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The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven: How a Ragtag Group of Fans Took the Fall for Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball has had its share of troubled times. In terms of sheer dirt, three scandals rise to the Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox, the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials, and the steroid era. The former and latter have been covered extensively. Yet there has never been a book detailing the biggest drug trials in baseball history. The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven tells the whole story in all its shocking details. The MLB participants were among the game's elite, as a virtual all-star team had come to Pittsburgh. Implicated as cocaine Keith Hernandez, Dave Parker, Lee Mazzilli, Dusty Baker, Lonnie Smith, Joaquin Andujar, John Milner, Dale Berra. Mentioned as using Willie Mays, Willie Stargell. But the guys who took the fall for these superstars were just average fans, not heavy hitters or major drug dealers, and this book reveals the often comic circumstances of how they set up deals--and how they got busted. In 1985, it seemed the league was poised to implement a drug testing policy for the players. Obviously, that didn't happen, and because of this inaction, the steroid era came along--and with it all of the broken records that transformed the sport. That's what makes this story so relevant today.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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193 people want to read
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April 28, 2019
One hundred years ago, the Black Sox scandal tarnished the image of Major League Baseball in the eyes of the American public. I recently read Eliot Asinof’s Classic Eight Men Out where he adeptly discusses how the gambling ballplayers were put on trial and it took the persona of Babe Ruth to save baseball’s image. Seventy years later a second image threatened to ruin baseball: drug usage amongst its players. In The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven, Aaron Skirboll brings to light an often overlooked dark chapter in the history of the game.
Players coming through the minor leagues during the late 1960s and 1970s coincided with increased drug usage in Americans. Hippies of the 1960s publicized marijuana and LSD use, showing how fun it was to be high. Ball players looking to get an edge in their performance turned to the drugs available to them during the era, usually greenies or other amphetamines. Easily swallowed or drunk in a cup of coffee, greenies gave even the average ball player an edge on game day. More importantly to the players, the greenies were not policed and the average major league club house was equated to a pharmacy dispensary. As far back as the 1970s, front offices may have been aware of the drug intake but more often than not, management looked the other way, especially if drug usage lead to glory on the field, which, for the most part, coincided with a boost in attendance. As a result, the following decade, the 1980s and rise of consumerism, was ripe for a league wide epidemic that threatened baseball’s integrity.
Aaron Skirboll maintains that in the years 1979-1984 as many as 40% of Major League Baseball players used cocaine. In the era before drug testing, there was no way to pinpoint the exact number but drug use was rampant. On the heals of greenies, players, especially the average ball player looked for that edge to give themselves an advantage on the field. The 1980s were also an era of me culture, with fans looking to gain all the time access to their favorite ball players, giving themselves favored status in society. Skirboll looks no further than his hometown of Pittsburgh when a chance encounter on a airplane between Pirates star Dave Parker and average Joe Shelby Greer lead to a relationship between the two men that centered around cocaine usage. Greer as well as six otherwise upstanding workers in the Pittsburgh community became drug dispensaries for the entire national league. Players allowed their personal dealers free access to the club house or to hotel rooms on the roads as well as perks, which included free tickets to games and access to team only parties. As knowledge of certain dealers increased, drug usage throughout the major leagues increased to the point where in the mid 1980s, baseball was in the midst of an epidemic.
By the time the trial hit in 1985, the majority of fans became disgusted that they were paying for tickets that supported players’ drug habits. Star players including former MVPs Parker and Keith Hernandez were called as witnesses to the trial and granted immunity. Attendance declined and front offices continued to look the other way, especially if their team was winning. This was no more evident to me than the 1986 New York Mets team that won the World Series only to see star players Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry strung out on drugs, derailing what could have been sure fire hall of fame careers. Had the major leagues instituted whole sale drug testing in the wake of the cocaine trial, perhaps the ensuing performance enhancing drug era could have been avoided. Skirboll notes that former commissioner Bud Selig heard rumblings of steroid usage among players as early as 1985, yet without the testing, there was no way to abate it. Like other owners at the time, Selig looked the other way if it meant sellout crowds at his stadium. Sadly, the cocaine trial did little to stem drug usage in Major League Baseball clubhouses.
Like many other fans, I got excited during the 1998 home run chase that intensified the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. Baseball was on the heels of the 1994 players strike and needed a galvanizing moment to bring fans back to the ballpark. At the time fans like myself did not care if the key players were using drugs. It was not until later that record breakers admitted to steroid usage that I adopted my personal “you use, you lose” policy and baseball’s hall of fame has thankfully adopted a similar policy. Aaron Skirboll argues that had baseball cleaned up its act in the wake of the 1985 cocaine trial, that most steroid usage could have been curtailed. While Skirboll’s writing will not win awards for grammar usage or prose, he brings to light a forgotten era of baseball and has fans looking at their favorite 1980s stars in a new light.
3.5 stars
Players coming through the minor leagues during the late 1960s and 1970s coincided with increased drug usage in Americans. Hippies of the 1960s publicized marijuana and LSD use, showing how fun it was to be high. Ball players looking to get an edge in their performance turned to the drugs available to them during the era, usually greenies or other amphetamines. Easily swallowed or drunk in a cup of coffee, greenies gave even the average ball player an edge on game day. More importantly to the players, the greenies were not policed and the average major league club house was equated to a pharmacy dispensary. As far back as the 1970s, front offices may have been aware of the drug intake but more often than not, management looked the other way, especially if drug usage lead to glory on the field, which, for the most part, coincided with a boost in attendance. As a result, the following decade, the 1980s and rise of consumerism, was ripe for a league wide epidemic that threatened baseball’s integrity.
Aaron Skirboll maintains that in the years 1979-1984 as many as 40% of Major League Baseball players used cocaine. In the era before drug testing, there was no way to pinpoint the exact number but drug use was rampant. On the heals of greenies, players, especially the average ball player looked for that edge to give themselves an advantage on the field. The 1980s were also an era of me culture, with fans looking to gain all the time access to their favorite ball players, giving themselves favored status in society. Skirboll looks no further than his hometown of Pittsburgh when a chance encounter on a airplane between Pirates star Dave Parker and average Joe Shelby Greer lead to a relationship between the two men that centered around cocaine usage. Greer as well as six otherwise upstanding workers in the Pittsburgh community became drug dispensaries for the entire national league. Players allowed their personal dealers free access to the club house or to hotel rooms on the roads as well as perks, which included free tickets to games and access to team only parties. As knowledge of certain dealers increased, drug usage throughout the major leagues increased to the point where in the mid 1980s, baseball was in the midst of an epidemic.
By the time the trial hit in 1985, the majority of fans became disgusted that they were paying for tickets that supported players’ drug habits. Star players including former MVPs Parker and Keith Hernandez were called as witnesses to the trial and granted immunity. Attendance declined and front offices continued to look the other way, especially if their team was winning. This was no more evident to me than the 1986 New York Mets team that won the World Series only to see star players Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry strung out on drugs, derailing what could have been sure fire hall of fame careers. Had the major leagues instituted whole sale drug testing in the wake of the cocaine trial, perhaps the ensuing performance enhancing drug era could have been avoided. Skirboll notes that former commissioner Bud Selig heard rumblings of steroid usage among players as early as 1985, yet without the testing, there was no way to abate it. Like other owners at the time, Selig looked the other way if it meant sellout crowds at his stadium. Sadly, the cocaine trial did little to stem drug usage in Major League Baseball clubhouses.
Like many other fans, I got excited during the 1998 home run chase that intensified the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. Baseball was on the heels of the 1994 players strike and needed a galvanizing moment to bring fans back to the ballpark. At the time fans like myself did not care if the key players were using drugs. It was not until later that record breakers admitted to steroid usage that I adopted my personal “you use, you lose” policy and baseball’s hall of fame has thankfully adopted a similar policy. Aaron Skirboll argues that had baseball cleaned up its act in the wake of the 1985 cocaine trial, that most steroid usage could have been curtailed. While Skirboll’s writing will not win awards for grammar usage or prose, he brings to light a forgotten era of baseball and has fans looking at their favorite 1980s stars in a new light.
3.5 stars
February 1, 2024
”In September of 1985…the first of a series of trials that became known as the Pittsburgh drug trials began. In the history of baseball scandals, these trials represent the bridge between the 1919 Black Sox scandal and the steroid era that came to national attention in the 1990s.”
”The sensational trials were the culmination of a story that began in 1979, the year the Pirates sat on top the baseball world and lifted the whole city along with them. Six years later the Pirates had become the laughingstock of the league and nearly left town after being sold to new ownership.”
The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven chronicles a now obscure baseball scandal. Not as famous as the Black Sox scandal, and not remembered as impactful as the Steroid scandal, it was nevertheless a tragic and important chapter in baseball history. Its ongoing ripple effects included a bungled response from MLB that made the Steroids Era possible, as well as negatively impacting the Hall of Fame hopes of a couple stars with boarderline HoF careers — Dave Parker and Keith Hernandez.
The eventual trials were held in Pittsburgh, largely because the Pirates locker rooms were the epicenter of cocaine distribution to Major League players. Even the Pirates mascot, the young man in the Pirate Parrot suit, was involved. So, despite the fact that the scandal included players on many teams, and MLB at large, author Aaron Skirboll, a Pittsburgh local and Pirates fan, approached the subject as a Pirates story. He opens with a chapter on Pittsburgh’s fairytale, 1979 championship season, both because that was when early cocaine connections were being made, and to illustrate the tragedy of falling from those heights to being a 104 loss team at the center of a hugely embarrassing scandal just six short years later.
In the end, everybody punted. Despite making all the right noises about drug testing, MLB forgot about it nearly as soon as judgement had been rendered, ensuring the Steroid Era crisis of the following decade. And the judicial system gave immunity to all the wealthy athletes who testified while it threw the book at a group of working class amateurs:
”Major League Baseball officials could breath a sigh of relief. The authorities were going after not the players but the dealers, a ragtag group of seven local men. The Pittsburgh cocaine seven consisted of a pair of heating repairmen, an accountant, a bartender, a caterer, a land surveyor, and an out-of-work photographer. Collectively they could be seen as nothing more than an assortment of sports groupies.”
The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven is a well written book about a nearly forgotten, tragic, baseball scandal. It’s a good baseball tale, as well as a story of unequal justice, and the negligence of Major League Baseball. Recommend for all baseball fans.
”The sensational trials were the culmination of a story that began in 1979, the year the Pirates sat on top the baseball world and lifted the whole city along with them. Six years later the Pirates had become the laughingstock of the league and nearly left town after being sold to new ownership.”
The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven chronicles a now obscure baseball scandal. Not as famous as the Black Sox scandal, and not remembered as impactful as the Steroid scandal, it was nevertheless a tragic and important chapter in baseball history. Its ongoing ripple effects included a bungled response from MLB that made the Steroids Era possible, as well as negatively impacting the Hall of Fame hopes of a couple stars with boarderline HoF careers — Dave Parker and Keith Hernandez.
The eventual trials were held in Pittsburgh, largely because the Pirates locker rooms were the epicenter of cocaine distribution to Major League players. Even the Pirates mascot, the young man in the Pirate Parrot suit, was involved. So, despite the fact that the scandal included players on many teams, and MLB at large, author Aaron Skirboll, a Pittsburgh local and Pirates fan, approached the subject as a Pirates story. He opens with a chapter on Pittsburgh’s fairytale, 1979 championship season, both because that was when early cocaine connections were being made, and to illustrate the tragedy of falling from those heights to being a 104 loss team at the center of a hugely embarrassing scandal just six short years later.
In the end, everybody punted. Despite making all the right noises about drug testing, MLB forgot about it nearly as soon as judgement had been rendered, ensuring the Steroid Era crisis of the following decade. And the judicial system gave immunity to all the wealthy athletes who testified while it threw the book at a group of working class amateurs:
”Major League Baseball officials could breath a sigh of relief. The authorities were going after not the players but the dealers, a ragtag group of seven local men. The Pittsburgh cocaine seven consisted of a pair of heating repairmen, an accountant, a bartender, a caterer, a land surveyor, and an out-of-work photographer. Collectively they could be seen as nothing more than an assortment of sports groupies.”
The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven is a well written book about a nearly forgotten, tragic, baseball scandal. It’s a good baseball tale, as well as a story of unequal justice, and the negligence of Major League Baseball. Recommend for all baseball fans.
April 17, 2019
While baseball’s most notable controversy over drugs was about performance enhancement drugs, there was one in the 1980’s over the rampant use of cocaine by major league players. Many star players from that era, such as Keith Hernandez, Lonnie Smith and Dave Parker, were called to testify at the trials of seven citizens on felony charges stemming from their interactions with many of these players. This book on the “hero worship” by some of these men as well as a vivid description of the trial of Curtis Strong (where the players testified) is an excellent account of that period.
The author, Aaron Skirbol, does his homework and his legwork in capturing the stories of many of these men, such as Kevin Koch and Dale Shiffman. Koch was able to get close to the players as the mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates and as a result he was able to invite others to the inner world of drugs, parties, women and fantastic nightlife. Something that Skirbol does well is illustrate that these men, who eventually were all given prison sentences, didn’t make much money off of these deals. The interviews with them and several others paint the players as cheap and not paying the men the agreed upon price time and time again.
Something else Skirbol does with some skillful writing is to connect the cocaine scandal of the 1980’s to the use of “greenies” in the 1960’s and 1970’s as well as the steroid use of the 1990’s. One overriding theme made during the book – the player’s union resistance to allowing drug testing made these scandals possible.
The best part of the book, however, is the trial of Strong. His attorney stated that he would show that he was going to put Major League baseball on trial and show that his client was not the one who should be ashamed. While Strong was eventually found guilty, Skirbol’s account of the trial illustrated that it was exactly as the defense intended – baseball itself was the true loser of this trial as the shine on many of its stars became very tarnished. Readers interested in this slice of baseball history should read this book.
The author, Aaron Skirbol, does his homework and his legwork in capturing the stories of many of these men, such as Kevin Koch and Dale Shiffman. Koch was able to get close to the players as the mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates and as a result he was able to invite others to the inner world of drugs, parties, women and fantastic nightlife. Something that Skirbol does well is illustrate that these men, who eventually were all given prison sentences, didn’t make much money off of these deals. The interviews with them and several others paint the players as cheap and not paying the men the agreed upon price time and time again.
Something else Skirbol does with some skillful writing is to connect the cocaine scandal of the 1980’s to the use of “greenies” in the 1960’s and 1970’s as well as the steroid use of the 1990’s. One overriding theme made during the book – the player’s union resistance to allowing drug testing made these scandals possible.
The best part of the book, however, is the trial of Strong. His attorney stated that he would show that he was going to put Major League baseball on trial and show that his client was not the one who should be ashamed. While Strong was eventually found guilty, Skirbol’s account of the trial illustrated that it was exactly as the defense intended – baseball itself was the true loser of this trial as the shine on many of its stars became very tarnished. Readers interested in this slice of baseball history should read this book.
July 8, 2019
Review to follow.
June 7, 2016
I learned a lot from this book--about the history of drug use in Major League Baseball, about the cocaine epidemic more generally, and about this particular episode in Pirates history--but ultimately it was unsatisfying because of several flaws:
1. The premise of the subtitle ("How a ragtag group of fans took the fall for Major League Baseball") is far too strong relative to the evidence in the book. The U.S. Attorney's approach to prosecuting this case was absolutely in line with how drug cases were prosecuted then and now--giving users immunity in order to send dealers to jail. I did not think the author made a compelling case that the players who used cocaine were treated any diferently than "normal" users.
2. The extent to which the author takes the conventional wisdom around so-called "performance-enhancing" drugs (which is to say, steroids), despite the fact that his book itself documents the decades worth of history of players using amphetamines, which arguably improved performance more than steroids did. His big, sweeping conclusion is that if MLB had taken cocaine use seriously, then the steroid era could have been avoided--but I found that lacking both in the cause (why should cocaine use have been the catalyst rather than amphetamines?) and the conclusion (that testing for cocaine then would have meant baseball getting out in front of testing for steroids later).
3. The extent to which the author accepts the conventional wisdom that the steroid era irreparably damaged MLB, and that steroid use is capital-B Bad, because steroids are Performance Enhancing and Dangerous (faux capitalization intended). Plenty of things that big-time athletes do to themselves aren't safe--subjecting themselves to head injuries, running thousands of miles at the expense of their knees--and I've always found the line between this sort of behavior, and steroids, to be unsatisfying. And I think writing a book without at least acknolwedging this issue makes the story lacking.
4. While there's nothing wrong with the writing per se, compared to other books (and magazines) I read, this one is not very well written.
That said, it is a relatively quick read, and a moderately interesting, if flawed, way to learn about an era that has really faded from memory. (Which reminds me of another point--if people who are huge baseball fans just 30 years later know basically nothing about the cocaine era, how damaging was it, really? And will the same be true of the steroid era?)
1. The premise of the subtitle ("How a ragtag group of fans took the fall for Major League Baseball") is far too strong relative to the evidence in the book. The U.S. Attorney's approach to prosecuting this case was absolutely in line with how drug cases were prosecuted then and now--giving users immunity in order to send dealers to jail. I did not think the author made a compelling case that the players who used cocaine were treated any diferently than "normal" users.
2. The extent to which the author takes the conventional wisdom around so-called "performance-enhancing" drugs (which is to say, steroids), despite the fact that his book itself documents the decades worth of history of players using amphetamines, which arguably improved performance more than steroids did. His big, sweeping conclusion is that if MLB had taken cocaine use seriously, then the steroid era could have been avoided--but I found that lacking both in the cause (why should cocaine use have been the catalyst rather than amphetamines?) and the conclusion (that testing for cocaine then would have meant baseball getting out in front of testing for steroids later).
3. The extent to which the author accepts the conventional wisdom that the steroid era irreparably damaged MLB, and that steroid use is capital-B Bad, because steroids are Performance Enhancing and Dangerous (faux capitalization intended). Plenty of things that big-time athletes do to themselves aren't safe--subjecting themselves to head injuries, running thousands of miles at the expense of their knees--and I've always found the line between this sort of behavior, and steroids, to be unsatisfying. And I think writing a book without at least acknolwedging this issue makes the story lacking.
4. While there's nothing wrong with the writing per se, compared to other books (and magazines) I read, this one is not very well written.
That said, it is a relatively quick read, and a moderately interesting, if flawed, way to learn about an era that has really faded from memory. (Which reminds me of another point--if people who are huge baseball fans just 30 years later know basically nothing about the cocaine era, how damaging was it, really? And will the same be true of the steroid era?)
October 4, 2012
A workmanlike, thorough account of an incident that has largely slipped out of the national consciousness. The presence of major sports figures testifying at the trial of a handful of yinzer nobodies remains as compelling in 2012 as was it in the mid-1980s. Kudos to Skirboll for resurrecting this bit of history, and for actually doing the legwork and interviewing all of the parties to the litigation (as well as notable peripheral figures, like first and former Pittsburgh Pirate Parrot Kevin Koch (pronounced "Coke"). Given the negative impact it had on player performance, the cocaine epidemic that swept baseball in the late 70s/early 80s was far more harmful than the PED-fueled excess of the 90s and 00s (which had the effect of extending careers and improving player output, even if it was "unethical" in some vague sense). Subsequent "crises" in organized sports should be kept in context, and works like these will go a long way toward helping us do just that.
November 9, 2017
I listened to this book during a recent long car drive and it sure made the miles speed by! You don't have to be a baseball fan or even a sports fan to appreciate "The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven." But my interest was heightened having lived in Pittsburgh during this time along with good friends who are directly connected to some of the characters. I remember the shock when the story first broke but it is even more fascinating years later when the full context of the rollicking 1980's can be viewed from a distance and we can shake our heads at advocates who were touting the thrill of cocaine and its "non-addictive" qualities. 30 years have passed and we now know differently but are we wiser?
For those not knowing the background, the Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven is about the intermingling of a group of mostly local guys with some of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball players and players of other major league teams. It is a cautionary tale about how hero worship can lead you to places that should never be visited. It is also an ironic view of how money and fame brought very light punishment on the players with the hammer falling hardest on the sports fans who were pretty much following the requests of the objects of their adulation.
My one criticism were the pronunciation errors with the spoken narrative. You would think one of the steps in producing an audio CD is verifying the correct way to say names and locations. Oh well - these misses gave me some good chuckles along the way.
For those not knowing the background, the Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven is about the intermingling of a group of mostly local guys with some of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball players and players of other major league teams. It is a cautionary tale about how hero worship can lead you to places that should never be visited. It is also an ironic view of how money and fame brought very light punishment on the players with the hammer falling hardest on the sports fans who were pretty much following the requests of the objects of their adulation.
My one criticism were the pronunciation errors with the spoken narrative. You would think one of the steps in producing an audio CD is verifying the correct way to say names and locations. Oh well - these misses gave me some good chuckles along the way.
October 16, 2017
Despite the authors screwball analysis, I'm pretty high on this book. The early 80's was an era when players were more inclined to "hug the line" than bash homeruns and the stories presented were jawdroppingly great. The book goes a foul in the latter innings, attempting to link the 80's coc problem to PED issues that would dominate the late 90's. These drugs are apples and oranges. Coc being an addictive party drug- quintessential in ruining many careers, as nicely detailed in the book. Coc heads weren't cranking homeruns outta the park. Like 'em or not -the steroids of the 90's were performance enhancing in theory and practice. Screwball analysis aside, Really like this book.
April 28, 2020
Enlightening
I was about 10 when this story broke. To read about it from the participants point of view opened my eyes and affirmed my 'view' of players like Hernandez and Dave Parker. It really shows how Donald Fehr, Bud Selig, and a host of others still accept no responsibility in their roles they reached played.
I was about 10 when this story broke. To read about it from the participants point of view opened my eyes and affirmed my 'view' of players like Hernandez and Dave Parker. It really shows how Donald Fehr, Bud Selig, and a host of others still accept no responsibility in their roles they reached played.
October 26, 2021
I wanted to enjoy this book. However, the author took an interesting premise and contrived to render it unpalatable. The narrative is dull and the argument a stretch, which made reading it a chore. Much like the Chicago White Sox, this book promised much but failed to deliver.
April 28, 2025
Interesting read. I learned quite a lot. The cocaine epidemic of the late ‘70’s to early ‘80’s was just outside my awareness growing up, so it was certainly eye opening. But Paul Molitor? Holy smokes, I never would have guessed.
August 10, 2019
Good read for fans of baseball, scandals and the Pittsburgh Pirates, but not necessarily in that order!
November 2, 2020
Fairly interesting. I was unaware of this story from the 80's. A little hard to follow.
November 7, 2021
Good book
Read
January 26, 2016Before baseball players took steroids and HGH, in the early to mid 80's many were coke heads. Apparently giving young, aggressive, extremely confident folks a lot of money, unlimited hero worship, and incentives to maintain the lifestyle at all costs can lead to some issues.
As an Orioles fan, this book was satisfying because all the problems are centered with the Pirates. In the 1979 Series, the Pirates beat the O's and made a big deal out of being a "Family" (Sister Sledge). Turns out they were a "family" alright - just of drug addicts. O well.
A quick, snappy look behind the scenes of the game during a funky period. Recommended.
As an Orioles fan, this book was satisfying because all the problems are centered with the Pirates. In the 1979 Series, the Pirates beat the O's and made a big deal out of being a "Family" (Sister Sledge). Turns out they were a "family" alright - just of drug addicts. O well.
A quick, snappy look behind the scenes of the game during a funky period. Recommended.
November 11, 2016
The storyline of this book is that during the 80's MLB drug trial, the FBI granted immunity to highly-paid players in exchange for their testimony against their small-time dealers. And these dealers really weren't making any money selling; they just got a thrill out of being near the players. It is a crazy story. The book is not a masterpiece, but the story kept me intrigued. I think the most interesting part of the story was buried towards the end; Dale Shiffman was, to me, the most fascinating character.
December 31, 2021
A fascinating telling of the cocaine epidemic that ravaged Major League Baseball in the late seventies and early eighties. Each twist and turn brings the reader on a roller coaster ride from Three Rivers Stadium to spots all over Pittsburgh to the board rooms of MLB and essentially the courtroom. The author poses the question about the justice as seven relatively poor “suppliers” of cocaine to seven rich, entitled, selfish ball players. The drama would even involve the Pirates’ mascot, the Pirate Parrot. An absolute must read for baseball fans. Links Eight Men Out to the steroid scandal.
June 18, 2016
Not a bad book. Left me with a feeling of sadness, anger, and as if I had been a little cheated because the "heroes" I grew up watching play were often linked to illegal activities and drug use. Such is life I guess, as we are all human with our own individual flaws and inadequacies. Kudos to men like Lonnie Smith who took responsibility and "manned up" for their actions. Shame and sadness to those who either wouldn't or physically/emotionally couldn't.
October 15, 2010
This is the story of the Major League Baseball cocaine scandal in the 80s that centered around the Pirates. It's a great read - extra interesting for me, since one of the seven is a close childhood friend of my dad's. It was fascinating to fill in the blanks between the bits and pieces I heard about growing up. Recommend to baseball fans or 'Burghers.
January 24, 2013
Deeply interesting look at the first major drug scandal of Major League Baseball and one that foreshadowed the steroid era. Shocking story of how prosecutors allowed seven low level coke dealers to take the fall for dozens of million dollar athletes.
July 27, 2016
I enjoyed the book but found the many characters slightly confusing. In addition, the book seemed to drag on towards the end. Skirboll could have improved this book by focusing on the characters more and the step-by-step of their downfall less.
May 1, 2011
Not the best sports book, but an interesting view into an important time in baseball history.
September 28, 2011
Quite informative...I found it intriguing in light of the current steroids situation in baseball.
January 9, 2013
I didn't think it was that good. Yes it had some interesting story lines but I didn't even finish it. The last two or so chapters were very hard to get through.
April 23, 2013
Detailed summary of baseballs first drug scandals. Very detailed and well researched, this book goes well beyond the headlines.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews