by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright June 4, 2003
All Rights Reserved.

aught red handed with cork stuffed in his bat, Chicago Cub right-fielder Sammy Sosa reminded the baseball world that shenanigans aren't confined to Wall Street or prestigious newspapers. Locked into one of baseball's most memorable home run duals in 1998, St. Louis slugger Mark McGwire and Cubs right-fielder Sammy Sosa mesmerized the nation, chasing and breaking New York Yankee left-fielder Roger Maris' 1961 record of 61 homeruns. Considered the most coveted record all of baseball, Maris broke Babe Ruth's 1927 mark of 60 dingers—a record that stood for 27 years. When McGwire finally shattered Marris' record hitting 70 homers, all hats were off to until rumors circulated about his use of the controversial nutritional supplement adrostendione—a strength-enhancing precursor, chemically related to steroids. Some used McGwire's supplement use to discredit his feat.

     Grabbing headlines when news of McGwire's use of supplements hit the front page, Sosa told the press that he also took supplements, pulling out his bottle of Flintstone vitamins. Juxtaposed against McGwire's admission, a smiling Sosa came off squeaky clean, too naïve to cheat. Performance enhancing drugs, especially steroids, are quite familiar to professional sports, especially football where muscle mass plays well on the gridiron. Sosa's camouflaged swipe at McGwire hits a sour note now that he's caught using an illegal bat. "In our society, you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty," said first year Cubs manager Dusty Baker, rushing to Sosa's defense. Fans—and sports journalists—now question whether today's revelation was really a fluke or a dark secret in Sosa's prolific career. In a game measured by character and honor, Sosa's corked bat punctures yet another ideal.

     Sosa's misfortune began after splintering his bat on a routine ground ball to second base. When Tampa Bay catcher Toby Halls retrieved the fragments, he presented it to home plate umpire Tom McClelland. After his brief inspection, McClelland ejected Sosa for using an illegal bat. "Try to give the guy an honest chance, a believe him until proved otherwise," said Baker, referring to Sosa's admission that he made an honest mistake. Sosa acknowledged using a corked bat during batting practice to better entertain fans. "I just trying to go an get ready for the game, and I picked the wrong bat," said Sosa. Yet, his corked bats were unmarked and carefully concealed. Sosa will surely face suspension by Major League Baseball. Several players have been suspended for using corked bats, including Albert Belle, Wilton Guerrero, Chris Sabo and Greg Nettles.

     Sosa wishes now he hadn't highlighted McGwire's use of androstendione, telling the baseball world he uses Flintstone vitamins. Using altered equipment is far more egregious than ingesting banned substances, especially over-the-counter nutritional supplements. Boxers sometimes try to slip something under the gloves, getting a little something extra. Calling McGwire "the man," Sosa insinuated that McGwire got more media attention because he was white, while their seesaw home run derby lit up the ratings in 1998. With the crack of his bat, Sosa also splintered a precious cargo known as credibility. "It's a crisis we've got to deal with. I understand it's hard right now," Sosa told the press. "I just apologize. That's the only thing I can say, from the bottom of my heart . . . I guarantee to you I never use anything illegal," demonstrating top-notch damage control skills.

     Sosa was acutely aware that his commercial appeal took a hit with his corked bat. Superstars and celebrities crash-and-burn when unsightly activities hit the headlines. Though some athletes, like prizefighter Mike Tyson, thrive on notoriety—most suffer commercial hardship. Once embarrassments occur, celebrities must play the right cards to preserve and salvage reputations. When Bill Clinton refused to give a forceful public apology after fibbing in about Monica Lewinsky, he found a most unsympathetic press. Martha Stewart also showed unwanted arrogance following allegations of insider trading. While Stewart faces criminal charges, Sosa only faces public humiliation. It's easier to let it all hang out when legal concerns aren't in the picture. Yet both Clinton and Stewart should take a lesson in damage control from the standup Cubs' outfielder.

     Sosa's ongoing problems stem not from MLB but from his adoring fans for falling off the pedestal. Whatever the length of his suspension or price of his fine, his corked bat cost him far more in precious credibility and commercial appeal. "Unfortunately, it's a dirty mark, when you consider all he's accomplished," said Yankee manager Joe Torre. "It's really unfortunate for the game. Everybody's scratching their heads right now. . . It's embarrassing. He's too good of a player. It's too bad," opening up a Pandora's box of doubt that Sosa's action is just the tip of the iceberg. When NY Times reporter Jayson Blair got busted for fabricating and plagiarism, it opened up a can of worms for other responsible journalists. Now out in the open, readers question the truthfulness of news reports once taken for granted. With Sosa getting uncorked, another sacred American tradition takes a hit.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global new. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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