European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday september 28, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Ueberroth puts players to the test Dave Anderson if cocaine is so bad a 6-Ycar-old boy asked his father recently How come Keith Hernandez and Joaquin Andujar arc doing so Good in those few words that youngster explained base Ball s drug problem belter than anyone else has. And in those few words that youngster also explained commissioner Peter Ueberroth s request that each major league baseball player voluntarily agree to a urinalysis for illegal drugs three times a year without warning. For All the millions of dollars involved for adults in player contracts and to income baseball is still a kids game. As such it owes the kids As Well As everybody else an apology for what has occurred on the witness stand in the Pittsburgh drug trials. With his drug plan the commissioner not Only has offered his apology to the Public has also taken action. Now the players have an Opportunity to offer their apology. No matter what the semantics baseball drug test ing is about to begin. As soon As the first players agree the commissioner will have established drug testing in the Industry. His timing was excellent. Many baseball players were tired of protecting drug users a theory recently proposed by Tommy Herr the St. Louis cardinals second baseman and player representative. Knowing that the major league baseball players association has resisted drug testing Ueberroth s shrewd double ploy has put the players squarely on the spot. Volunteer or be considered a drug user. But it s a Slippery spot. In his letter to each player that was hand delivered tuesday to players on each of the 26 teams the commissioner promised confidentiality and no penalties for i Host agreeing to be tested. The com missioner was asked what about those players who did not agree to be tested if a player who declines to be tested develops a drug problem would he be disciplined differently from a player who develops a drug problem while being tested should he i Haven t taken it that far yet Ueberroth said. But the commissioner needs to take it that far. In order to assure himself of no penalties a player who uses drugs simply has to agree to be tested. If his lest turns up positive he is assured of no penalties As Well As medical care and counselling. In a sense he has been granted immunity from prosecution by the commissioner. No such immunity for those players who Don t agree to be tested was mentioned this week by the commissioner he did use one phrase that hinted at the possibility of different disciplinary standards for those who agree to be tested and those who Don t. In discussing his eventual ruling on the fun lures of the Pittsburgh seven those players who testified to having used cocaine in recent year the commissioner mentioned that the ongoing court cases will be deter mined As before  like it or not the commissioner has invoked drug Lesting. He might Call it voluntary and ii might be  whatever the semantics it s Here. As soon As the first few players agreed the line of demarcation was defined b.t., As in before testing and a.t., As in after testing. Without saying so the commissioner May have tipped his thinking that disciplinary action after test ing will be More severe. Judging by his Promise of no penalties to those who agree to be tested disciplinary action would apparently involve Only those who decline to be to Slid. If that influences More players to agree to be tested put a a next to Peter Ueber Roth s name in the Box score. Four months ago the commissioner announced a drug testing plan for minor league players As Well As for non player personnel in the major leagues. Al though he acknowledged not having seen any actual statistics from the implementation of the plan he declared that the testing for illegal drugs and amphetamines had resulted in a dramatic decrease in drug abuse by minor league players. In dealing with medical people the commissioner said dramatic decrease arc the words they  regarding his disciplinary disposition of the pills Burgh seven who testified As Well As the other six players identified As cocaine users by those seven the commissioner postponed action at least until after the world series. Ueberroth spoke of gathering facts and Tran  he mentioned that he will be talking to the Pittsburgh seven and May hold hearings on Hernan Dez Dale Berra Dave Parker Lonnie Smith Enos Cabell Jeff Leonard and John Milner who is no longer in baseball. He also spoke of How some players have been damaged without a Chance to defend them selves alluding to Andujar Rod Scurry Gary mat a photo baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth thews Al Holland Lee Lacy and Lary Sorenson. Presumably the commissioner will hold hear Ings to clarify the involvement of those who did not have the Opportunity to defend themselves on the witness stand at the Pittsburgh trial. Hearings also would be necessary before determining a suspension of any or All of the Pittsburgh seven who embarrassed baseball. Not since the Black sox scandal erupted after the i9i9 world series has baseball been so publicly shamed. With that in mind Ueberroth quoted tuesday from Ken saw Mountain Landis hired As the first commissioner after that scandal. "1 want every player to feel i stand behind him Ueberroth said Reading from a Landis text from 1921. So Long As he is on the  in the last month of his first year us commissioner Ueberroth wants every player to feel the same Way so Long As he agrees to be tested. New York Elmvs redskins fake on unbeaten bears panic time for Washington John Riggins not giving up by Dave Goldberg a sports writer last december with the Washington redskins locked in a frantic four team scramble in the pfc East quarterback Joe Theismann took a cliche one slip further. Our backs Are so far against the Wall that they be gone through the  it s Only the fourth week of the National football league s 1985 season Theismann would t be far wrong if he took that Bromide out of Moth balls. With a 1-2 record and an almost non existent offence Washington goes into Chicago on sunday to take on the bears one of just two unbeaten teams left in the nil. We be dug a pretty Good Hole and it s Tough to get out playing a team like the bears says coach Joe Gibbs. But running Back John Riggins says it s too Early to Start to panic. We re not out of anything. This team has shown the ability to Bounce Back in the past and there is no reason to think we won t come Back on sunday with a top  in other games sunday the Miami dolphins Are at Denver in the first meet ing Between quarterbacks Dan Marino nil Roundup and John Elway. Dallas is at Houston. Green Bay is at St. Louis. The los an Geles raiders visit new England. Minne Sota is at Buffalo. The new York giants Call on Philadelphia. Seattle is at Kansas City. Tampa Bay is at Detroit. New or leans is at san Francisco. Miami is at Denver. Indianapolis Calls on the new York jets. Atlanta is at the los Angeles rams and Cleveland is at san Diego. The monday night game is Cincinnati at Pittsburgh. The bears improved to 3-0 last week with a 33-24 win Over Minnesota that was fashioned when Jim Mcmahon their in jury prone starting quarterback came off the Bench in the third Quarter with his icam trailing 17-9. He threw for 236 Yards and three touchdowns in less than a half. Mcmahon will be healthy for the redskins and the bears will have incentive. Earlier this week Washington defensive end Dexter Manly said his team would have to Knock Chicago running Back Wal Ter Payton out of the game. Manley subsequently apologized for that remark. The redskins have incan live too. Particularly with a series of games against pfc East rivals coming up after the bears. Getting Back to 2-2 is very important for us i Don t think our Odds against Chicago Are very Good Gibbs said. The Denver Miami game features the quarterback Duel Between Elway the first player taken in the 1983 draft and Marino the last of six quarterbacks taken in the draft s first round that year. Since then. Marino s record breaking exploits have pushed Elway into the background. Sunday s game will give Elway his first head to head Opportunity to Shine. The two quarterbacks Are More concerned about the outcome of the game Between the two teams that posted the two Best records in the acc in 1984. Both arc 2-1 this season. I know there arc always going to be comparisons Between us Elway said. But Don t forget this is a team sport. It s Miami is. Denver not Marino is. Elway it really docs l make sense to approach the game that Way. I m just going to do what i can to help us win. The Bottom line is getting the Ball in the end