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Clemens inspired young Schilling
Starting pitchers had memorable encounter in Houston in 1991
Tuesday, July 10, 2001
By JOHN HICKEY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Curt Schilling remembers the day as if it was yesterday.
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| Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens sits with his sons while videotaping the Home Run Derby. Clemens (12-1) starts for the American League tonight. Mike Urban / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Click for larger photo |
He was hanging around the weight room of the Astrodome in Houston in 1991, doing a little work, but, as he put it, mostly "just passing time."
Cy Young winner Roger Clemens, another Houston-area resident, was there, too, going through a workout that was more demanding -- and more in line with what it takes to be a top-flight starter.
Clemens called the kid over. And he changed Schilling's life in the process.
Schilling, now of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Clemens, now of the New York Yankees, shared the podium yesterday, having been named the starting pitchers for tonight's All-Star Game.
"Roger was working as Roger does, and I was just kind of wandering around the weight room," Schilling said. "Our hitting coach said Roger wanted to have a few words with me. I went over to his side of the weight room and about an hour and 15 minutes later, with no butt, I walked back to the other end of the weight room."
Clemens, already one of the most structured, dominating and intimidating pitchers of his era, had lectured with a preacher's passion on what Schilling needed to do to become the pitcher he could be. Just that winter, the Orioles had traded him to the Astros.
What did Clemens say?
"Not a lot of it is printable," Schilling said, drawing laughter.
Later, with a smaller crowd surrounding him, he gave a detailed explanation.
"Having a guy who had some Cy Youngs on his shelf at home" made an impact, Schilling said. "You watch the best in the business and the best in the world go about their business, there's something to it, and there's something different about them.
"The fact that he thought enough of me to take an hour out of his day and talk with me about my approach, and what I wasn't doing, and what he felt I needed to do" meant a lot, Schilling said.
On the drive home that day, Schilling thought about what the master said.
"I looked at the game tremendously different," Schilling said. "Over the years I've incorporated a lot of what he said about how I approach this job, and this life, and my family, and my respect for the game."
Clemens, who had first met Schilling when both pitchers were in the Boston organization, remembered the conversation vividly.
"It was a pretty good conversation," Clemens said. "What he's done since has been remarkable, so I'm happy and proud for him."
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