When Roger Clemens took a swing at steroid accusations in courtroom showdown

MLB great Roger Clemens epitomized hard work, grit, and determination all his life, but his alleged PED use by the Mitchell Report late in his career took the shine away from his legacy status.

While Clemens has always firmly denied all allegations, leading congressional leaders referred his case to the Justice Department on suspicions of perjury.

He was finally indicted for six felony counts involving perjury, false statements, and contempt of Congress by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2010.

Baseball pitching star Roger Clemens walks out of the U.S. District Court after his arraignment, on August 30, 2010 in Washington, DC.

Roger Clemen's attorney Rusty Hardin defended him on the charges that he lied to Congress about his steroid use.

“Using steroids and taking the cheap way out was a total anathema to everything he stood for,” Rusty Hardin said.

He also reaffirmed on behalf of Clemens during the defense team's opening statement, stating that never used steroids at any point in his career.

“We’re here because he dared to say, ‘I did not do it,’” Hardin said. “He said it with every breath he’s had for the last four years.”

These controversies gravely impacted his chances to get elected into the MLB Hall of Fame. He ended with only 65.2% in 2022 and not reaching the required 75% of votes at any point in his ten years of eligibility.

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Roger Clemens is a seven-time Cy Young Awardee

One of the most dominant pitchers to have ever graced the game, Clemens spent 24 seasons in the MLB, primarily with the Boston Red Sox.

Famous for his hard-throwing pitches and competitive spirit, he was an 11-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion. He also won seven Cy Young Awards and was voted the AL MVP in 1986.

He is the only pitcher in MLB history to register more than 350 wins and strike out over 4,500 batters.