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Starters: Roger Clemens vs. Justin Thompson WP: Roger Clemens   LP: Justin Thompson

Always a student of baseball history, Clemens -- who was to be a free agent at the end of that 1996 season - knew full well that he had just tied Cy Young for most victories (192) and shutouts (38) in the long and storied history of the Red Sox.

What Clemens didn't know as he blew a fastball past Travis Fryman for the final out of that game on September 18, 1996 is that he had just equaled his own Major League record of 20 strikeouts in a game.

Catcher Bill Haselman told Clemens of his feat while greeting him on the mound.

Out of all the gems Clemens has pitched in his legendary career, this one will go down as one of his most utterly dominant.

When Clemens initially set the single-game strikeout record by punching out 20 Mariners on April 29, 1986, he was a fire-balling 23-year-old en route to his first of what would be a record-setting six Cy Young awards.

A decade later, Clemens was 34 years old, and an unspectacular 9-12 with a 3.82 ERA as he took the mound on that night at Tiger Stadium.

Who could have predicted this was coming?

Clemens was filthy from the first inning on. Like his first 20-K game 10 years earlier, perhaps the most remarkable thing is that he didn't walk anyone.

That Tigers lineup he faced that night had Bobby Higginson leading off, Alan Trammell batting second, Ruben Sierra in the third slot and Tony Clark batting cleanup. Fryman was in the five-hole, followed by Melvin Nieves, Phil Nevin, Brad Ausmus and Kimera Bartee.

Clemens unleashed his wrath on the entire Detroit lineup that night. Every Tigers starter struck out at least once, led by four Fryman whiffs. Clark went down three times - all swinging. The Rocket fanned Higginson, Sierra, Nieves, Nevin and Bartee twice. Trammell, Ausmus and pinch-hitter Phil Hiatt each K'd once.

Looking back on it, Clemens was agonizingly close to breaking his record. He had 15 strikeouts through six innings and 19 after eight.

But he saved No. 20 for his last pitch.

As it turns out, that 20-K performance was the sign of things to come. Clemens went to Toronto and won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 1997-98.

Then he went to the Yankees - something that still pains Red Sox fans -- and further cemented his greatness.

In 2001, Clemens won his final Cy Young award. In 2003, he recorded his 300th victory and 4,000th strikeout in the same night.

He will retire following the 2003 season. But on nights like September 18, 1996, Clemens reminded everyone why he is one of the ages.

Copyright 1996 by the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball