Opining on Clement’s All-Star credentials, more Knicks ties, a local golfer in US Open

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In the late 18^th century, Benjamin Franklin popularized the phrase “nothing in life is certain except death and taxes.” If the man who helped craft the U.S. Constitution and discover electricity were alive today, he might have added a third inevitably: “. . . death, taxes, and Ernie Clement hitting a baseball.”

There are rare occasions when Clement swings and misses, but the Brighton native makes contact on an astounding 91.9 percent of his swings – a percentage bettered by only a handful of major-leaguers in an era when whiffs are at an all-time high and balls in play at an all-time low.

The thing about Clement is that he doesn’t merely put the ball in play, he also puts the ball out of reach of fielders’ gloves. Taking a page from Wee Willie Keeler’s “hit ’em where they ain’t” manual, Clement has picked up where he left off last October when he established a Major League Baseball post-season record for hits with 30. A little more than a third of the way through this season, the former All-Greater Rochester Baseball Player of the Year is batting .309 and leading the big leagues in hits (76) and the American League in doubles (19).

Clement is on pace to finish the season with career highs in doubles (47), home runs (17), runs batted in (65) and runs scored (77). Filling in at shortstop, second and third, the Toronto Blue Jays standout has been a shining light for an injury-decimated team that bears little resemblance to the club that took the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers to seven games in last autumn’s World Series. In fact, you can make a strong case that Clement has been the Jays’ MVP. A cogent argument also can be made that he deserves to represent the Jays in this year’s All-Star Game. Sadly, Clement may be a victim of his own versatility when it comes to All-Star voting. The balloting is broken down by positions, so this Swiss-Army-Knife player may be hurt by the fact he doesn’t necessarily have a position to call home.

It helps him that Jays Manager John Schneider will skipper the American League squad. If anyone knows Clement’s true value it’s Schneider. And no one would second guess him if he added Clement because the 30-year-old has put up All-Star numbers and is respected by his peers for the intelligent, dogged, dependable way he plays the game.

Last October, the pride of Brighton became the first Rochester-born-and-bred player to compete in a World Series since former New York/San Francisco Giants ace pitcher Johnny Antonelli in 1954. Antonelli, who signed a “bonus baby” contract shortly after graduating from Jefferson High School in 1948, recorded a win and a save in a four-game Series sweep of Cleveland 72 years ago.

Next month, Clement could become the first Rochester product since Antonelli in 1959 to be named an All-Star. Johnny wound up pitching in five Mid-Summer Classics, and being named to six National League star squads.

Such accolades would add to Clement’s impressive baseball resurrection. Before this season, he joined the likes of Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt, Jr., and Paul Skines on the USA team that competed in the World Baseball Classic. He recently was named the Rochester Press-Radio Club’s 2026 Professional Athlete of the Year (along with local Olympic gold medalists Haley Winn and Chris Lillis). And at a July 29 Red Wings game he’ll be immortalized with a bobblehead depicting him sliding home safely during last year’s riveting World Series.

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In this space last week, I mentioned how former Rochester Royals guard Red Holzman coached the New York Knicks to their only NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. There was another strong Flower City connection to those teams. It involved former Red Wings athletic trainer Danny Whelan, who played a role in arguably the greatest and most inspirational moment in Knicks history when he helped center Willis Reed defy the odds and play in Game Seven of the 1970s NBA Finals while nursing a severely torn thigh muscle.

No one expected Reed to suit up, but Whalen did a super job getting the Hall-of-Fame center ready physically, mentally, and emotionally. “He had me spend a lot of time alternating between whirlpools and bags of ice, and he kept boosting my confidence that I could give it a go,’’ Reed recalled in an interview several years ago. “Danny worked on my mind and soul as much as my body.”

Thanks to Whalen’s pep talks and masterful rehab work and tape job, the center was able to limp out onto the floor to a rousing ovation at Madison Square Garden. Reed wound up hitting his first two shots of the game, and guard Walt Frazier took it from there, as the inspired Knicks knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers for the title. Whalen also is credited with giving Frazier his nickname “Clyde” because the Basketball Hall-of-Famer’s flamboyant attire reminded Whalen of the threads worn by actor Warren Beatty in the popular, bank-robbing movie, “Bonnie and Clyde.”

In addition to two championship rings with the Knicks, Whelan also won World Series jewelry with the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. Before heading to the Steel City, he honed his skills for several years with the Wings. During the 1953 season, he spent an off day at a Lake Ontario beach with Jack Buck and wound up saving the famous announcer’s daughter from drowning.

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Webster’s Jackson Ormond, who just graduated from high school, received an early graduation present this weekend when he qualified for a spot in next week’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, near New York City. The 18-year-old shot a scorching 65 in the first round of qualifiers in Gastonia, N.C. Monday morning, then followed that up with an even-better score of 63 in the afternoon to earn co-medalist honors at 12-under.

“It means a lot; it’s a lifelong dream,’’ Ormond told the Golf Channel after becoming one of five golfers in the field of 65 to earn a berth. “Honestly, I didn’t imagine I’d be here. I’m so grateful. It means everything.”

Ormond, who will attend the University of Florida on a golf scholarship this fall, won his local qualifier at the Links at Greystone in early May. He’s currently the 11^th-ranked junior player in the country.

Best-selling author and nationally honored journalist Scott Pitoniak is the Rochester Business Journal sports columnist.