Clemens Apologizes for 'Mistakes'

Pitcher insists that rumors of affairs contain "many false accusations."

ByABC News
May 5, 2008, 10:04 AM

May 5, 2008 -- Saying he had made "mistakes" in his personal life, Roger Clemens apologized to his family and the public on Sunday.

In his first public comments since he was linked to multiple extramarital affairs, the former New York Yankees pitcher issued a statement to the Houston Chronicle that did not detail what those mistakes were.

Clemens did take the opportunity to deny that he had an affair with country singer Mindy McCready, as was reported by the New York Daily News. He also said that he had not taken performance-enhancing drugs.

"I know that many people want to know what I have to say about the recent articles in the media," Clemens said in the statement. "Even though these articles contain many false accusations and mistakes, I need to say that I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry. I have apologized to my family and apologize to my fans. Like everyone, I have flaws. I have sometimes made choices which have not been right."

Citing anonymous sources, the Daily News reported that Clemens "carried on a decade-long affair with country star Mindy McCready, a romance that began when McCready was a 15-year-old aspiring singer performing in a karaoke bar and Clemens was a 28-year-old Red Sox ace and married father of two."

In the statement, Clemens said: "Now, I have been accused of having an improper relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Nothing could be further from the truth. This relationship has been twisted and distorted far beyond reality. It is just one of many, many accusations that are utterly false."

Clemens refused to reveal the reason for public declaration but concluded: "I realize that many people want me to simply confess and apologize for the conduct that I have been accused of, but I cannot confess to, nor apologize for, things I did not do. I have apologized to my family for my mistakes. And having offered this apology to the public, I would ask that you let me and my family deal with these matters in private."