Harold Baines

Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former designated hitter and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox. A Maryland native, he also played seven years with his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles, over three separate periods. The first overall selection in the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft and a six-time All-Star, Baines led the AL in slugging percentage in 1984. He held the White Sox team record for career home runs from 1987 until Carlton Fisk passed him in 1990; his total of 221 remains the club record for left-handed hitters, as do his 981 runs batted in (RBI) and 585 extra base hits 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 2013 and 2014. He also held the mark for career home runs as a DH (236) until Edgar Martínez passed him in 2004.

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 .350 in five separate series. Upon his retirement, he ranked seventh in AL history in games played (2,830) and 10th 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 (three), and tied for seventh in major league history in walk-off home runs (10). He served as a coach with the White Sox from 2004 to 2015 before moving into a role of team ambassador and spring training instructor. Baines was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Today's Game Era Committee as part of the class of 2019.

Baines was raised in St. Michaels, Maryland, by his father, Linwood, a stonemason, 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 began scouting Baines when he was just 12 years old while Veeck was living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

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.

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 Baltimore Orioles. In 1982, he batted .271 with 25 home runs and 105 RBI in 161 games.

In 1984, baseball writer Bill James 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 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 walk-off home run against the Milwaukee Brewers' Chuck Porter on May 8, 1984; the bat he used is currently kept at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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.