Big names have always dominated baseball, and one of the biggest in recent history is Roger Clemens—the Rocket. As a baseball great, he has shown what it means to succeed, both on the field and off, in his near quarter century of major-league service. The Rocket: Baseball Legend Roger Clemens journeys from Clemens’s humble and sometimes difficult childhood through his illustrious career in Boston, Toronto, New York, and Houston. Clemens rose through the ranks, setting a new example of devoted work ethic and responsibility to team and fan alike. Through it all he remained a dedicated family man, not a trait usually associated with the free-for-all image of a major-league baseball player. Joseph Janczak traces Clemens’s career from his high school days; through his University of Texas collegiate baseball (where he was given the pre-Rocket nickname of “Goose”); and on to his minor-league and major-league career. Baseball’s image when Clemens first started in the halcyon days of the mid-1980s quickly dissolved into that of a sport saddled with crises and scandals, such as gambling, steroids, strikes, and fan distrust. But Clemens rose above it all and has set an example for the fans, who he says are the reason for his hard work on the mound each game. The Rocket includes thoughts from teammates, opponents, and Clemens himself on his legendary career. Janczak also discusses the ongoing steroid controversy and the Rocket’s philanthropic endeavors to the community. Written for baseball fans of all ages and all levels of knowledge of the game, The Rocket shows why baseball is America’s pastime and why some stars still deserve to be idolized.
