FIRST TIER SPORTS
Bud Selig: A chronology of events. Part 4: His steroid era.
When Selig took office there was proof that major league baseball players were using steroids. On may 7 1992 the FBI arrested Curtis Wenzlaff during operation Equine for steroid distribution charges. The FBI found steroid regiments related to Oakland A’s first baseman Mark McGwire. Wenzlaff later admitted publically to helping Oakland A’s outfielder Jose Canseco go from a novice user to a steroid guru.
In addition to proof that steroids were very prevalent in major league baseball it was widely known by players and managers that it was common practice to take steroids. In July of 1995 the Los Angeles times interviewed San Diego Padres General Manager Randy Smith and he stated “We all know there is steroid use, and it is definitely becoming more prevalent.” In the same article, Montreal Expos General manger said “steroids are the secret we’re not supposed to talk about”. Also in that article San Diego Padre Tony Gwynn estimated that 30% of players were using.
During the season of 1998 St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire and Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa were in the midst of a historic year of home runs in a season. Baseball is finally recovering from the 1994 strike when McGwire and Sosa chase down Roger Maris’s single season home run mark of 61 home runs in a season which he set in 1961. On August 22nd 1998 a jar of androstenedione (a steroids precursor) is found in his locker. McGwire admitted that he used the substance then goes on to break Maris’s record by hitting 70 home runs that season.
On June 18th 2002 the United States Senate told Bud Selig and Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Donald Fehr that a new strict drug testing policy must be negotiated during the upcoming collective bargaining agreement. Up to this point no MLB player could be tested for drug use without probable cause. In June of 2004 MLB begins steroid testing. The program included counseling as punishment for 1st time offenders. First time offenders were also granted anonymity.
Rafael
Palmeiro who is one of four players in the history of Major League baseball to
have 500 home runs and 3,000 hits the other three are Hank Aaron, Willie Mays
and Eddie Murray, all hall of famers, stood in front of congress on March 17th
2005 and stated: "Let me start by telling you this: I have never used
steroids, period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that.
Never." On August 1 2005 he was suspended 10 games for testing positive
for a banned substance called stanozolol.
-JJ Robichaud
http://thesteroidera.blogspot.com/2006/08/baseballs-steroid-era-timeline.html
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