Darryl Strawberry’s Pardon
Former New York Mets star Darryl Strawberry has been granted a pardon by President Trump, who cited Strawberry’s renewed faith and sobriety as key factors in his decision.
A White House official stated, “Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion.” Following his baseball career, he embraced Christianity and has maintained sobriety for over ten years, becoming active in ministry and establishing a recovery center that continues to operate today.
The 63-year-old expressed gratitude towards the president in a social media post. He wrote, “Thank you, President @realdonaldtrump for my full pardon and for finalizing this part of my life, allowing me to be truly free and clean from all of my past.” He shared that he learned about the pardon while caring for his wife during her recovery from surgery.
Strawberry recounted the moment he received the call from Washington D.C., saying, “To my amazement, the lady on the line said, ‘Darryl Strawberry, you have a call from the President of the United States, Donald Trump.’” He described how Trump praised his baseball achievements and informed him about the pardon.
Darryl Strawberry was a prominent player during his time with the Mets from 1983 to 1990. An outfielder known for his power-hitting abilities, he played a crucial role in their 1986 World Series victory and was an eight-time All-Star.
Throughout his career, Strawberry faced numerous challenges including addiction and health issues. Diagnosed with colon cancer in 1998, he underwent treatment including chemotherapy. Last year marked another health scare when he suffered a heart attack.
In 1995, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion related to unreported income exceeding $350,000 earned through autographs and appearances. He later agreed to pay over $430,000 as part of this case. Following further legal issues involving drug possession and solicitation charges, he served time in prison before being released in 2003.
