European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Policies of major professional sports leagues on alcohol use by players playing hard Tab and Hardy continued from Page 15 baseball s Dwight Gooden and football s Dexter Manley Are among those who followed this pattern Quot obviously addictions Arentt very different a said or Alan lans who treated Gooden at new York s Smithers Institute Quot in one Case its Legal in the other it in t from a medical standpoint it s name your Poison alcohol is the no t drug in America All the others combined Don come near it in the numbers of people a Bob Welch the reigning american league by Young Winner Foi the Oakland a a quit drinking in 1980 while playing for the los Angeles dodgers alcohol Quot was t affecting my pitching then but it was. Affecting the Way i take care of myself Quot Welch says a it i had continued in that direction it would have gotten worse i probably would have ended up dead somewhere Quot _ _ Keister was one of those rare addicts a fewer than 1 in 20 a who voluntarily sought help that followed a disastrous 1986 season with the cubs a a team that dumped him the following Spring a i had a problem for a Long time he says but As a starter he got away with it because he did t have to perform every Day Quot the big thing is that i finally got _ _ honest with myself Quot and checked into a rehabilitation Center Oakland took a Chance on him and a sober Eckersley has helped the a a win three pennants and a world series others took a harder fall a skater Tai Babilonia suffering depression tried drinking wine to help her sleep a first a Glass then a bottle then several bottles then a suicide attempt before finding help and the will to recover. Neil Allen a recovering alcoholic who pitched for five Mijoi league in ams Over 11 years remembers nights when head enter a game and see More than one Home plate and just atm for the one in the Middle Quot he recalls a a Quot puking and shaking and having the dry heaves in the  Only to have a Beer to Stop his hands from fluttering Quot i loss my family to alcohol and i lost my dignity and personal Pride in my he Quot he said Quot i went head to head with Chicago and new York and they re still standing a and i ruined my career Quot. Derek Sanderson once the highest paid hockey player in the world hit Bottom As a derelict in cent a Park trying to steal a bottle of wine from another addict. Upon being confronted he demanded Quot Don t you know who f am 1 the Quot answer Sanderson said saved him �?oyeah.,1 know who you Are a a bum just like me Quot nil players convicted of an alcohol related offence such As a Drunken driving can be disciplined by the league players with alcohol problems also can be ordered to take drug tests. The league prohibits alcoholic beverages in the locker room the league Recognises that alcohol is a Legal substance nonetheless when consumed to excessive Levels alcohol clearly poses a serious threat to the health and safety of players and other persons Quot the nil policy states Aba an alcohol problem Doest  a drug abuse Quot Sunket Quot against a player,.three strikes result in a ban from the league while the league does no to have an alcohol policy individual teams can take disciplinary action or provide help for players with alcohol problems. The a bad a employee assistance program provides treatment and counselling for a wide variety of problems including alcohol baseball there is no league policy. Some teams have their own the san Diego padres have banned alcohol in the clubhouse and some clubs have established Quot no drinking Quot sections in their ballparks. Nil there is no policy. Apps amps a its a a v a t. A sports j a a. A 1 and Philadelphia Phillies Lenny Dykstra was seriously injured in an alcohol related car Accident readers action lined cards for retirees spouses c up i a a to address a subject that unlit now has never Boon broached identification cards for wives and widows of retirees As of now a wife or widow receives a card valid for four years Why can to they receive an indefinite id similar to those issued to a Retiree when they reach 60 years old their entitlements do not change except in the event of separation or divorce when taken into consideration the Lime and Cost of making a new id card multiplied by hundreds of thousands of wives and widows of retirees it seems to my that the government would save one Heck of a lot of Money by issuing an indefinite id card thanking you in Advance i remain a sincerely yours 1elton a. Cochran Vicenza Italy. A capt. Francis e. Jepson director personnel support policy and services office of the assistant Secretary of defense Washington d.c., replies it is necessary to periodically reissue identification cards because entitlements for a remarried widows and a former spouses cease should they remarry therefore a one time card issued to widows and former spouses of military members could create a potential Lor abuse. The minimal Cost associated with reissuing a new identification card is far less than the possible costs of unauthorized use. To write us. Readers a action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. 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