Sports Illustrated, 40 Years Ago

[HoustonGM]

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.c...43/1/index.htm

[PotatoOfCouch13]

How right they were...

[reflections]

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.c...43/1/index.htm

Great find.
Now only if the Hall Of Fame voters, Bud Selig, and all the ESPN sportswriters could be forced to read this and get off Barry, A-Rod, McGwire and realize this isn't some brand new thing.

[HoustonGM]

Thank Rob Neyer for linking to this in his daily linkfest in his ESPN blog

[reflections]

Thank Rob Neyer for linking to this in his daily linkfest in his ESPN blog

I love Neyer. Just finished reading "Big Book Of Baseball Lineups" for probably the 3rd time.

[RedsoxRockies]

I love Neyer. Just finished reading "Big Book Of Baseball Lineups" for probably the 3rd time.

I read that a few months ago, it was good

[reflections]

I read that a few months ago, it was good

I definitely prefer his writing to a lot of supposed "baseball sportswriters"

[ragecage]

I really enjoy the writings of Rick Riley. Now if youll excuse me, I need to drink my juice from a sippie cup.

[RedsoxRockies]

I definitely prefer his writing to a lot of supposed "baseball sportswriters"

As do I. He does not babble on about clutch and knowing how to play.

[acetoolguy]

I really enjoy the writings of Rick Riley. Now if youll excuse me, I need to drink my juice from a sippie cup.

Yeah but his audio essays are so much better.

wait...did that move?...i didnt move it...did you touch it??....not me....I'm outta here.....

[oriole^]

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.c...43/1/index.htm

Uh-huh. Proving what? That the problem's not new, or that the problem's not a problem?

[HoustonGM]

Uh-huh. Proving what? That the problem's not new, or that the problem's not a problem?

That the problem isn't new, and today's players are no "worse" than players of the past, and don't deserve to be treated like evil despicable humans that represent all that is wrong in the world, while the players of the past don't deserve to be held up as holy beacons of morality and all that's right in the world.

[ragecage]

I saw no mention of steroid use with baseball players though, just pain killers and amphetamines. Im not saying because of that players didnt do it, but you also dont see a once thin player become the brawny paper towel man and clubbing 70 homers either.

[oriole^]

That the problem isn't new, and today's players are no "worse" than players of the past, and don't deserve to be treated like evil despicable humans that represent all that is wrong in the world, while the players of the past don't deserve to be held up as holy beacons of morality and all that's right in the world.

No problem with any of that -- as long as it isn't extended to "...therefore, we'll do nothing, and pretend everything's legit, because we didn't catch the first cheater."

[HoustonGM]

I saw no mention of steroid use with baseball players though, just pain killers and amphetamines. Im not saying because of that players didnt do it, but you also dont see a once thin player become the brawny paper towel man and clubbing 70 homers either.

You have to be incredibly naive, though, to believe that baseball players didn't use steroids back then, considering their widespread use in other sports AND an admission from a player from the time period, claiming that he knew a bunch of other players that did it as well.

The stuff obviously wasn't as strong as it is today, but the point is simply that athletes always have and always will try whatever is available to them in order to succeed. In the 1960's and 1970's the "best" and "most accepted" drugs were amphetamines. In the 1990's and early 2000's, steroids were the best and most accepted. The players of the past aren't better people than the players of today. They're all just products of their time.