Doctor: Drug Tests Given in Minors

Players in three of baseball’s minor league divisions were tested for drugs during the recently completed season, an administrator of the program said Saturday after four minor league presidents reported they knew of no testing in their leagues.

“We tested at the Triple-A, Double-A, and Class A levels of the minor leagues and tested at least one minor-league affiliate of every major league club.” Dr. Anthony Daly said.

The orthopedic specialist, who also ran the drug-testing program at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, made the comments through the baseball commissioner’s office in reaction to a story Saturday in The Los Angeles Times.

“We did not report to the commissioner’s office or to any of the minor league presidents,” Daly said. “The fact that they are unaware of the scope of the program is encouraging to me and proof of the program’s confidentiality.

“We have stressed confidentiality and anonymity. We feel we achieved our objectives and carried out the program in a highly ethical and professional manner.”

Daly, one of two doctors who administer the testing program, said it has a two-fold objective: “To identify those people with drug problems or potential drug problems and get them help, and to act as a deterrent for further drug use.”

He said that the same guidelines would be followed next year, when it is planned to test more people.

A spokesman for the Commissioner Peter Ueberroth’s office said that because of cost and other limitations, only about 700 of the 5,000 minor league players and other personnel had been tested during the recently concluded season.

The mandatory testing program for players and front-office personnel was announced last May by Ueberroth. He cited the plan’s success last week in a plea to major league players to voluntarily participate in a drug-testing program next year.

The presidents who said they believed there had been no testing in their leagues are Joe Gagliardi of the Class-A California, Charles Eshbach of the Class AA Eastern, William K. Walters of the Class A Midwest and Leo A. Pinckney of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania.

Walters said he had called other Class-A officials in the seven leagues. “No one has found anyone who was tested under the commissioner’s program,” he said.