Pittsburgh drug trials

The players were granted immunity in exchange for their testimony. Ex-Pirate John Milner talked about getting amphetamines from Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie Stargell. Milner added that he bought two grams of cocaine for $200 in the bathroom stalls at Three Rivers Stadium during a Pirates–Houston Astros game in 1980. Keith Hernandez revealed he had used cocaine for three years. Hernandez later added that about 40% of all Major League Baseball players were using cocaine in the early 1980s Tim Raines admitted keeping a gram of cocaine in his uniform pocket (as well as revealing that he snorted during games), and that he only slid into bases headfirst so as not to break the vial. Testimony also revealed that Rod Scurry once left the stadium to go looking for cocaine during the late innings of a Pirates game. ==Verdict==

Dealer Curtis Strong (ostensibly the Philadelphia Phillies' clubhouse caterer) • Curtis Strong: Convicted on 11 counts of selling cocaine — received a 12-year prison sentence, but was ultimately released after serving four years • Dale Shiffman, 54, of Baldwin: indicted on 111 counts, pleaded guilty to 20 – sentenced to 12 years, and ultimately served two years in the federal penitentiary • Shelby Greer, 49, of Mt. Washington: Pleaded guilty to seven criminal counts • Thomas P. Balzer: Pleaded guilty to selling cocaine — sentenced to 18 months in prison • Kevin M. Connolly: Pleaded guilty to selling cocaine — sentenced to 2.5 years in prison • Jeffrey L. Mosco, 49, of Shaler: Pleaded guilty to three drug-related counts – spent 18 months in prison • Robert W. "Rav" McCue: Convicted on seven counts of cocaine distribution In September 2006, Shiffman and the former mascot Koch were interviewed on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel in a segment entitled "Under the Influence." Suspensions On February 28, 1986, Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth handed down suspensions to 11 players. All the suspensions were commuted in exchange for fines and community service. The players were allowed to continue playing under the condition that they donated 10% of their base salaries to drug-abuse programs, submitted to random drug testing, and contributed 100 hours of drug-related community service. • Joaquín Andújar • Dale Berra • Enos Cabell • Keith Hernandez • Jeffrey Leonard • Dave Parker • Lonnie Smith Four players were suspended for 60 days; they were allowed to continue playing if they donated 5% of base salaries and contributed 50 hours of drug-related community service: ==Aftermath==

After the 1985 season ended, Chuck Tanner, manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1977, was fired after a 104 loss season, the worst since 1954. In July 1987, a year and a half after the verdicts, and after Commissioner Peter Ueberroth declared that baseball was free of drugs, • Willie Aikens – convicted in 1994 of selling crack cocaine and sentenced to 20 years in prison; he was released on June 4, 2008 • Lary Sorensen – after a sixth drunk driving conviction, was sentenced to more than two years in prison in 2005 • Alan Wiggins – died in 1991 after having contracted HIV via intravenous drug use. Serving as a precursor to those listed on the Mitchell Report not being voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum due to steroid abuse, Hall of Fame caliber players associated with the drug trials have long been thought to be effectively blackballed from the Hall without being formally banned from baseball, possibly preventing Hernandez and Parker from being inducted, though Raines would eventually be inducted in 2017. Parker would also eventually be inducted by the Classic Baseball Era Committee in 2024 (Class of 2025). In 2015, the Pittsburgh drug trials were the subject of an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary. == See also ==