The White Sox will be paying tribute to one of the franchise’s most popular players when a bronze statue of Harold Baines is unveiled during ceremonies prior to the game against the Kansas Royals July 20 at U.S. Cellular Field. Baines, now a coach for the
“Harold Baines was the automatic choice for this honor,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “Harold has consistently personified class and professionalism in his approach to the game and his Hall of Fame-caliber skills were wrapped in a very humble, friendly personality.” A22-year Major League veteran, Baines played the majority of his career with the White Sox. He also played with the Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s and Baltimore Orioles.
An outfielder and designated hitter, he was a .289 lifetime hitter with 384 career homers. Former White Sox owner Bill Veeck first discovered him when he was just a Little Leaguer in his home state of Maryland.
Still among the all-time leaders in several White Sox offensive categories, Baines is entering his fifth season on the team’s coaching staff. Baines said he his extremely pleased to be honored with a statue by the Sox. “Whenever your organization represents you with something like they’re having it’s comparable to the Hall of Fame,” Baines said.
“To be honored with the guys already out there is very special.” The White will pay tribute to the slain students from the Northern Illinois University shooting when a game is played between the Huskies and Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field on Wed. Apr. 16. Proceeds from ticket sales for the game will go to the February 14 Scholarship Fund at Northern Illinois, which has been established to honor the memory of the slain students.
“The White Sox are honored to host Northern Illinois and Notre Dame at U.S. Cellular Field,” said White Sox chief marketing officer and vice president Brooks Boyer. “Both schools have a significant fan base in Chicago that will make for a great night of baseball, while serving a much more important purpose.”
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