TOBACCO BASEBALL'S NASTIEST SPITTER

"Wanna dip?"

"Sure."

The minor-league pitcher, fresh out of high school, reached into the round
tin with his thumb and index finger, pulled out a generous pinch of tobacco
and inserted it between his bottom teeth and lower lip. Minutes later, his
stomach churned, and he felt like vomiting. Two days later, he tried again,
and felt sick again.

But that was 11 years ago. Today, Giants reliever John Johnstone, 29, is
addicted to smokeless tobacco, a k a chewing tobacco, a k a spit tobacco.
And Johnstone has been diagnosed with leukoplakia, a condition that, if not
properly contained, could lead to cancer of the mouth or throat.

"I'm stupid for doing it, no doubt about it," said Johnstone, who goes
through a half-can of Copenhagen each day. "For 11 years, I've been doing
it. I know the problems that come with it, and that's what scares me.
Definitely, I need to stop.

"I'm going to need help."

Despite baseball's ongoing campaign to reduce the use of tobacco, an
estimated 35 to 40 percent of big-leaguers are users, either the leaf
variety that's packaged in bags or the fine kind in round tins.

The Giants are a microcosm, with eight of their 25 players using some form
of smokeless tobacco, from Robb Nen's tiny sampling of leaf tobacco during
batting practice to Johnstone's constant dipping.

Manager Dusty Baker, who curbs his addiction by biting on toothpicks during
games, and two of his coaches are users. Baker still uses smokeless tobacco,
about a can a week, he said.

"I'm gonna quit," he said.

When?

"While I'm still alive."

Baseball prides itself on being aware of the problem and assisting with a
resolution.

The fledgling National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP), which
educates players and helps them curb or quit their habits, has gained
support from the owners and players' union. On Monday night at Candlestick
Park, NSTEP -- represented by ex-umpire Doug Harvey, a cancer survivor and
former spit tobacco user -- honored the Giants organization for its efforts.

But Dr. John Greene, dean emeritus of the UC-San Francisco School of
Dentistry, said there were too few trained counselors for baseball players.

"Each team has an employee assistance program, but most work with drugs and
alcohol, and few have experience in smokeless tobacco," Greene said. "We
hope to change that."

Greene has seen results. While examining players in spring training as part
of NSTEP, he detected a precancerous white lesion in the mouth of pitcher
Curt Schilling of the Philadelphia Phillies. The lesion was removed in
March, and Schilling was forced to give up tobacco.

Of 141 players tested from nine teams -- including the Giants and A's -- 83
had tissue damage (leukoplakia), and 15 required biopsies. Greene estimated
that half of baseball's users had tobacco-related lesions, which can lead to
cancer, caused by carcinogens' altering of genes crucial to cell division.

"We've seen very little change in Major Leaguers dating back to when we
first started with the Giants," said Greene, who used the Giants as a pilot
team when he began his baseball-related research in 1986. "It's still
running about 40 percent. But I am encouraged. They're getting the message,
which is more than what they got in the early years.

"I predict a big decrease in the next two to three years."

Although the Giants insist they don't officially supply tobacco in the
clubhouse, it's readily available and easy to find. Rolls of tobacco tins
are stored for any player to grab.

Baker has tried alternatives. He used sunflower seeds, but he quit because
of the salt content and the fact that high blood pressure runs in his
family. He used bubble gum, but quit because of its effects on teeth. He
used sugarless gum, but disliked the taste.

The latest alternative is toothpicks. "Toothpicks are the best thing I could
come up with," Baker said.

Among the Giants who use tobacco, two are relievers, two are reserve
outfielders, one is a backup infielder, and one is the second-string
catcher. It's a clear pattern.

"Players with more idle time have a tendency to migrate to habits," said
Giants trainer Mark Letendre.

Backup outfielder Marvin Benard said he used tobacco because, "Sitting on
the bench, I got bored. I also use it to get loose. I'll come in the
clubhouse, get on the bike and put a dip in to loosen me up."

Outfielder Barry Bonds started using tobacco as a child and was hooked. He
said he quit two years ago.

"I was dipping when I was 13," Bonds said. "I did it in high school; I used
to sleep with it. I just quit. No special reason. Just don't need it. It
wasn't hard."

Baker talks to players about a wide variety of problems, both on the field
and off, but says he won't preach about the dangers of smokeless tobacco, at
least not while he's still a user. It would be hypocritical.

"I'm not a good one to talk to them about it," Baker said.

Letendre has cooperated with Greene since the early years of his studies.
"It's all about saving people's lives," Letendre said. "I don't take
personal responsibility for helping Curt Schilling, but it's good to know
what we started 13 years ago was the beginning for what's going on today. "I
just wish there was more awareness. Knowing of the poisons in the product,
I'm chagrined that spit tobacco is an after-mention of the whole tobacco
legislation."

What about a ban? The players' union surely would fight it, but there's no
resistance to the ban in effect in the minor leagues. A minor-leaguer caught
with smokeless tobacco is fined $300, and his manager is also docked $300.

When minor-league catcher Doug Mirabelli was busted last season in Triple-A
ball, he anted up $600 -- his own fine plus the manager's. Then-manager Ron
Wotus, now the Giants' third-base coach, warned his players that they'd also
pay the manager's fine if they got nabbed.

"When Mirabelli was caught, he was sitting right next to me," said
Johnstone. "A guy with a pair of binoculars spotted him, and that was it.
You've got to make sure it's not seen at your locker, in your pocket,
anywhere. It could accidentally roll into your locker, and you'd be to
blame."

Since the 1994 ban, studies show a decrease in use among minor leaguers to
29 percent from nearly 40 percent, Greene said.

"But even that's disappointing," Greene said. "It's banned, but they're
still using it. They use it in the back of their mouth, so it's not seen. Or
they use it away from the field. Umpires are asked to police it, but some
umpires use it, too."

Johnstone began dipping in 1987, when he was drafted out of high school by
the New York Mets and assigned to Kingsport, Tenn., of the Appalachian
League.

"First year in pro ball," Johnstone said. "Like the bozo I was, I kept
saying "sure.' "

Now, Johnstone dips at his locker. He dips at meetings. He dips during
batting practice. He dips in the bullpen. He dips while pitching. He dips
after games. He dips at the team hotel.

Morning, noon and night, Johnstone can be seen with a lump of tobacco in his
mouth.

He vows to quit cold turkey but not during the season. He heard what
happened to Cincinnati pitcher Pete Harnisch, who had emotional withdrawals
and had to take a leave of absence after trying to quit tobacco last season.

Johnstone said he wanted nothing to affect his on-field success.

"I just want to get through this season, and then I can be miserable next
winter," he said.

Johnstone hopes he doesn't influence anyone to pick up his habit. "To
everyone who's seeing me dipping, I'd say don't even try it," Johnstone
said. "It has no real value. It's just a bad addiction."

1998 San Francisco Examiner

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"