THE COST OF BEING FOOLED BY A BAD PITCH

DARRELL PORTER

In a 17-year career, former Major League catcher Darrell Porter saw
countless batters strike out, ground weakly to the pitcher or pop one
up to the infield by swinging at bad pitches. He knew the importance
of resisting the temptation of a pitch that looked good but really
wasn't. Ironic, then, that it appears Porter died because of a pitch
that fooled him many years ago.

From all accounts, it seems Porter was a good man who made a mistake
- -- he started using drugs. His battles with addiction were well known
in baseball circles, especially after he entered a treatment program
during spring training in 1980. After Porter emerged from treatment he
helped the St. Louis Cardinals win a World Championship in 1982; he
finished off his career in 1987 and gave his friends and family hope
that his days of substance abuse were behind him.

But addiction is a tougher opponent that Porter ever faced in the
major leagues. As noted in the Post-Dispatch on August 13, Porter once
admitted, "I wouldn't say I've overcome anything yet, but I'm on the
right track."

According to many reports he did his best to stay there -- he even
donated the proceeds of an annual golf tournament to efforts to keep
kids off drugs. But in the end the coroner who examined Porter said he
died because of toxic effects of cocaine. Testing revealed the
50-year-old had used the drug shortly before his death, 22 years after
those who knew him were sure he had gotten clean for good.

Make no mistake: Porter didn't set out to become addicted; no drug
user does. And those who say he stayed clean for more than two decades
after his treatment for addiction may well be right. But addiction is
a chronic, recurring disease -- once affected by it you must deal with
it for the rest of your life. That's what Porter faced because the
pitch of illegal drugs fooled him, just as it continues to fool far
too many Americans.

Major leaguers like Porter had coaches to help them learn what to
watch for and which pitches to let go. Kids need parents to fill that
role at home. When it comes to drugs, parents need to learn all they
can about the threats that exist and to talk with their kids about the
dangers of even starting down the path to substance abuse.

This doesn't guarantee they won't start to use drugs. After all, the
reason bad pitches get so many batters out is they look so appealing.
But just as a prepared hitter has a better chance of making a solid
judgment about the pitches coming his way, so does an educated kid.

Not everyone who gets involved with drugs will pay the same price;
some may walk away seemingly unharmed, some may get hurt but survive
to spend a lifetime in recovery. Darrell Porter paid the highest
possible price for his mistake. His example shows the value of
reminding your kids the only guaranteed way not to get hurt by a bad
pitch is to leave it alone.

Stephen J. Pasierb is president and CEO of the Partnership for a
Drug-Free America.