SAN FRANCISCO—Former San Francisco Giants first baseman and 1986 MLB Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, 79, has been absolved by President Obama for tax evasions he faced in 1995. McCovey, the Giants senior adviser who hit 521 home runs over the course of his 22-year MLB career, is one of 273 sentence commutations and pardons established by President Obama on Tuesday, January 17.
From 1988 to 1990, McCovey and Duke Snider, former center fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and 1980 MLB Hall of Famer failed to report $70,000 of extra income. According to reports, those earnings were attained through signing autographs and baseball memorabilia. In 1989, McCovey reportedly received $33,000 for attending an Atlantic City show. Both McCovey and Snider were sentenced to 2 years of probation and charged $5,000 in 1996.
In 1996, during his sentencint, the New York Times quoted McCovey as he spoke to one of the federal judges stating: “The only thing I’d like to say is, well, I’ve always tried to do the right things, I have never willingly tried to cheat the government, and it’s one of those things that was overlooked at the time and I do accept responsibility for it.”
The Stamford Advocate quoted McCovey after his case was pardoned by President Obama, McCovey said: “I want to express my sincere gratitude to President Obama not only for this kind gesture on my behalf, but also for his tireless service to all Americans. He will be deeply missed and I wish him all the best in the future.”
