55-year-old Castle Rock pitcher finally gets shot at pro baseball

older teammate.

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From all-state high school baseball pitcher to pro decades – yes, decades – later, Dan Clemens of Castle Rock is looking back in amazement. As generations have come and gone, at 55 years old, he’s still standing on the mound, which is exactly where he wants to be.

“We shouldn’t let age get in the way,” Clemens said.

He’s now in the ninth inning of his career. Here’s his story, inning by inning.

Inning 1: A promising start

When Clemens was a sophomore at Douglas County High School in the mid 1980s, he wasn’t even on the varsity baseball team. He played JV, and wasn’t exactly an All-American.

Two years later, after being given a chance by a beloved coach, Clemens realized and rose to his potential. He became a decorated all-state pitcher (twice), with a scholarship to Colorado State University. He left high school with all the glittering dreams of a potential pro.

His future was shaping up just as he imagined. But a curveball would throw him o his trajectory.

Inning 2: A rough setback at CSU

Injuries would derail his hopes at CSU. Clemens su ered a torn labrum and underwent three shoulder surgeries, which is a potential nail in the co n for a still-developing pitcher. It seemed his eld of dreams was turning into a nightmare. e injuries were bad. Clemens wouldn’t be able to play and he eventually learned that he could never return to the game in college.

“ is set o what I call a ‘dysfunctional relationship with the game,’” Clemens said. “I couldn’t be close to it because it reminded me of what I lost, but I couldn’t be away from the game I love either.”

In short, Clemens’ college career was over before it began.

Inning 3: After decades, a spark of inspiration, then hope

So, Clemens went on with life – and without high-level baseball. He said he stayed away for a while, struggling with what the game had taken away from him. e years passed until he irted with playing again. He joined what he calls “old man leagues,” such as the National Adult Baseball Association and the Men’s Senior Baseball League, where he played for more than 20 years recreationally. It was good to be back on the eld, but it wasn’t the same. en, an unexpected opportunity came. One of his friends and teammates, Bill Rogan (a longtime Denver-area sportscaster), was hired as a manager in the Pecos League, a 16-team league for smaller cities that do not have MLB teams. at’s how, in 2019, at the age of 51, Clemens’ forgotten baseball dream was revived. But when he got the call, he wasn’t sure what to think.

Inning 4: Returning to the mound

“It was kind of out of the blue,” Clemens said. “I actually kind of thought I was getting punked, and a couple of buddies of mine would be in on the call. Once I realized it was actually for real, I was like, ‘Well, gosh we’re 30 years too late on this.’”

After some research on the league and not being able to deny his interest, Clemens knew he had to go for it.

When he showed up, he said he couldn’t help but feel out of place among players in their 20s. ey were young, in their primes and raising the eyebrows at their new,

“When I got there and saw the size and speed and skill of my teammates and opponents, that’s when reality kind of started to sink in, like ‘Oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into?’” Clemens said. “My teammates were very supportive, but I think they were also skeptical. Like, ‘I know we’re hurting for pitching, but I guess this is what the bottom of the barrel looks like.’ I had to very quickly earn some respect.”

Inning 5: Something to prove

So Clemens got to work on the mound, trying to forget everything, especially his age. He strived to focus solely on his mechanics and his craft. e pitches zinged over the plate, and Clemens said he was surprised at the shape he was in.

“I had struck out their numberthree hitter for the second time in the game,” Clemens recalled. “It ended the third inning. And as I walked o the mound the stud in our dugout yelled to our team, ‘ e dude is legit!’ And that really was, ‘OK, I think I’ve been accepted and I’m now one of them.’” is lifted a longtime weight o Clemens’ shoulders and allowed him to focus on his game. Getting lost in the competitive energy of a high-level baseball game, it became addicting once more.

Inning 6: Turning a corner Clemens pitched four games in 2019 before the league was shut down due to the COVID-19 for two seasons. He returned in 2021 to pitch one game and pitched two games earlier this year before the Drakes’ season ended.

Last month, at age 55, Clemens became the oldest player in Pecos League history to record a win on the mound.In seven innings, Clemens scattered 12 hits and gave up only 4 runs in the victory. e week after, Clemens started again and recorded a second win.

Inning 7: A full-circle journey

At that moment, Clemens’ baseball journey had come full circle. No, he would never know if he truly