Former baseball star Darryl Strawberry is being given a second chance. On Friday, President Donald Trump granted a full federal pardon to Strawberry, the former MLB slugger who pleaded guilty in 1995 to a taxevasion charge.
This pardon comes more than 15 years after Strawberry and Trump appeared together on The Celebrity Apprentice.
Strawberry’s professional baseball career spanned 17 seasons, during which he became an eighttime All-Star and threetime World Series champion. He hit 335 home runs and drove in exactly 1,000 runs while playing for teams including the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants.
He was one of the brightest stars of the 1980s and widely regarded as a potential Hall of Famer.
However, off the field, Strawberry’s life was turbulent. Despite his fame, he struggled with substance abuse and faced multiple legal challenges. Before his tax-evasion conviction, he endured suspensions and releases from teams, including the Dodgers and Giants, after failing drug tests.
Later, in 1999, he was arrested in Florida on state charges related to cocaine possession and soliciting sex from an undercover officer. Those convictions, along with a subsequent probation violation, resulted in additional prison time.
Redemption and unexpected clemency
The presidential pardon applies solely to Strawberry’s federal tax case, not to his state-level convictions. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to failing to report income from autograph appearances and memorabilia sales, totaling roughly $350,000, and repaid over $430,000 in back taxes and penalties.
He also served six months of home confinement and three years of probation. The state convictions, however, remain on his record because presidential pardons do not cover state charges.
The White House highlighted Strawberry’s long-term sobriety, over a decade, his embrace of Christianity, and his dedication to ministry as key factors in granting clemency.
Strawberry has also founded a recovery center that continues to operate, helping others struggling with addiction. Expressing gratitude on social media, he described the pardon as a milestone that “allows me to be truly free and clean from all of my past.”
This pardon positions Strawberry among other high-profile individuals who have received presidential clemency from the Trump administration, including politicians and fellow reality-TV personalities. Strawberry’s connection to Trump through The Celebrity Apprentice adds a unique full-circle element to the story.
While reactions to the pardon have been mixed, the decision underscores a broader narrative of redemption and second chances. Strawberry’s focus now lies in ministry and supporting individuals facing challenges similar to his own.
Though some chapters of his life remain complicated, including his state convictions, the federal pardon marks a significant moment in his journey, allowing him to redefine his legacy beyond his achievements on the baseball diamond.
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