On this day Sept. 20, in 1985, Curtis Strong was convicted for selling cocaine to pro baseball players, resulting in the harshest Major League Baseball penalties since the Black Sox scandal of 1919.Several Pittsburgh Pirates, including Dale Berra and Dave Parker, and other stars like Vida Blue, Jeff Leonard, Tim Raines and Lonnie Smith — were hauled before a Pittsburgh grand jury. The Pirates testified that drug dealers sold cocaine in the clubhouse. League Most Valuable Player Keith Hernandez swore that Pittsburgh was the place to get your fix. Even the mascot, Pirate Parrot, was implicated as a drug dealer.
Strong served four years in prison. Eleven players were allowed to stay in baseball if they donated a portion of their salary to anti-drug programs.
— Scott McCabe
