President Donald Trump once again made headlines on Friday — this time not for politics, but for mercy. The 45th president issued a full pardon to New York Mets icon Darryl Strawberry, wiping away a 1995 federal conviction for tax evasion that haunted the baseball legend for decades.
A Star’s Fall From Glory
Back in the 1980s, Strawberry was one of baseball’s brightest stars. His explosive swing, raw talent, and magnetic presence made him the face of the New York Mets. After a breakout rookie season, he signed a record-shattering six-year, $7.1 million contract — at the time, the richest for any active MLB player.
But success came with complications. Part of that deal included a $700,000 interest-bearing annuity, which, according to federal prosecutors, Strawberry failed to report correctly to the IRS. By 1995, with his baseball career fading and personal struggles deepening, Strawberry pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. The court sentenced him to three years’ probation, six months of home confinement, and ordered him to repay $350,000 in back taxes and penalties.
“The IRS even auctioned off that annuity to settle the debt,” one official confirmed at the time. As a White House source told the New York Post, “Mr. Strawberry served his time and paid back taxes,” emphasizing his full compliance and rehabilitation.
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