Roger Clemens makes surprise appearance at Minute Maid Park to honor Army veteran
By Scott Rogust
![LOS ANGELES - August 28: Roger Clemens of the Houston Astros pitches during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 28, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Astros 1-0. (Photo by Robert Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES - August 28: Roger Clemens of the Houston Astros pitches during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 28, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Astros 1-0. (Photo by Robert Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6e826fe739dde9078c0d138a849b3d480fc55984405950fc02277842d6fbb65e.jpg)
Roger Clemens showed up to Tuesday’s game between the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox to surprise an U.S. Army veteran.
The Houston Astros began their series against the Boston Red Sox on Monday, which ended in an 11-2 win for the AL West team. On Tuesday, the Astros decided to help a United States Army veteran prior to their game, and they got the help of a former MLB ace.
Roger Clemens arrived at Minute Maid Park to present Army veteran William Thomas with a new wheelchair through the league’s partnership with the Wheelchairs for Warriors program. Additionally, Clemens presented Thomas with an autographed Astros jersey.
You can listen to Clemens and Thomas’ full comments, via Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston.
Prior to tonight's game, Roger Clemens and @Insperity presented veteran William Thomas with a new wheelchair through the Wheelchair for Warriors partnership with @MLB.#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/BWlCZc7xOH
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 2, 2021
.@rogerclemens and Wheelchairs for Warriors Executive Director, Crystal Laramore, presented a new wheelchair to US Army veteran, William Thomas, before the Astros game. @Insperity teamed up with the Astros & Wheelchairs for Warriors to make this happen. Roger: “This is awesome” pic.twitter.com/OOcmgyI3Rs
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) June 2, 2021
Astros: Roger Clemens presents U.S. Army veteran with new wheelchair
This is a fantastic moment for Thomas, who is an Astros and Roger Clemens fan. The seven-time Cy Young winner wanted to help out after hearing from Insperity, a human resources solutions company, that Thomas was in need of a new wheelchair.
According to their official website, Wheelchairs for Warriors “provides custom-fit, complex-rehab mobility solutions to injured veterans, law enforcement, and first responders,” where “each chair is specially tailored to each recipient’s individual needs.”
After spending his first 20 seasons between the Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees, Clemens joined Houston in 2004. In his first season with the Astros, Clemens recorded a league-high winning percentage (.818), a 2.98 ERA, a 1.157 WHIP and 218 strikeouts over 214.1 innings pitched. That season helped Clemens win his seventh Cy Young award.
Through three seasons with the Astros, Clemens accumulated a 2.40 ERA, a 1.074 WHIP and a 38-18 win-loss record.
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