Baseball Great Receives Presidential Pardon
Former US President Donald Trump has issued a full pardon to Darryl Strawberry, the legendary New York Mets outfielder, absolving him of past convictions for tax evasion and drug-related charges. The decision, announced from the White House, was motivated by Strawberry's subsequent embrace of Christianity, his long-standing sobriety, and his extensive ministry work.
A Stellar Career Marred by Legal Troubles
Darryl Strawberry was a formidable presence in Major League Baseball, earning the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year award. Over his impressive 17-season career, he was an eight-time All-Star, hitting 335 home runs and achieving 1,000 RBIs. He famously won the World Series with the 1986 Mets and later with the New York Yankees in 1996, 1998, and 1999.
However, his life off the field was tumultuous. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of tax evasion for failing to report approximately $350,000 in income from autographs and memorabilia sales. As part of his sentence, he agreed to pay back more than $430,000.
His struggles continued, and in 1999, he was suspended from baseball and sentenced to probation after a no-contest plea to charges of cocaine possession and soliciting a prostitute. After multiple probation violations, Strawberry ultimately served 11 months in a Florida state prison, being released in 2003.
Redemption and a Life Transformed
A White House official confirmed the pardon, highlighting that Strawberry had not only served his time and repaid his taxes but had also undergone a profound personal transformation. The official noted his more than a decade of sobriety, his deep Christian faith, and his work running an active recovery centre.
Strawberry himself took to Instagram to express his gratitude, sharing a photo with President Trump. He recounted receiving a surprise phone call from the President, who informed him of the pardon. "I was overwhelmed with gratitude," Strawberry wrote, "thanking God for setting me free from my past." He emphasised that the act was, in his view, not political but an gesture of care from one friend to another.
This pardon adds Strawberry to a list of celebrities and political allies who have received clemency from Trump. The presidential pardon power does not erase a criminal record but is considered a formal act of forgiveness.
More recently, in March 2024, Strawberry was hospitalised after suffering a heart attack. Earlier that same year, the Mets organisation retired his iconic number 18 jersey in an emotional ceremony at Citi Field, where a tearful Strawberry apologised to fans for ever leaving the team.
