Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Willie McCovey pardoned by president

Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Baseball Hall of Famer and All-Star slugger Willie Covey was one of 64 people pardoned by President Barack Obama this week, decades after conviction on tax evasion charges.

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to President Obama, not only for this kind of gesture on my behalf, but also for his tireless service to all Americans,” Covey said in a statement issued by the San Francisco Giants.

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“He will be deeply missed, and I wish him all the best in the future,” Covey said

He and fellow Hall of Famer Duke Snider, who died in 2011, pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges back in 1995 for unreported income from memorabilia shows. They both received a sentence of two years probation and a $5,000 fine.

McCovey, 79, is a senior advisor with the Giants. He primarily played first base, mainly for the Giants, during his 22 seasons as a major leaguer and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 for, among other statistics, his career total of 521 home runs.

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