemens had good reason to question Trump’s statement.
According to Baseball-Reference, the former superstar does not hold the MLB record for hitting batters with pitches.
That distinction belongs to Gus Weyhing, who hit 277 batters during his 14-season major league career.
Clemens recorded 159 hit batters across 24 seasons, placing him 15th on the all-time list.
The difference is considerable, with Weyhing hitting 118 more batters than Clemens over the course of their respective careers.
Trump’s claim was therefore incorrect, even if Clemens certainly had a reputation for intimidating opposing hitters.
A remarkable career beyond the numbers
Despite the statistical mix-up, Clemens remains one of the most accomplished pitchers in baseball history.
Known by the nickname “Rocket,” he built a career around his powerful fastball and fierce competitive style.
He won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher in MLB history, and spent 24 seasons playing at the highest level.
His career also included stints with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros.
The pitcher nevertheless remains outside the Baseball Hall of Fame, despite his extraordinary record.
Trump’s decision to recognize him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom provided a major moment of personal recognition.
