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HistoryOfSteroids
There is a long history of steroids and enhancements throughout the 20th century into the new millennium. The discussion of steroids dates back to 1926 and is continuing today. A detailed list of important dates and occurrences follows in an ESPN timeline entitled:
“WILL TO POWER
A Brief History of the Steroids Era”
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=steroids&num=1∞
1926- Fred Koch and Lemuel
McGee extracted 20 milligrams "substance [with] male sex hormone capacities" after stewing 40 pounds of bull testicles.
1935- Amsterdam chemists isolated male sex hormone, and called it testosterone.
1956- John Ziegler synthesizes methandrostenolone. Sold as Dianabol, it will be America's first commercially available anabolic steroid.
1973- Four-minute miler Roger Bannister urges universal adoption of recently discovered screening test for anabolic steroids.
1984- Victor Conte, former bassist in power-funk band Tower of Power, opens Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative -- BALCO -- in San Francisco suburb.
1986- Jose Canseco (33 HRs, 117 RBI, .240) wins AL Rookie of the Year.
1988- Ronald Reagan signs Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, outlawing sale of steroids for nonmedical purposes.
1991- Commissioner Fay Vincent adds steroids to baseball's banned list in memo he sends to all teams and union.
1994- Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act passes on Oct. 25, deregulates supplements industry.
1995- Padres GM Randy Smith tells LA Times, "We all know there's steroid use, and it is definitely becoming more prevalent." He estimates 10-20% of MLB are users.
1996- Orioles, Mariners, A's break single-season HR record.
Mark
McGwire tells The Denver Post: "People are making a big deal about so many home runs being hit. They wonder why guys you've never heard about are hitting home runs. My answer is, 'Let's accept it. It's good for the game.'"
Ken Caminiti (40, 130, .326) is NL MVP.
1997-
McGwire (58 HRs) becomes second MLer (after The Babe) with consecutive 50-HR seasons.
Six months after signing new labor deal that doesn't include testing for steroids, interim commissioner Bud Selig reissues memo banning their use.
1998- Barry Bonds hires boyhood pal Greg Anderson as personal trainer.
McGwire (70 HRs) breaks Roger Maris' record; NL MVP Sammy Sosa ends up with 66, 26 more than career high.
1999-
McGwire (65 HRs), Sosa (63) are first with back-to-back seasons of 60-plus.
2000- Bonds agrees to endorse ZMA, Victor Conte's supplement.
Mercedes belonging to Red Sox Manny Alexander but driven by team bat boy is stopped in routine traffic sweep in June. Anabolics are found inside.
A New York Times special report on Oct. 11 says "steroid abuse has become a problem in baseball."
A's Jason Giambi hits career-high 43 HRs with 137 RBIs, wins MVP.
2001-Bonds (73) breaks
McGwire's record, wins fourth MVP. He'll win next three, too.
Achy
McGwire plays only 97 games. He announces retirement in a fax to ESPN, then goes into seclusion. Baseball institutes testing for steroids for minor leaguers, who aren't covered by MLB Players Association.
2002-Free agent Canseco goes unsigned. He'll later say he was blackballed and may write a book.
Gary Sheffield works out in off-season with Bonds and trainer Anderson. Sheff uses cream he says he believed was cortisone. It is tetrahydrogestrinone -- THG -- an undetectable synthetic anabolic steroid.
Confidential report by MLB's insurance company notes spike in players' injuries and cites steroids as possible factor.
A retired Caminiti is first star MLB player to admit to taking steroids. In Sports Illustrated, Caminiti also says 50% of players take them.
New labor deal includes first steroid-testing policy. Confidential and random, it calls for tougher testing if more than 5% of players test positive in 2003.
USA Today poll of 556 MLB players indicates 79% favor testing.
2003- David Wells says in draft of book "Perfect I'm Not" that 25-40% of big leaguers use steroids. In published version, range is downgraded to 10-25%. Caminiti is only player mentioned.
U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announces existence and history of THG, fingers BALCO as source.
2004- In February, Attorney General John Ashcroft announces 42-count indictment against Conte, Anderson and two others on charges of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute steroids and money laundering.
Senator John
McCain tells baseball and football officials in March that Congress will intervene unless tougher testing is instituted.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports on Dec. 2 that Giambi admitted to BALCO grand jury he used steroids and human growth hormone. Next day, paper reports Bonds testified to using steroids unknowingly.
2005- MLB and MLBPA announce new drug-testing policy on Jan. 13. It includes year-round testing for steroids and stricter penalties, starting with 10-day unpaid suspension for first offense.
Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 2004 kicks in, outlawing andro and 35 steroids and precursors not banned in 1990.
In his book Juiced, Canseco says he and other players routinely injected each other with steroids. Rafael Palmeiro,
McGwire, Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and Giambi are cited as users.
Jeremy Giambi tells The Kansas City Star he used steroids, calls it a mistake.
In March, Congress holds hearings on steroids in baseball. Selig and union head Donald Fehr appear, as do Canseco,
McGwire, Palmeiro and Sosa.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Bonds' ex-girlfriend testified he told her he knowingly used steroids.
Devil Rays' Alex Sanchez is first player suspended for violating new policy.
Selig proposes 50-game suspension for first-time steroid offenders and lifetime ban for third violation.
Two weeks after taking out ad in USA Today to congratulate him on 3,000th hit, MLB suspends Palmeiro for violating drug policy.
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HistoryOfSteroids