Piazza Gets the Last Laugh

There are moments in your life when you will always remember where you were. On July 11, 2000, I was working as a waiter at Ruby Tuesday taking the order from a table of Mets fans when this happened:

I just remembered screaming “Oh my God!” Initially, the father thought there was an issue with the Sonora Chicken Pasta.  I then pointed to the TV, and we all watched the replay. That moment hung in the air until the 2000 World Series when Piazza would face Roger Clemens again. It was at that time, Clemens lost any benefit of the doubt:

For that one, I was sitting in my dorm room surrounded by my friends who were Yankee fans. Of course, they were defending Clemens. I’m sure they felt the same way when Clemens beaned Derek Jeter. 

In any event, Clemens had a reputation as a head hunter. He presumably hit Piazza because he couldn’t get him out. Piazza hit .364/.440/.995 against Clemens with four homers and 10 RBI in 22 at bats. The only thing Clemens could do against Piazza was throw at him. Clemens was allowed to get away with it because no umpire would throw him out if a game for throwing at Piazza. He never received a call from the league to let him know he was being suspended. He also didn’t get a call yesterday. Mike Piazza did:

Piazza got the call that he’s a Hall of Famer. Clemens learned he was once again being called out by another player for using steroids:

For better or worse, Piazza will always be tied together with Clemens due to Clemens’ actions. However, now when the story gets told it’ll be how a man kept out of the Hall of Fame due to steroids use went after a Hall of Famer he couldn’t get out. Despite everything that transpired between the two, Piazza is a Hall of Famer, and Roger Clemens isn’t. 

Piazza got the last laugh. 

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