If Babe Ruth drank beer during prohibition, would that be like Bonds taking steroids if he did?

Question

Both were illegal, right?

Answer 1

No, because although is would be illegal it didn't make him hit the ball farther.

Answer 2

It's certainly a good point to raise whenever someone proclaims that baseball should throw out all the stats of anyone who ever used illegal drugs. There goes Ruth, Alexander, and anyone who ever had a drink during those dark times. (The greater lesson to learn is that the Constitution is for defining how the federal government operates and its limits, and not for social engineering.)

Now, I'll agree that alcohol probably doesn't improve performance, but consider some of the notorious users across baseball history. Ruth still stands tallest; Alexander's another HOFer; also Mantle. I don't think greatness comes in a bottle with the BATF stamp on it, but could these men have been even better, dry? Fie upon them for denying us seeing their very best!

Doc Medich pitched a no-hitter while, by his own admission, high on acid, so that probably didn't dampen his skills that day.

The point is, Ruth is a bad example for claiming alcohol doesn't enhance performance, because he owns one of the two or three very best playing records in history. Maybe it really was the booze. (No. It wasn't. And studies outside of baseball establish how alcohol can impair one's cognitive and reactive facilities. The point remains, Ruth is not a good example to hold forth for supporting this within baseball. No Hall Of Famer would be, because they are the best ever. Lesser known flameouts would serve the purpose. Don Newcombe, by his own admission. Josh Hamilton, I suppose. And, sadly, Josh Hancock.)

Conversely, we can note that Welch and Eck won Cy Young Awards after taking the pledge and getting off the sauce.

I don't doubt that Bonds and many others have used steroids and other things. I just don't think it made that much difference, not in the way most people do; but then I'm not paid millions to utter idiotic soundbites on teevee or write pernicious drivel in newspapers, so I don't have to kowtow to the popular misconceptions or the horde mentality. And I have never, never seen a sound explanation that Bonds' awesome eyesight, the core skill that gives him strike zone mastery like no one else playing, came from a bottle. Also, there are other factors that have changed favorably over the past ten to twenty years that get conveniently ignored by the lynch mobs while heading to the hardware store to stock up on rope, torches, and pitchforks.

The steroid era was what it was -- pitchers were using, too -- and there will be future developments that will make the Powerball 90s look like the good ol' days. MLB has never seen course to erase or change historical statistics (except in the case of correcting documented mistakes), and it isn't about to start now. And what purpose would it serve? Denial of accurately recorded history is always, always a BAD THING, and statistics have no political bias or agenda to promote. The stats are a by-product, not a raison d'etre. They are, simply, notations of what happened; and they cannot unhappen. The history of baseball, a wonderful fun topic of many layers, is much more than just tables of hypnotic numbers.

Bonds is (almost certainly) going to pass Aaron and go where no one has gone before. This does not in any way diminish Aaron or his career. That stands forever. Baseball moves on.

Answer 3

In some ways, yes.

Beer was illegal for a period of time in Ruth's career, but it doesnt really enhance a player's performance. Steroids wasnt illegal until after 2001.

Some people have said that steroids help build muscle and will help increase a player's homerun totals, but the players that have tested positive after MLB's steroid policy went into effect hasnt increased their homerun totals at all. They were never considered power hitters and they didnt hit many homeruns before the positive tests.

Answer 4

Alcohol was illegal for some of the years Ruth was in the league. Steroids were legal with a prescription. Neither was banned by baseball (steroids weren't until the past few years). Only one of them has ever been considered to be a performance enhancer, however.

Answer 5

Alcohol was illegal, but in a different way. Steroids are performance enhancing while beer is...well apparently is it didn't bother Ruth too much. He just saw two baseballs and always picked the right one.

Answer 6

Both illegal, however, beer did not enhance Ruth's body so he could get bigger and hit more home runs as is the case with Bonds. Bonds not only has taken steroids but has lied and denied he has. The man has no integrity.

Chow!!

Answer 7

No. Even though they are/were illegal, beer doesn't enhance your performance. Babe Ruth would have gotten in trouble but not to the extent of Bonds.

Answer 8

True - both were illegal. But - beer is not a performance enhancing drug. Babe Ruth could not have been a 'better player' because of drinking beer; he would not have had an unfair advantage.

Regardless - just because civil authorities did not punish Babe Ruth during prohibition does not mean they cannot punish Barry Bonds now. Two different laws, two different times, two different sets of circumstances.

Answer 9

while yes its true that both would qualify as illegal i think steroids would be a little worse. for one beer would not have helped the bambino's game in fact maybe would have only deteriorated it. steroids have clearly helped bonds and other players.another reason is that prohibition was kind of a BS law at the time and certainly looking back on it now. beer just seems so trivial compared to roids.

Answer 10

This could only be similar if in a few years we say that steroids aren't illegal after all. The prohibition did end. I don't see an end to the ban on performance enhancing drugs quite just yet.

Answer 11

Are you retarded?
How does beer improve a player's performance? Being a depressant, alcohol would have just the opposite effect of a performance-enhancing drug like HGH, androstenodione, or any other steroid on or off the market.
Despite their common bond of illegality, beer and steroids/HGH share nothing else alike whatsoever.
I think your only point is the one on top of your head.