Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former

right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...

and

designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...

(DH) in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

who played for five

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

(AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

. A Maryland native, he also played seven years with his hometown team, the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

, over three separate periods. The first overall selection in the

1977 Major League Baseball Draft First round selections The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft. Other notable Selections ''*'' Did not sign Background The White Sox surprised some when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill ...

and a six-time All-Star, Baines led the AL in

slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...

in . He held the White Sox team record for career

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s from until

Carlton Fisk Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947), nicknamed "Pudge" and "The Commander", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1969 to 1993 for the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971–1980) a ...

passed him in ; his eventual total of 221 remains the club record for left-handed hitters, as do his 981

runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...

(RBI) and 585

extra base hit In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...

s with the team. His 1,688 hits and 1,643 games as a DH stood as major league records until David Ortiz broke them in and . He also held the mark for career home runs as a DH (236) until

Edgar Martínez Edgar Martínez (born January 2, 1963), nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a designated hitter and third baseman for the Seattle Mariners from 19 ...

passed him in . One of the most durable, consistent and respected hitters of his era, Baines batted over .300 eight times and hit .324 in 31 career postseason games, topping the .350 mark in five separate series. Upon his retirement he ranked seventh in AL history in

games played Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. Basebal ...

(2,830) and tenth in RBI (1,628). Noted as well for his power hitting in clutch situations, he was tied for seventh in AL history in grand slams (13), fourth in three-home-run games (3), and tied for seventh in major league history in

walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not ...

s (10). He went on to serve as a

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

with the White Sox from 2004 to 2015 before moving into a role of team ambassador and

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

instructor. Baines was elected to the

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

by the Today's Game Era Committee as part of the Class of 2019.

Early years

Baines was raised in St. Michaels,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

by his father, Linwood, a

stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...

, with his three brothers and a sister. He described his father as his "idol, more than anybody else." His father was separated from his mother, Gloria. White Sox owner

Bill Veeck William Louis Veeck Jr. ( ; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was an American Major League Baseball franchise owner and promoter. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Br ...

began scouting Baines when he was just 12 years old while Veeck was living on the

Eastern Shore of Maryland The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula that ...

. He graduated in 1977 from St. Michaels High School on Maryland's Eastern Shore where, as a senior, he batted .532 and was named a high school All-American. The White Sox made Baines the first overall selection in the 1977 amateur draft. He received a signing bonus of $32,000 – a record low for a first overall pick. The owner of the White Sox at the time,

, had spotted Baines playing

Little League Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization On April 10, 1980, Baines made his major league debut on Opening Day, starting in right field and going 0-for-4 in a 5–3 loss to the

. In 1982, he batted .271 with 25 home runs and 105 RBI in 161 games. In 1984, baseball writer

Bill James George William James (born October 5, 1949) is an American baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics. ...

called Baines his favorite opposing player to watch, saying, "He is gorgeous, absolutely complete. I've seen him drop down bunts that would melt in your mouth, come up the next time and execute a

hit and run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...

that comes straight off the chalkboard. I've seen him hit fastballs out of the yard on a line, and I've seen him get under a high curve and loft it just over the fence." Baines ended the longest game in major league history (eight hours and six minutes over 25 innings on successive evenings) with a

against the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

' Chuck Porter on May 8, 1984; the bat he used is currently kept at the

. In 1986, a succession of knee problems began which gradually ended his fielding career, forcing him to become a regular designated hitter. Despite the knee ailments and the resulting lack of speed, he remained a powerful hitter, picking up 166 hits in 1988. Baines holds the record for the most seasons by a player between 100-RBI seasons, with 14 seasons between 113 RBIs for Chicago in 1985 and 103 for Baltimore and Cleveland in 1999. Harold baines2001

Midway through the 1989 season, the Texas Rangers acquired Baines, along with

Fred Manrique Fred Eloy Manrique Reyes an-RE-kay(born November 5, 1961) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Toronto Blue Jays (1981, 1984), Montreal Expos (1985), St. Louis Cardinals (1986), Chicago White Sox (1987–89), Tex ...

, from the White Sox in a much-derided trade which sent

Wilson Álvarez Wilson Eduardo Álvarez Fuenmayor (born March 24, 1970) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher. During a thirteen-year baseball career, he pitched for the Texas Rangers, ...

, Scott Fletcher and

Sammy Sosa Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Cubs. After playing for the Texas Rangers and C ...

to Chicago. After the trade, the White Sox retired Baines's #3 on August 20, 1989, a rare occurrence for a player who was still active in the major leagues (the number would be "un-retired" each time Baines returned to the White Sox, and he wore it as a coach). On August 29, 1990, Baines was traded to the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

for minor league pitchers Scott Chiamparino and

Joe Bitker Joseph Anthony Bitker (born February 12, 1964) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He played for the Oakland Athletics for one game on July 31, 1990, then was traded to the Texas Rangers with Scott Chiamparino ...

, and he helped them reach the postseason only to be swept by the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

in the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

. In 1992, the Athletics returned to the playoffs, but lost to the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

in the ALCS. On January 14, 1993, Baines was traded by the A's to the

for minor league pitchers

Bobby Chouinard Robert William Chouinard (born May 1, 1972) is a Filipino-American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He is the only person born in the Philippines to play Major League Baseball. Chouinard played high school baseball at Forest ...

and

Allen Plaster Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univer ...

. Baines batted .313, .294 and .299 over his first three seasons with Baltimore. On December 11, 1995, Baines returned to the White Sox as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

. On July 29, 1997, Baines was traded back to the Orioles for a

player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...

. He helped the Orioles reach the playoffs, where they lost to the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

in the League Championship Series. Baines represented the Orioles in the 1999 All Star Game. On August 27, 1999, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for minor league pitcher Juan Aracena and a player to be named later. On December 9, 1999, Baines returned for a third stint with the Orioles, signing a one-year, $2 million contract. He was traded back to the White Sox with catcher Charles Johnson in exchange for Miguel Felix, Juan Figueroa, Brook Fordyce and Jason Lakman on July 29, 2000. His final contract with the White Sox was not renewed following the 2001 season, after his third stint with the team. He finished his career with 2,866 hits, 384 home runs and 1,628 RBI. His career RBI total is 34th all-time (through 2022); prior to his induction, he had the ninth-highest RBI count among retired players not elected in the Hall of Fame; his hit total ranks 46th all-time (through 2019).

Coaching career

Baines's fourth stint with the Chicago White Sox began when he was named

bench coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisi ...

in March 2004 under new manager

Ozzie Guillén Oswaldo José Guillén Barrios (; born January 20, 1964) is a former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for 16 seasons, primarily with the Chicago White Sox, from 1985 to 2000. During tha ...

, his White Sox teammate, from 1985 to 1989 and in 1996–97. Baines served as the team’s

interim manager Interim management is the temporary provision of management resources and skills. Interim management can be seen as the short-term assignment of a proven heavyweight interim executive manager to manage a period of transition, crisis or change with ...

for four games, from August 17–20, 2004, while Guillén was serving two consecutive two-game suspensions. In 2005, as a coach for the White Sox, he earned a

World Series ring A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...

when the White Sox won the

2005 World Series The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National ...

Honors

On July 20, 2008, the White Sox unveiled a bronze statue of Baines at

U.S. Cellular Field Guaranteed Rate Field is a baseball stadium located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It serves as the home stadium of the Chicago White Sox, one of the city's two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, and is owned by the state ...

prior to their game against the Kansas City Royals; it is the seventh statue featured on the park's outfield concourse. In August 2009, the Orioles announced that Baines would be inducted into the

Orioles Hall of Fame The Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame is a team Hall of Fame dedicated to representing the most significant contributors to the history of the Baltimore Orioles professional baseball team since the first season of Baltimore baseball in 1954, which has ...

as the 46th member. In his seven seasons with the Orioles, he batted .301 with 107 home runs and 378 RBI as their designated hitter.

Hall of Fame candidacy

Baines had been eligible for the

National Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

beginning with the 2007 election. While 75% of the vote is needed for induction, he never received greater than 6.1% (which he received in 2010). On January 5, 2011, Baines received just 28 votes (4.8%) in the 2011 Hall of Fame election, dropping him off all future writers' Hall of Fame ballots by receiving less than 5.0% of the vote. On December 9, 2018, Baines and

Lee Smith Lee Smith is the name of: Arts, entertainment and media *Lee Smith (fiction author) (born 1944), American author of fiction * Lee Smith (film editor) (born 1960), Australian film editor * Lee Smith (musician) (born 1983), American drummer * Lee Sm ...

were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2019 via the Today's Game Era ballot, a voting panel of 16 consisting of six players, one manager, six executives, and three journalists. Many baseball writers and fans expressed shock that a player who peaked at 6.1% of votes on the regular ballot and was eliminated after only five years was allowed in through the Today's Game Committee. Baines was voted into the Hall of Fame by his peers: he played against five of the six players on the committee, while a sixth served as manager against him. Four executives on the panel were in management while Baines was a player and his former manager and team owner also were on the committee. He and five other players were inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 21 before a crowd of 55,000, including 53 previous inductees.

Personal life

20170718 Dodgers-WhiteSox Harold Baines performing a cermony (3)

Baines's hometown of St. Michaels has designated January 9 as Harold Baines Day. He has also created the Harold Baines Scholarship Fund to help deserving college-bound students. Baines is married to Marla Henry and has four children: Toni, Britni, Harold, Jr., and Courtney. All attended Baines's alma mater, St. Michaels Middle/High School. In May 2021, Baines had to undergo emergency surgery for both heart replacement and kidney surgery, owing to inheriting the condition that his father had suffered from in

amyloidosis Amyloidosis is a group of diseases in which abnormal proteins, known as amyloid fibrils, build up in tissue. There are several non-specific and vague signs and symptoms associated with amyloidosis. These include fatigue, peripheral edema, weight ...

, which he had found out a couple of years earlier. The surgeries were successful.

References

External links

Harold Baines
at th
Baseball Hall of Fame

Harold Baines
at SABR (Baseball BioProject)
Harold Baines
at Baseball Biography
Baseball Hall of Fame: Classy Baines Heralded for Clutch Hitting
*White Sox Bio (Manager and Coaches)
Harold Baines
*WhiteSox Community Relations Representatives
Harold Baines
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baines, Harold 1959 births Living people Major League Baseball right fielders Major League Baseball designated hitters Chicago White Sox players Baltimore Orioles players Oakland Athletics players Texas Rangers players Cleveland Indians players National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees American League All-Stars Silver Slugger Award winners Major League Baseball players with retired numbers Baseball players from Maryland African-American baseball players Major League Baseball bench coaches Major League Baseball first base coaches Chicago White Sox coaches African-American baseball coaches Appleton Foxes players Knoxville Sox players Iowa Oaks players Bowie Baysox players Charlotte Knights players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople People from Easton, Maryland