The tributes continue to pour in for Toby Keith after his tragic death.
Keith’s legendary career was celebrated during one of country music’s biggest nights.
And baseball legend Roger Clemens paid tribute to Toby Keith with one surprising story.
Country music legend Toby Keith tragically passed away from stomach cancer in February at the age of 62.
This year’s CMT Music Awards featured many touching tributes to Keith.
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens surprised the crowd with a story about his friendship with the late country music star.
Roger Clemens and Toby Keith were longtime friends
Clemens and Keith were friends for more than a decade.
The former pitcher appeared in the 2011 music video for Keith’s hit Red Solo Cup.
Keith also gave the introduction for Clemens when he was inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
“When you first met Toby, he made you feel like he’s known you for years,” Clemens wrote on social media after Keith’s passing. “There’s no one on this earth that loved his country more. (NO ONE!)”
Keith was known for his patriotism and his charitable work for members of the Armed Forces.
Roger Clemens tells a funny story about his friend
Clemens appeared at the 2024 CMT Awards where he paid tribute to his late friend.
“A true friend, patriot, and great American,” Clemens said.
He and everyone else on the stage held up a red solo cup in honor of Keith’s hit song.
“Toby was in Houston, my hometown, off and on for three years while battling that d*** ‘C’ word. Through it all, he always kept his sense of humor and his wit,” Clemens added.
Clemens, a former baseball player for the University of Texas, told a story about Keith, an Oklahoma native and diehard fan of the Oklahoma Sooners.
Texas and Oklahoma have one of the fiercest rivals in college sports.
Clemens made a bet with him that he would have to sing the school fight song, The Eyes of Texas, in the dugout of the Texas baseball team.
Like their father, both of Clemens’ sons, Kody and Kacy, played baseball for Texas.
“Toby told my boys, ‘if you get a home run off of our Oklahoma pitcher today, I’ll sit in your dugout and sing The Eyes of Texas with you,’” Clemens recounted.
Keith delivered, but with a twist.
“Sure enough, it happened, and true to fashion, Toby sat in the dugout and with his funny wit sang I’ve been working on the railroad. No chance Toby was going to sing The Eyes Of Texas. Thank you for sharing your dad with all of us. Thank you,” a tearful Clemens said.
The Eyes of Texas is set to the tune of I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.
Patriot Political will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
