Even if drugs do not significantly affect performance, however, the question of whether athletes have a responsibility as role models is still important.
Last week, Ueberroth gave 11 players a little slap on the wrist for their drug use. But kids will still want to hit like Dave Parker and pitch like Joaquin Andujar.
Kids emulate athletes for their physical accomplishments, not for their lifestyles.
So athletes may not be encouraging drug use.
But they may still have a responsibility to discourage such use. A sports star has enough influence with kids in a community to affect their attitudes toward drugs.
In 1920, when the Black Sox scandal was exposed after years of underground sports gambling, the boy asked Joe Jackson, "It ain't true, is it Joe?"
Jackson replied, "Yes, I'm afraid it is."