1981 Topps Jerry Hairston

In my last two posts, I wrote about baseball pensions. Here is another pension story about a well-liked player from a 3 generation Baseball family. Jerry Hairston was added to the White Sox roster in September of 1989 and 1990 so that he would get the full 10 year pension. At the same time, the Sox attempted to add another well-liked player, Minnie Minoso. This would have given Minoso the opportunity to play in his 6th decade. Unfortunately it was vetoed by the league.

Jerry Hairston played for the Sox from 1973-1977 when  he was bought by the Pirates. He then played in the Mexican League where he was seen by Sox manager Tony Larussa and GM Roland Hemond during the 1981 strike. After the strike he was signed by the Sox.