TULSA, Okla. (AP) 鈥� Former New York Mets great praised Jesus and thanked President Donald Trump for pardoning his past tax evasion and drug charges as he preached Sunday at a Tulsa church.
Jackson Lahmeyer, founder of Pastors for Trump, welcomed the eight-time All-Star to the pulpit of Sheridan Church, where more than 400 worshippers cheered when Strawberry mentioned Trump’s decision earlier this month to issue the pardon.
鈥淕od just completely set me free when he gave me a pardon from President Donald J. Trump,鈥� said the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year. 鈥淥ther presidents had opportunities, but they didn鈥檛 do it.”
Strawberry hit 335 homers and had 1,000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases in 17 seasons with the Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
For years, the four-time World Series champion battled legal, health and personal problems. He served 11 months in a Florida state prison for a 2002 probation violation.
Now 63, the retired outfielder credits his Christian faith for turning his life around and allowing him to remain sober for more than two decades.
鈥淎ll glory to God because he found me in a pit and put me in a pulpit,鈥� Strawberry said during his 45-minute sermon. The devil 鈥渟hould have killed me when he had a chance,鈥� he joked.
Lahmeyer, the independent charismatic congregation鈥檚 lead pastor, said he became involved in politics during the COVID-19 pandemic when threatened with arrest for conducting a drive-up service from a rooftop.
A member of the National Faith Advisory Board, Lahmeyer said he and Trump discussed Strawberry while meeting at the White House a few months ago.
鈥淭rump knows all the stats,鈥� Lahmeyer said in an interview. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a huge fan of Darryl Strawberry.鈥�
Lahmeyer said he and Trump did not discuss a possible pardon.
鈥淲e were just talking about how Darryl had completely transformed his life and that he was coming to preach at my church, which the president thought was just incredible,鈥� the pastor said.
For his part, Strawberry 鈥� who got to know Trump while appearing on his 鈥淐elebrity Apprentice鈥� reality TV show in 2010 鈥� said he was surprised to receive a call from Trump on Nov. 6 informing him of the pardon.
鈥淲e just talked about my baseball career in the 1980s and what kind of player I was,鈥� Strawberry told The Associated Press. 鈥淗e was just telling me how great of a player I was 鈥� and he just kind of joked around that he couldn鈥檛 hit a baseball. I said, 鈥橶ell, the way you hit a golf ball, you can hit a baseball.鈥欌��
From there, the conversation progressed to Strawberry鈥檚 past crimes. He pleaded guilty in 1995 to tax evasion for failure to report $350,000 in income from autographs, personal appearances and sales of memorabilia.
鈥淗e told me, 鈥榊ou know you did some very bad things,鈥欌�� Strawberry said. 鈥淏ut he said, 鈥橳oday, the way your life is and what you鈥檙e doing, your faith and helping people and being sober, I鈥檓 giving you a full pardon. You鈥檙e going to be clean. I鈥檓 wiping everything out.鈥欌��
Strawberry said the news overwhelmed him.
鈥淚 was really thankful to God,鈥� he said. 鈥淕od has really changed my life and kind of brought me to a really humbling place of doing his work.鈥�
Strawberry, who lives in St. Louis with his wife of 19 years, Tracy, said he travels about 260 to 270 days each year to speak about Jesus and his life鈥檚 transformation.
He was scheduled to speak at Sheridan Church in September, but his sermon was postponed after the death of Davey Johnson, who managed the Mets鈥� 1986 world championship team. Lahmeyer 鈥渨as kind enough to let me go and do the eulogy for my manager,鈥� Strawberry told the congregation.
Church members and visitors interviewed after Sunday’s assembly said hearing Strawberry鈥檚 comeback story inspired them.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what the power of Jesus does,鈥� said Shirley Carson, a Trump supporter who began attending Sheridan Church two and a half years ago
Steve Smith, who lives in nearby Sand Springs, wore a Mets hat and brought a poster for Strawberry to sign.
鈥淚 have waited 40 years to meet Darryl Strawberry,鈥� the longtime Mets fan said after posing for a photo with his baseball hero.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP鈥檚 with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
