Personal Life
Clemons was born in Dunedin, Florida to an 18-year-old single mother, Anna Marie Bryant, who had just graduated from a segregated high school. His father, Willie Clemons, lived an hour and a half away from them while finishing up his university education and later became a school teacher.
Clemons started playing football at age 8 with the Dunedin Golden Eagles, a youth organization co-ordinated by the Police Athletic League.
Clemons and his mother lived in public housing across the street from the city's sewer plant until he was 14 years old. At this point in Clemons' life, his mother married his stepfather, and would also become the first African-American to get an administrative job for the City of Dunedin.
Clemons' mother was also a heavy influence in him becoming a devout Christian as she was also a clerk at a Baptist church in Dunedin. Clemons and his family currently attend the Meeting House in Oakville, Ontario.
Clemons later founded a relationship with his father, Willie, during his college years. Even then, the relationship between him and his father was more like a nephew to an uncle, being limited to visits during his family vacations down in Florida and regular phone calls. Willie was also invited to the 2003 CFL Eastern Division semi-final game his son was coaching in Toronto vs. the B.C. Lions, marking the first time his father had actually seen him in any capacity with the Argonauts. Shortly afterwards, his father died.
Clemons is also a motivational speaker, making frequent public appearances throughout the community. He is also a partner of the children's brand Simply Kids, a line of diapers, baby food and healthcare products found in supermarkets across Canada and the United States.
Currently, Clemons resides in Oakville, Ontario with his wife, Diane (a native Floridian), and three daughters (who were all born in Canada) as a permanent resident of Canada. His oldest daughter, Rachel, is 17, his middle daughter Raven is 14, and his youngest daughter Rylie is now 9. Clemons has described himself (borrowing a quote from C.D. Howe) as an "American by birth but Canadian by choice". It has been suggested that Clemons has remained an American citizen to rebuff any calls for him to run for political office, such as for mayor of Toronto. Clemons was the subject of Pinball: The Making of a Canadian Hero (ISBN 978-0-470-83690-3) a biography written by Perry Lefko published in 2006.
In April, 2007 he visited Calderstone Middle School in Brampton to help start a reading program.
On August 21, 2007, Clemons founded the "Michael 'Pinball' Clemons Foundation" which is dedicated to helping disadvantaged youth.
On March 23, 2009, Clemons appeared on the CTV news @ 6 as a celebrity guest host to do the weather in celebration for Dave Devall's retirement. He is currently working with Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger, founders of Free the Children, in an initiative to build schools and clean water systems in Africa.
On November 14, 2012, Clemons visited and gave a speech about life topics in Markham,Ontario for York Regional District School Board's annual QUEST Forum to promote Student Achievement and Well-Being.
Read more about this topic: Pinball Clemons
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