When Did Baseball Ban Steroids?

Baseball has been played for over 150 years and only recently have steroids been an issue. Why did it take so long for baseball to ban steroids?

Pre-Steroids Era

Baseball has been around for a long, long time. The game has evolved over the years, with new rules being implemented and new technology changing the way the game is played. One of the biggest changes in recent years has been the banning of steroids.

Pre-1920

Pre-1920, there were no formal rules against steroids in baseball. However, there were some efforts to keep players from using them. In 1911, for example, the International League – a minor league – banned the use of stimulants like cocaine. Two years later, the National League (MLB’s first professional league) followed suit.

It wasn’t until after World War II that steroids started to become more widely used by baseball players. In the early 1950s, a doctor named John Ziegler began experimenting with a synthetic steroid called Dianabol. Ziegler was working with the U.S. weightlifting team at the time, and he gave Dianabol to some of the athletes in an effort to help them bulk up and gain strength.

The results were so impressive that word of Dianabol’s potential started to spread within the baseball community. By the early 1960s, steroids were being used by some players in an attempt to improve their on-field performance.

1920-1930

While there is no definitive answer to when baseball banned steroids, it is generally believed that the use of steroids in baseball can be traced back to the early 1920s. At that time, players were looking for any advantage they could find to improve their performance on the field. In 1930, Major League Baseball (MLB) became the first professional sports league to ban the use of steroids. However, it is important to note that this ban was not enforced until after the death of Major League player Ken Caminiti in 2001.

1930-1940

In the early days of baseball, players were not paid very well, so many players took steroids to improve their performances and earn more money. In 1930, the first steroids were created. In the 1930s, scientists began to study the effects of steroids on the human body. In 1938, Hitler’s army began using steroids to enhance the performance of their soldiers. In 1939, the US government began to regulate the use of steroids. In the early 1940s, doctors began to prescribe steroids to treat a variety of medical conditions.

Steroids Era

Baseball has been mired in controversy since the late 1990s when it was revealed that some of the game’s biggest stars were using performance-enhancing drugs. In response, Major League Baseball (MLB) instituted a stricter testing policy for steroids in 2004, and then banned the use of steroids in 2005.

1941-1950

steroid use was widespread in baseball during the 1940s and 1950s. By the end of the 1950s, it had been estimated that as many as 80% of all Major League Baseball players were using steroids. steroids were used to help players recover from injuries more quickly, to increase their batting average, and to provide them with more energy on the field. In 1941, Major League Baseball player Hank Greenberg wrote an article for Look magazine entitled “No More Mr. Nice Guy” in which he advocated for the use of steroids in baseball. Greenberg claimed that steroids would help players perform better and stay healthy, and he urged other players to start using them. He also predicted that steroids would eventually be banned from baseball, but he said that they would continue to be used by players who wanted to cheat.

In 1953, Dr. Robert A. Garcia began prescribing steroids to Major League Baseball players in an attempt to increase their muscle mass and improve their performance on the field. Garcia worked with several prominent baseball players, including Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, and Yogi Berra. In 1954, Maris set a new record for home runs in a season while taking steroids prescribed by Garcia; this record stood until 1998 when it was broken by Mark McGwire. In 1955, Ford won the Cy Young Award (given to the best pitcher in baseball) while taking steroids prescribed by Garcia; this was the first time a player had won the award while taking steroids. These successes led many other players to begin taking steroids in an attempt to improve their performance on the field.

By the early 1960s, it was estimated that 25% of all Major League Baseball players were using steroids. In spite of this widespread use, there was little public concern about steroid use in baseball until 1991 when Canseco’s book Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big was published. In his book, Canseco claimed that steroid use was widespread in baseball and that it was responsible for increasing both hitters’ batting averages and pitchers’ velocity. He also claimed that steroid use was responsible for several deaths in the MLB community, including those of Ken Caminiti and Lyle Alzado. Canseco’s revelations about steroid use in baseball caused a public outcry and led to increased scrutiny of MLB players suspected of using steroids

1951-1960

In the 1950s, MLB New York Giants’ right fielder Willie Mays became one of the greatest baseball players in history. After his successful career with the Giants, he went on to play for the Mets and San Francisco Warriors. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

During this time, there was no testing for steroids in baseball. Players were not banned from taking steroids, and there was no punishment for doing so. In fact, it is believed that many players were using steroids to improve their performance.

The first hint that something might be wrong came in 1960 when Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Dick Groat told reporters that he had used amphetamines, also known as “greenies”, to help him stay awake and focused during games. Groat’s comments led to an investigation by the MLB, but no action was taken at that time.

1961-1970

In the early 1960s, baseball was emerging from a period of bruising labor relations and low attendance. To increase excitement on the field and lure back fans, team owners turned to an unlikely source: chemicals. The introduction of synthetic testosterone — better known as steroids — sparked a home run race unrivaled in baseball history.

The rise of steroids in baseball can be traced back to 1961, whenMLB pitcherConnell “Connie” Doyle is thought to have become the first professional player to use them. Doyle had just been traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Cincinnati Reds, and he attributed his sudden burst of energy and strength to pills he’d been given by a doctor for “tired blood.”

Doyle wasn’t alone in his use of performance-enhancing drugs. In 1962, New York Yankees slugger Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth’s record for most home runs in a season, hitting 61 long balls. Willie Mays, Henry Aaron and other baseball legends also hit more homers than ever before. Although no one could say for sure, many fans and experts speculated that players were using illegal substances to boost their statistics.

The first real evidence that steroids were being used in baseball came in September 1970, when St. Louis Cardinals All-Star outfielder Curt Flood testified before a Senate subcommittee investigating the issue. Flood told senators that he’d been approached about using amphetamines by Cardinals management in order to “keep his edge” during long stretches of play. He refused, but said he knew other players who had used them.

Post-Steroids Era

After years of players using steroids to gain an edge on the competition, baseball finally bans the use of steroids in 2005. This new era, often referred to as the post-steroids era, is much different than the pre-steroids era. In the post-steroids era, players are no longer able to use steroids to improve their performance.

1971-1980

In 1971, Major League Baseball (MLB) adopted a new policy forbidding the use of any drugs for the purposes of Enhancing Performance. This included steroids, which were not specifically mentioned in the policy but were generally understood to be included. The policy was passed in response to a number of players dying from overdoses of amphetamines, which were commonly used at the time to improve play.Player’s Union agreed to MLB’s policy banning steroids in 1980

1981-1990

From the early 1980s until the early 1990s, steroids were not banned by major league baseball. In fact, their use was actually condoned and encouraged by team management in order to give players an edge on the competition. However, as more and more athletes began using steroids and competing at an unfair advantage, the public outcry against their use grew louder. In 1991, after much debate, baseball finally banned the use of steroids by all players.

1991-2000

After a decade of increasing use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in professional baseball, public pressure mounts for the MLB to do something about it. In 1991, then-Commissioner Fay Vincent creates a drug-testing program, but it has several loopholes and is not mandatory. In 2001, just days after the September 11th terrorist attacks, then-Commissioner Bud Selig announces that all players will be subject to random drug testing and suspension for first-time offenders. The new policy is widely hailed as the toughest in professional sports. Despite the new policy, steroid use continues to be an issue in baseball. In 2003, MVP Jose Canseco writes a tell-all book about his PED use, entitled Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. His revelations create an uproar and prompt more discussion about drug use in baseball. In 2005, seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens is accused of using steroids in a New York Times article. He adamantly denies the allegations but is later indicted on perjury charges related to his testimony before Congress about PED use in baseball. In 2007, Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record amid allegations of steroid use. In 2013, Alex Rodriguez is suspended for using PEDs. Rodriguez appeals his suspension and is allowed to play while he waits for a ruling from an arbitrator.