Lexington Legends starting pitcher Roger Clemens was joined by the Legends mascots and 8-year-old Jonah Dixon, a member of the Southwest Lexington Reds, for the National Anthem before he pitched on June 6, 2006. Clemens, nicknamed “Rocket,” had decided to come out of retirement and signed with the Houston Astros. He was in Lexington for his first rehab start, before a record crowd of 9,222 at Applebee’s Park, an overflow media contingent, a national TV audience and his son Koby playing third base. At 7:09 p.m. — after a nearly weeklong buildup, and after the public address system had played the Elton John song Rocket Man — the 43-year-old Clemens, probably the most dominant major league pitcher of the 1980s and 1990s, took the mound for what he called “step one.” Sixty minutes and 62 pitches later, it was over. Clemens pitched three innings and allowed three hits, including a home run to Lake County’s Johnny Drennen. He also struck out six and hit a batter. “It felt great,” Clemens, sporting a Texas Longhorns cap, said afterward. Clemens ended up playing for three more seasons and retired again in 2007. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff