CLEARWATER, Fla. — A medical examiner said on Tuesday that a weight-loss drug containing ephedrine probably contributed to the death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher and Medford native Steve Bechler, who collapsed from heatstroke Sunday during a spring-training workout in Fort Lauderdale and died Monday morning.
That finding by Dr. Joshua Perper, Broward County’s chief medical examiner, leaves baseball’s drug policy open for question from outsiders once again.
“At this time, I don’t have a complete or sufficient degree of toxicology results that I can say precisely what was in the blood and at what levels,” Perper said during a news briefing. “But it’s very difficult to believe, in view of all the circumstances, that anything else was really of importance.”
Ephedrine has been banned by the NCAA, the NFL and the International Olympic Committee, but not by Major League Baseball.
The drug, which is a stimulant used for losing weight and minimizing fatigue, was found in the system of football player Rashidi Wheeler of Northwestern University after he collapsed during drills and died in August 2001.
Korey Stringer of the Minnesota Vikings, another football player who collapsed during practice and later died, tested negative for the stimulant. However, a product containing the substance was found in Stringer’s locker after his death in July 2001.
While no one will argue that the death of a 23-year-old man with a wife who is seven months pregnant is tragic, a debate should be opened about ephedrine’s harmful causes.
“If that’s the cause, then obviously some drastic steps need to be taken to stop this,” Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. “All I know is what I’ve read in the papers, but by the way the doctors are talking, it sounds as if it is widespread.”
The harmful effects of supplements such as creatine and androstenedione came to light five years ago, when the Cardinals’ Mark McGwire was chasing Roger Maris’ single-season home-run record, but baseball still has no testing for either of those substances.
Anabolic steroids have also been an issue of debate and were finally addressed last year, when the owners negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union. Critics believe the agreement isn’t nearly strong enough.
Phillies trainer Jeff Cooper, who is avid in educating players about the damaging effects of smokeless tobacco, does not believe drug testing is the answer to baseball’s or society’s problems.
“I think a lot of guys take things and they don’t even realize what they are taking,” he said.