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View information about the famous mlb cocaine scandal here on famouslyscandalous.com MLB Cocaine Scandal. You can view information about the MLB Cocaine scandal of the 1980's and other celebrity scandals. You can view by name or by scandal type. We also have included the most popular famous scandals.
MLB Cocaine Scandal
- Major League Baseball Cocaine Scandal
- Sports
- 1985
The Major League Baseball Cocaine Scandal:
Major league baseball's been racked by several major scandals, involving gambling and drug abuse. In the mid-1980's the widespread use of several recreational drugs damaged the careers and reputations of some top big league players
In 1985, several players – including members of the hometown Pirates, were asked to testify before a Pittsburgh grand jury investigating the use of amphetamines, marijuana and cocaine among big league players.
There was testimony that drug dealers had access to the Pirates' clubhouse and players like Dave Parker, Dale Berra, John Milner, Lee lacy, Lee Mazzilli and Rod Scurry were told to appear before investigators.
They were joined by out-of-town players like Vida Blue, Keith Hernandez, Jeffrey Leonard, Willie Mays Aikens, Tim Raines and Lonnie Smith.
Stories surfaced like Milner spending $200 for two grams of cocaine during a 1980 game home against Houston. And Scurry was accused of leaving a game in the late innings looking to score not a run, but some coke.
Even the guy who dressed up as the Pirates mascot, Kevin Koch, was implicated in buying coke and introducing players to a drug dealer.
Seven drug dealers eventually pleaded guilty to various charges.
In February, 1986, several players were suspended by then baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth…
…for various lengths of time.
Baseball tried to establish urine tests, but the Player's Union blocked it.
It climaxed in 1992 when Scurry…
…died at age 36 of a heart attack in an intensive care unit in Reno Nevada after a cocaine fueled incident with police landed him in the hospital.
