Baseball and Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Baseball is an all-American pastime. Even though the sport is thought to have originated from the British game of cricket, baseball is seen as an originally American sport. Beginning in the agrarian portions of the United States, the game of baseball has maintained some of its simple, rural charm throughout the many decades that it has been a favorite of Americans. However, as with any endearing cultural aspect, baseball has adapted and evolved with the popular consciousness. As such, it has fallen prey to some of the same faults and foibles America has experienced.

In the late 20th century, one of the less palatable aspects of professional sports is performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). These are chemical substances used and abused by professional, amateur, and college athletes in ...