Harold Baines

Early life

Baines grew up in St. Michaels, Maryland, with his father Linwood, a stonemason, three brothers, and a sister; his parents were separated. White Sox owner Bill Veeck scouted him from age 12. At St. Michaels High School, he batted .532 as a senior and was named a high school All-American. Drafted first overall in 1977, he signed for a $32,000 bonus.

Professional career

Baines debuted on Opening Day 1980, starting in right field. In 1982 he hit 25 home runs and drove in 105 runs. The 1983 White Sox reached the postseason, and on September 17 Baines delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly that clinched the American League West title. In 1984, Bill James praised his all-around hitting.

On May 8, 1984, Baines ended the longest game in major league history (25 innings) with a walk-off home run; the bat is in the Hall of Fame. Knee problems began in 1986, forcing him to become a regular designated hitter. He had eight knee surgeries and lost speed but remained a powerful hitter, collecting 166 hits in 1988. Baines holds the record for most seasons between 100-RBI campaigns: 14 years separated his 113 RBIs in 1985 and his 103 in 1999.

Honors

A bronze statue of Baines was unveiled at U.S. Cellular Field on July 20, 2008. In August 2009, he was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame as its 46th member. He first appeared on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2007, never exceeding 6.1% of the vote; after receiving 4.8% in 2011 he fell off future writers' ballots. On December 9, 2018, the Today's Game Era Committee elected him to the Hall of Fame class of 2019.

His election drew criticism from writers and fans due to low wins above replacement, poor MVP voting, and limited defensive play. Critics noted that five of the six players on the committee had played against him, a sixth had managed him, four executives had been in management during his career, and his former manager and team owner were on the panel. Tony La Russa, Jerry Reinsdorf, and Pat Gillick faced specific scrutiny for close personal ties to Baines.

La Russa acknowledged candid discussions and compared Baines to Alan Trammell, arguing that strikes in 1981 and 1994 cost Baines at least 125 games and likely 3,000 hits.

Personal life

St. Michaels, Maryland, observes January 9 as Harold Baines Day. He established the Harold Baines Scholarship Fund for college-bound students. Baines is married to Marla Henry and has four children, all of whom attended his alma mater. In May 2021 he underwent emergency heart and liver transplants on successive days after amyloidosis damaged both organs; the surgeries were successful.